Singapore’s ‘Finance-Savvy’ Retail Prefers Trust over Low Fees: Survey

Why It Matters

The shift toward trusted, regulated exchanges signals deeper retail adoption and a move away from fee‑driven trading, reinforcing Singapore’s position as a disciplined crypto hub and prompting service providers to prioritize compliance and security to capture growth.

Summary

A joint MoneyHero‑Coinbase survey of 3,513 Singaporean retail investors finds that 61% of finance‑savvy participants now hold cryptocurrency, with trust in regulated platforms outweighing low fees as the primary exchange selection criterion. The respondents are predominantly long‑term holders—58% identify as such and 42% have kept crypto for over two years—yet they allocate less than 10% of their portfolios to crypto and hold an average of three tokens. While 27% of non‑holders plan to invest within the next year, education remains driven by social media (62%) and personal networks, highlighting both outreach opportunities and misinformation risks. The findings come amid Singapore’s stringent regulatory environment, including the Payment Services Act and recent MAS crackdowns on unregulated activities, underscoring a maturing market that values compliance and security.