According to a study conducted by CoinSwitch, the vast majority of Indian cryptocurrency investors are under 35, highlighting a strong lean towards younger market participants, even though older groups demonstrate greater conviction in purchases and portfolio diversification.
In the second quarter of 2026 (Q2CY26), investors aged 26–35 accounted for 50.5 percent of the CoinSwitch user base, followed by the 36–45 age group with 22.8 percent. Investors aged 18 to 25 represented 16.3 percent, while those over 46 made up 10.5 percent.
However, the composition of new investors joining in Q2CY26 was notably different. Among new users, 54.4 percent belonged to the 18–25 age group, and another 25.4 percent were in the 26–35 group.
CoinSwitch noted that this data indicates that almost three out of four crypto investors are 35 or younger, reflecting the sustained appeal of digital assets among India's digitally native population.
Buying and Selling
Nevertheless, the youngest investors were not the most active buyers. The 18–25 age group was the only category where sales exceeded purchases, with the buy-to-sell ratio on the CoinSwitch platform during this period standing at 0.65.
Conversely, investors over 46 showed the highest propensity to buy, reaching a ratio of 1.14. This suggests that while young investors drive entry into this asset class, older investors tend to buy more than they sell.
Ashish Singhal, co-founder of CoinSwitch, stated: 'What we are observing in India is a transition from viewing crypto assets merely as a new asset class to investors developing a more nuanced understanding of how they wish to participate in it.'
Divide and Rule
According to CoinSwitch, the age segmentation becomes even clearer when looking at portfolio size. Nearly six out of ten investors aged 18–25 (59.2 percent) held only one cryptocurrency. This proportion gradually decreased among older investors, falling to 36.3 percent among those aged 36 to 45. Meanwhile, this cohort had the highest percentage of investors holding ten or more cryptocurrencies—9.1 percent.
The study found that while young investors contribute to the entry into this asset class, older investors are more inclined to buy than to sell, and the Bitcoin-Dogecoin pair leads across all age groups on the CoinSwitch platform in Q2CY26.
Despite differences in trading behavior and portfolio structure, Bitcoin and Dogecoin became the most popular crypto pair across all age groups in Q2CY26 on the CoinSwitch platform. Other popular combinations, according to CoinSwitch, included Bitcoin + Shiba Inu, Dogecoin + Shiba Inu, and Bitcoin + Ethereum.
Some age-dependent preferences were also noted: investors aged 36–45 preferred Dogecoin + XRP, while the 26–35 age cohorts and those over 46 favored Dogecoin + Ethereum.
Preferred Time
Indian investors clearly prefer evening hours, with the most active trading hour being between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM. The least activity was recorded between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM. Thursday proved to be the busiest day of the week for trading, while Sunday was the least active day.
Uttar Pradesh Leads
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh took the leading position, accounting for 12.9 percent of the total crypto investment volume, making it the largest crypto market in India on CoinSwitch in Q2CY26. It was followed by Maharashtra with 12.4 percent, Karnataka with 8.1 percent, and Delhi with 7.4 percent.
Bitcoin was the preferred cryptocurrency in nine out of the ten largest investing states in India. Andhra Pradesh was the exception, where Dogecoin was number one. This state also recorded the highest female participation among the top 10 markets, with women accounting for 59.3 percent of total investments.