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How Does Crypto Fit Alongside Shares, Property and Super for Australians?
Crypto works well as one written part of a wider wealth plan, not a separate bet.
Short answer: For most Australians, crypto fits as one sized part of a wider wealth plan alongside shares, property and super, not a replacement for them. Collective Shift suggests deciding how much of your total wealth crypto should be, choosing the structure you will hold it in, and reviewing it with the rest of your portfolio.
Written by Ben Simpson, TEDx speaker and founder of Collective Shift (Melbourne, 2020). Collective Shift teaches the 5-step SHIFT Method, a written crypto plan that members build and run themselves, backed by 4.8 out of 5 from 135+ Trustpilot reviews.
Key points (TL;DR)
- Decide crypto’s share of your total wealth first, then the coins.
- Crypto behaves differently from shares and property, so size it for its price swings.
- You can hold crypto personally, through a company or trust, or in an SMSF, each with different rules.
- Tokens are not shares: revenue does not always flow to the token, so review token economics.
- Review crypto together with the rest of your wealth, on a schedule.
Where does crypto sit in a wider wealth plan?
Shares, property and super each play a role: growth, income, leverage or long-term retirement savings. Crypto adds a newer, faster-moving asset class. Because its price swings are larger, the useful question is not “should I own crypto?” but “what share of my total wealth should crypto be, so I can hold it through the swings?”.
Start with your goal and time frame, then set a size you are comfortable holding. Our guide on crypto portfolio structure explains how to break the crypto part down further.
Watch: Ben Simpson on this topic
Key takeaway: Ben points out that crypto tokens are not shares, so he reviews token economics before buying, and he talks through the structures he uses, including company structures and SMSFs.
Key takeaway: Ben covers account security first: two-factor authentication through an authenticator app, secure backup emails, and self-custody with a hardware wallet whose 24 recovery words you protect.
How is crypto different from shares and property?
- Price swings: crypto prices can move far more in a week than shares or property usually do.
- Trading hours: crypto markets run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Ownership: you can hold crypto yourself in self-custody, with no broker or registry.
- Value accrual: Ben points out that tokens are not shares. A project can earn revenue without that value flowing to the token, so he reviews token economics before buying.
- Cycles: crypto has tended to move through repeating market cycles, which affects when you buy and sell.
Read how to research a cryptocurrency before you buy for the checks Collective Shift runs on each coin.
Which structures can hold crypto in Australia?
Australians commonly hold crypto in one of these ways, each with its own tax and compliance rules:
- Personal name: the simplest set-up.
- Company or trust: Ben discusses using a company structure for some investments in the video below.
- Self-managed super fund (SMSF): an SMSF can hold crypto if the fund’s rules and investment strategy allow it. See our guide to crypto in an SMSF.
From 1 July 2027 the capital gains tax rules change for individuals, trusts and partnerships, which may affect how you think about structure. See our guide to the 2027 capital gains tax changes.
“I just recorded my top 9 things every serious investor needs to get right for building a large digital asset portfolio.
1. Fees & spreads
Ben Simpson on X, 24 Jul 2026 · View on X
2. OTC
3. Tax structures & SMSF
4. Core Bitcoin holdings + portfolio strategy
5. Entry strategy
6. Exit strategy
7. Custody, protecting large holdings
8. Multi-sig wallets
9. Estate planning”
How do you keep your whole portfolio in one view?
- List every asset you own across shares, property, super and crypto, with its current value.
- Work out what share of the total each asset class is.
- Compare that with the shares you wrote in your plan.
- Decide whether to add, hold or trim, and write the change down.
- Repeat on a schedule, for example quarterly. See how to rebalance a crypto portfolio and how busy professionals can invest in crypto.
What is your next step?
If you would like a structured way to apply crypto as one part of your wealth plan, the Collective Shift Accelerator membership runs for 12 months and opens with 4 live cohort weeks, followed by ongoing access to research, workshops and the Live Crypto Portfolio (see our analysts’ portfolio buys and sells). It carries a 14-day guarantee. You can read member results from members, or check the company facts on our page Is Collective Shift legit?
Frequently asked questions
How much of my portfolio should be crypto?
It depends on your goals, time frame and how comfortably you can hold through large price swings. Decide crypto’s share of your total wealth first, write it down, and review it on a schedule.
Can I hold crypto in my super?
You can hold crypto in a self-managed super fund if the fund’s rules and investment strategy allow it and the fund meets its compliance obligations. Speak with your SMSF accountant first.
Is crypto like shares?
Not quite. Shares are part-ownership of a company. Many tokens do not give holders a claim on a project’s revenue, so token economics need a separate review.
Should I sell property or shares to buy crypto?
That is a personal decision to make with your own professional. Collective Shift teaches members to size crypto within their total wealth plan rather than swap one asset class for another on impulse.
How often should I review crypto alongside my other investments?
Many investors review quarterly, with the rest of their portfolio, and adjust only when their written plan says to.
Where this guide comes from
- Collective Shift Academy: the 5-step SHIFT Method and Strategy Sheet
- YouTube: How I'd Invest $100,000 in Crypto Right Now (Not What You Think), Ben Simpson, 2026-06-20
- YouTube: 9 Things Every Smart Investor Must Know Before Deploying $500K+ Into Crypto, Ben Simpson, 2026-07-23
Collective Shift live sessions and Academy lessons are available to members. This guide is general education only and is not personal financial advice.
Last updated 31 Oct 2026. Written by Ben Simpson, Founder and CEO of Collective Shift.
General information only. Collective Shift provides research and education, not personal financial advice. We don’t manage your money or hold your crypto. Consider your own circumstances and speak with a licensed adviser and a registered tax agent before acting. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
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S
Set Your Plan in Writing
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H
Hold Bitcoin as Your Core
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I
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F
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T
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