IG, in a guide published Sept. 26, 2025, tied the size of a crypto holding to the investor's risk profile. It describes diversification as spreading capital across asset classes that react differently to market conditions. The goal is lower overall risk. YouHodler, in an undated article, sets out ways to split money within crypto. The splits run by industry, by type of blockchain product and by type of coin. In a piece on institutional portfolios, XBTO says there is "no universal allocation strategy in crypto." The method that emerges from these sources has three steps. First, size the crypto share of a total portfolio. Next, spread that share across different kinds of exposure. Then reset it on a regular basis.
Key facts from IG's 2025 guide
- Conservative investor: As little as 1% of the total portfolio.
- Moderate investor: Somewhere between 3% and 5%.
- Aggressive investor: High-conviction investors might go above the moderate range. The cap is no more than 10% because the asset class is volatile.
- What decides the share: Risk tolerance, time horizon and knowledge base.
- Upkeep: Reset the allocation regularly, since volatility can let crypto dominate a portfolio unintentionally.
Three ways to spread a crypto holding
YouHodler's article lists several ways to split money inside a crypto allocation. First, by industry: hold projects from different industries. Second, by type of solution: divide money between blockchain platforms, protocols, and services such as wallets or data providers. Third, by type of cryptocurrency: hold coins of different kinds rather than one kind.
Buying in stages
YouHodler also gives a timing example. The plan buys 5% of a portfolio every two weeks. After 40 weeks, the whole portfolio is in place. Bad timing "can't be eliminated completely," it says.
Should more than 10% of a portfolio go to crypto?
IG's examples cap the crypto share at no more than 10%. That cap applies to aggressive investors with high conviction in crypto. The guide ties it to the asset's volatility. A conservative investor might hold as little as 1%. A moderate investor might hold 3% to 5%. The right share depends on risk tolerance, time horizon and knowledge base. Because the examples are percentages of a whole portfolio, the money behind each one grows with the portfolio's size.
What a crypto share of 1% to 10% means for your portfolio
Enter your total portfolio value and choose a crypto share from 1% to 10% to see the amount. IG's examples are 1%, 3% to 5%, and no more than 10%; any other value is your own choice.
| Your total portfolio value | Crypto share you choose (1% to 10%) | Crypto amount at the chosen share |
|---|---|---|
| 20,000 USD | 1 % | 200 USD |
| 10,000 USD | 1 % | 100 USD |
| 50,000 USD | 1 % | 500 USD |
- The share applies to the whole portfolio, as IG states its examples.
- IG's examples: as little as 1% for a conservative investor, 3% to 5% for a moderate investor, and no more than 10% for an aggressive investor.
- Other values in the range are reader-chosen arithmetic, not IG examples.
The calculator only multiplies a portfolio value by the chosen share and does not judge suitability or estimate losses.
When crypto moved with stocks
IG reports that cryptocurrencies sold off together with stocks in the March 2020 pandemic crash. Crypto prices also fell alongside fast-growing technology stocks during the Federal Reserve's interest-rate hikes in 2022. The larger coins have also moved partly in step with big US technology stocks in recent years. Whether that pattern lasts remains open, it says. YouHodler gives a similar warning. A sudden shock like the coronavirus can cause a worldwide market collapse, it says. Such a collapse can hurt even a diversified portfolio.
Analysis: what the sell-offs suggest about sizing
Diversification works when holdings respond differently to the same market conditions. The 2020 and 2022 episodes show crypto moving with stocks during broad falls. In such a fall, holding more coins may do little to soften the loss. The share of the total portfolio held in crypto then becomes the main control. YouHodler's three methods spread money across parts of the crypto market. IG's sell-off examples concern crypto as a whole moving with other assets. The two address different risks. That reading fits IG's approach of sizing first by risk profile. It also explains the emphasis on resetting the share, since a volatile holding can grow beyond its intended size. None of this predicts the next sell-off.
What is confirmed and what is not
How the three sources line up
- IG and XBTO: Both tie allocation to circumstances. IG links its examples to risk tolerance, time horizon and knowledge base. XBTO, writing about institutions, cites different objectives, risk profiles and market conditions.
- IG and YouHodler: The coronavirus comes up in both. IG reports crypto sold off with stocks in the March 2020 crash. YouHodler warns that a shock like it could still hurt a diversified portfolio.
- IG only: Allocation examples of 1%, 3% to 5% and no more than 10%. The 2020 and 2022 sell-off episodes. The advice to reset holdings.
- YouHodler only: The industry, solution and coin-type splits, and the 40-week staged buying example.
- Not confirmed by any source: Whether crypto will keep moving with technology stocks, or which share suits a given investor.
Limitations
The figures are publisher examples, not personal advice. YouHodler's and XBTO's articles carry no date. The sources do not cover tax treatment.
Where to go deeper
YouHodler's piece describes each spreading method and the staged-buying plan in more detail. IG's guide explains the reasoning behind its allocation examples. It also suggests resetting crypto allocations regularly, because volatility can let crypto take up more of a portfolio than intended. At each regular review, check whether price swings have made crypto a larger share of the total portfolio than planned.
Sources: Crypto as Part of a Diversified Portfolio (ig.com), Sep 26, 2025 · 7 Tips to Maximize Diversification For Your Crypto Portfolio (youhodler.com) · Diversified Crypto Portfolio Strategies for 2025 | XBTO (xbto.com)
ZIPMEX promotes trading on trade.zipmex.com. Promotions are labelled and kept separate from news coverage, which is selected and checked without regard to them. Perpetual futures are leveraged derivatives. Prices can move fast and you can lose all of your margin. Not available in every jurisdiction. Not investment advice.
