Gold and Bitcoin: New Trends Among the French
In light of rising geopolitical risks and the increasing frequency of cyberattacks, French investors are rediscovering the benefits of safe-haven assets. Gold and Bitcoin are becoming the cornerstones of a hybrid wealth strategy, combining security with monetary independence.
Risk as a Driver of Investment
Crises alter behaviors, and 2025 provides a new example of this trend. According to a study conducted by Censuswide on behalf of WisdomTree, a global player in ETF investment managing $140 billion in assets, 94% of French professional investors anticipate a major market shock within the next twelve months. Nearly half of them (46%) even believe that these risks are not yet reflected in asset prices.
This concern has two main aspects: digital warfare and traditional warfare. Respondents identify attacks on critical infrastructure (33%) and escalating geopolitical tensions (25%) as top threats, whether due to an intensifying conflict in the Middle East or an incident involving Taiwan. In this climate, gold and Bitcoin emerge as new-generation safe havens: one is ancient, tangible, and universal; the other, digital, scarce, and decentralized. These two assets are technologically opposed but symbolically aligned: both serve as protection against systemic risk.
The numbers confirm this trend: 44% of French investors plan to increase their exposure to Bitcoin, and 43% to gold over the next twelve months. The study also highlights a significant rise in investments in defense and cybersecurity, considered the new safeguards for portfolios.
From Fear to Portfolio Building
Prices confirm the trend. In 2025, gold reached a historic peak exceeding $4,000 per ounce, driven by the continued demand from central banks, which are accumulating the yellow metal to diversify their reserves at the expense of the dollar. According to Nitesh Shah, Director of Commodity Research at WisdomTree, « gold remains the ultimate safe haven: its low correlation with stock and bond markets makes it a natural stabilizer during periods of systemic tension."
Bitcoin, on the other hand, has withstood the corrections in the crypto markets and has seen institutional investment flows rise, particularly through physically-backed ETFs. WisdomTree estimates that it could reach $275,000 by 2030, while gold is expected to surpass $5,000 as early as next year before stabilizing at that level.
This dual dynamic is not just a flight to safety: it marks a structural turning point in wealth management. Gold offers protection against inflation and monetary failure; Bitcoin, on its part, is a non-sovereign alternative asset whose scarcity (a maximum of 21 million units) makes it a unique diversification tool.
According to Pierre Debru, Head of Research for Europe at WisdomTree, « professional investors now consider gold and Bitcoin as complementary assets: one as a proven stabilizer, the other as an emerging asset with strong potential. Together, they enhance portfolio resilience without compromising long-term returns."
Toward a New Culture of Wealth Protection
The success of ETFs and ETPs backed by these assets reflects a significant shift in institutional management. These products offer a straightforward, liquid, and transparent exposure to underlying assets that are challenging to hold directly. In fact, 31% of French investors have already purchased gold, 27% have bought Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, and nearly one-third have increased their positions in the defense and cybersecurity sectors.
This diversification indicates a heightened pursuit of financial robustness. The days when French portfolios were focused solely on real estate and government bonds seem to be over. In the face of rising external shocks, protection has become an active pillar of performance.
However, caution remains: while gold maintains a classic and regulated status, Bitcoin remains volatile, and its legal status is still evolving. Yet for investors who can understand its mechanisms, its thoughtful integration could serve as insurance against the erosion of monetary confidence.
Between relic and revolution, gold and Bitcoin now coexist in French investors' portfolios: one rooted in tradition, the other looking to the future. Their simultaneous rise reflects a new reality: in a world where risk has become structural, protection has once again become a core conviction.
This content has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence. While we strive for accuracy, some nuances may differ from the original French version.
