Summary of this article
Over 90 per cent of new investors prefer altcoins first.
Majority are active traders, focusing on liquidity and usability.
Men 18–35 dominate; meme coins and stablecoins popular choices.
Bitcoin and Ethereum enjoy widespread popularity among crypto investors globally, but a new investment pattern is emerging from India. Data from cryptocurrency exchange Giottus reveals that a majority of new investors in 2025 are starting their crypto journey with tokens other than Bitcoin and Ethereum, signalling a shift in preference towards affordability and faster transactions.
According to data from Giottus, 92.6 per cent of new investors who started their crypto investment journey between January and October 2025 made their first crypto investment in cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin or Ethereum, indicating a change in investment patterns. Tether (USDT), XRP, and TRON’s TRX were among the preferred coins on the platform during this period.
New Investors Prefer Stablecoins and Altcoins
The data by Giottus indicates that Indian investors are increasingly favouring stablecoins and alternative tokens. Tether (USDT) leads with over 36 per cent of investors choosing it as their preferred investment. As per the report, 15.8 per cent of investors preferred XRP, and 13.3 per cent of new investors preferred TRON’s TRX. On the other hand, only 4.9 per cent of new investors opted for Bitcoin, 3 per cent for Ethereum, and 3.4 per cent for Pi. This indicates a shift toward tokens offering high liquidity, lower transaction costs, and faster usability.
Investor behaviour also highlights a trading-first mindset, with nearly 78.4 per cent of new investors identifying themselves as active traders, whereas only 21.6 per cent said that they saw themselves as long-term holders. This shows that retail participants in India are more focused on actively engaging in crypto rather than simply holding the asset for the long term. In terms of age, the platform noted that men between 18 and 35 make up the largest share of crypto investors at 43.4 per cent, whereas women in the same group account for just 5.5 per cent. Both genders showed strong interest in meme coins and stablecoins, with meme coins being preferred by 34.2 per cent of the respondents, stablecoins by 26 per cent, and blue-chip altcoins by 15 per cent respondents, respectively.
Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus, said, “The data underlines a new phase of crypto maturity in India. Investors are no longer passive spectators in Bitcoin and Ethereum’s global cycles. They are exploring diverse tokens based on liquidity, utility, and real-world relevance. This experimentation signals a healthy evolution of India’s retail investor mindset.”
Crypto Market Update
At the time of writing, Bitcoin rebounded to $102,110.51 after declining below the $100,000 mark for the first time since June. Notably, the cryptocurrency has fallen 10 per cent over the week. Ethereum declined 4.96 per cent in 24 hours to $3,337, with weekly losses of 17.26 per cent. Solana traded at $157.96, down 0.39 per cent in 24 hours and extending its weekly losses to 19 per cent. XRP fell 1.14 per cent in 24 hours, down 14.51 per cent over the week to $2.24.
