The latest data insight from Enness Global has revealed that a growing number of high-net-worth individuals are using their cryptocurrency holdings to access the global property market, as interest in crypto-backed finance soars and digital assets continue to outperform traditional investment classes.
Surging demand for crypto-backed finance
Enness Global reports that traffic to its crypto-finance web pages has climbed by 214% over the past year, while the firm has facilitated more than 100 crypto-related loans during the same period. The growing demand for crypto-secured property finance has also prompted a 30% increase in the number of lenders now offering such products.
How crypto-backed finance works
Crypto-backed property finance allows investors to borrow against their cryptocurrency holdings rather than selling them, enabling access to liquidity while retaining exposure to future gains. Enness Global works with a global network of lenders, including private banks and specialist finance houses, that accept major digital assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum as collateral. Loan structures vary depending on the jurisdiction, asset type, and overall wealth profile of the borrower, with rates typically ranging from 3.5% to 8.9%.
Global opportunities for crypto investors
Crypto-backed loans can be used to purchase both residential and investment properties internationally, from London to Dubai, Mallorca, Miami, and beyond. While some lenders may convert crypto to fiat before completion, others hold the digital assets directly under agreed custody terms. Borrowers should be aware of potential risks such as asset volatility, margin calls, or jurisdictional limits, but for well-capitalised investors, crypto finance provides an increasingly mainstream route to acquiring high-value property while maintaining a diversified digital portfolio.
Digital assets outperforming bricks and mortar
The surge in demand for crypto-backed lending comes as digital asset values have substantially outperformed property price growth over the last 12 months.
Analysis from Enness Global shows that the average UK house price has risen by just 2.3% over the last year, while London has seen growth of only 0.6%. Over the same period, Bitcoin has climbed 79%, and Ethereum 59%.
As a result, the estimated equivalent sum required to purchase the average UK house price of £266,640 a year ago sat at ₿5.630. Today, despite the average UK house price increasing to £272,819, this equivalent value has fallen by 43% to ₿3.215.
At the same time, the estimated equivalent value of Bitcoin required to purchase a London property has reduced by 44% in the last year, now averaging ₿6.219 versus ₿11.078 in 2024 - with the growth in Ethereum values demonstrating a similar trend.
Wealth mobility and global diversification
This divergence in performance is helping affluent investors unlock property opportunities without liquidating their digital portfolios, not just across the UK market, but around the world. Enness Global has recently supported clients purchasing properties in Bali, Mallorca, Puerto Rico and Miami, with the average purchase price standing at £1 million.
Unlike selling down crypto assets to raise capital, crypto-backed borrowing enables investors to retain their digital holdings while accessing liquidity to buy real-world assets.
Islay Robinson, CEO of Enness Global, commented:
“High-net-worth investors are increasingly using crypto wealth as a sophisticated tool to diversify their portfolios and access the global property market more freely.
To do this, they borrow against their crypto holdings rather than liquidating them, allowing them to retain exposure to future market gains while deploying capital into prime real estate. This creates a bridge between two asset classes that have traditionally operated in separate worlds - digital wealth and tangible property ownership.
We’re seeing growing acceptance from private banks and specialist lenders who understand that many crypto investors are financially astute, well-advised, and hold significant diversified wealth. With more lenders now entering the space and digital asset values continuing to grow long term, the infrastructure supporting crypto finance has matured considerably in the last 12 months.”
