International company Ipsos, commissioned by the WhiteBIT crypto exchange, conducted a study on the investment habits of Ukrainians in June–July 2026. The key takeaway: cash and bank accounts remain the most popular tools for preserving funds, yet crypto assets are already being considered by 44% of financially active citizens who have savings. At the same time, the actual use of digital assets still significantly lags behind the level of interest — only 14% of respondents with savings and investments are currently investing in cryptocurrency.
Saving Habits Strengthen, But Budgets Under Pressure
The share of Ukrainians who have a source of income and savings or investments remained unchanged over the year at 66%. Meanwhile, the share of those putting aside an average of 3,000 hryvnias or more per month increased from 30% in 2025 to 35% in 2026. At the same time, pressures on family budgets increased — the share of respondents for whom food and household goods are the main expense category rose from 70% to 78%. This indicates that even while maintaining saving habits, real disposable incomes are shrinking under the pressure of inflation and wartime expenditures.
Income Structure Shifts: Passive and Business Incomes Gain Weight
The structure of respondents' incomes has also changed. The share of those citing salary as their main source of income fell from 79% to 73%. At the same time, the share of respondents receiving passive income from investments rose from 37% to 41%, and those earning from commercial activity or their own business increased from 27% to 32%. Experts attribute this shift to the fact that a portion of the population, previously focused solely on labor income, has begun diversifying their earnings sources amid uncertainty.
Banks and Cash Are the Foundation, Crypto Is the Growth Tool
Among respondents with savings, cash and banking products remain the most popular tools. Bank deposits, residential real estate, and government securities are associated by respondents with the opportunity to earn passive income. To protect savings during the war, they also consider cash, crypto assets, and bank accounts. Potential significant capital growth is primarily linked by respondents to crypto assets, their own business, and venture investments. For comparison: investments in their own business are considered by 32%, government securities by 27%, commercial real estate or land also by 27%, private company securities by 22%, and venture capital by 11%.
Cryptocurrency: From Awareness to Real Use
Among all respondents, 32% know about cryptocurrency, compared to 28% in 2025. The share of those who do not rule out using it rose from 17% to 19%. Ukrainians associate digital assets not only with earning opportunities: 64% associate cryptocurrency with passive income, 54% with diversifying savings and investments, 52% as an innovative and promising tool, and 48% as an opportunity to start investing with small capital. However, 59% of respondents believe that working with crypto assets requires special knowledge, which remains one of the barriers to more active use.
Record Bank Deposits Confirm Conservative Choice
National Bank data, cited by financial analyst Andrii Shevchyshyn, confirms Ukrainians' conservative strategy at the level of real flows. In September 2026, Ukrainians increased term deposits in banks by 4.5 billion hryvnias — the largest quarterly increase. The total amount of individuals' term deposits in hryvnias and foreign currency reached a record 508.72 billion hryvnias. The volume of term deposits increased by 0.9% compared to August and by 38.6% year-on-year. Average rates on long-term deposits rose by 0.2 percentage points to 14.8% per annum. At the same time, the population remains cautious about placing money for a long term, as due to war risks, the ability to quickly access funds is often more important than potential income.
Risks and Limitations: Why Interest Does Not Equal Safety
Crypto assets remain a risky instrument: their value can fluctuate significantly, and investors can lose their invested funds. Interest in digital assets does not in itself indicate their safety or guaranteed profitability. Thus, cash and banking products retain their status as the basis of Ukrainians' savings, while crypto assets and other investment instruments attract those looking for opportunities to multiply capital. The potential of such investments is accompanied by risks and the need to understand the specifics of the respective assets, which, according to the poll, the majority of respondents acknowledge.
