One in 5 users of crypto savings plans is in their 50s or 60s

"When the Kospi fell more than 10%, bitcoin dropped only 3%?"

Investors worn down by wild swings in the domestic stock market are turning their attention to bitcoin, which has held up comparatively well. One in five users of a "coin accumulation" service — which lets investors put in a fixed amount at regular intervals — is in their 50s or 60s. As bitcoin appears to be finding a floor, analysts say a dollar-cost averaging strategy is gaining traction among middle-aged and older investors who prefer spreading out purchases over committing a lump sum.

Data compiled through digital asset exchange Coinone on July 31 showed that users in their 50s accounted for 15.29% of the coin accumulation service, while those in their 60s made up 4.91%. Together, the two age groups represent 20.20% of total users — roughly one in five.

Users in their 30s and 40s accounted for more than half of the total. By age group, those in their 40s were the largest segment at 26.20%, followed by those in their 30s at 26.08% and those in their 20s at 22.70%. Users in their teens made up 2.87%, those in their 70s 1.54%, those in their 80s 0.37%, and those in their 90s 0.03%.

The data challenges the perception that virtual asset investment is the exclusive domain of younger generations, suggesting the investor base has broadened to include middle-aged and older participants. Across all age groups, bitcoin was the most-requested asset — indicating that investors who consistently accumulate crypto favor the coin with the largest market capitalization and highest name recognition, regardless of age. The one exception was the 70s cohort, where XRP topped the list.

Analysts attribute the concentration of demand in bitcoin — rather than altcoins with short-term surge potential — to the nature of the coin accumulation service itself, which encourages long-term holding through regular fixed investments. "The spread of bitcoin investment to middle-aged and older users shows that virtual assets are being accepted not merely as a speculative tool for the young, but as a target for long-term asset allocation," an official at one exchange said.

Bitcoin's relative resilience has also grown more appealing as domestic stocks — particularly Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix — have swung sharply. On June 28, when a circuit breaker was triggered, the Kospi plunged more than 10% in a single session, while bitcoin fell only around 3% the same day. Bitcoin had long been regarded as a quintessential risk asset that amplified volatility when markets tumbled, but it has recently shown comparatively limited declines.

Investors fatigued by stock market volatility are also looking back toward the crypto market. On June 28, combined trading volume across South Korea's five major won-denominated exchanges — Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit and Gopax — reached approximately $964 million, more than 81% above the prior month's daily average of about $530 million. The market widely attributes the surge to funds flowing out of equities and into virtual assets.

With bitcoin consolidating in the $63,000 range, experts are advising a dollar-cost averaging approach rather than deploying a lump sum all at once. Jack Lee, founder of LD Capital, identified $67,500 as a key resistance level, saying a decisive break above that level would be needed to sustain an uptrend. "Maintaining a dollar-cost averaging strategy in August while waiting for the next bull run remains a valid approach," he said. "In a range-bound market like the current one, there is no need to read too much into short-term price movements."