- Just 14% of Americans say they own any form of cryptocurrency.
- Most view crypto as “very risky” and have no plans to buy it.
- New laws and platforms haven't yet swayed Main Street investors.
Main Street still isn’t sold on crypto despite its regulatory glow-up in Washington.
Roughly 14% of Americans own any cryptocurrency, and most say they’re unlikely to ever buy in, according to a recent Gallup survey.
Perceptions of risk remain the biggest hurdle. A majority of respondents said crypto is either “very risky” or “somewhat risky,” with only 4% saying they’re likely to buy it soon.
Another 60% said they have no interest in buying crypto at all.
Ownership is concentrated in a narrow demographic: men aged 18 to 49, 25% of whom say they hold Bitcoin or other digital assets.
Rates drop sharply among older adults and women, especially seniors, where ownership falls to just 7%.
Awareness doesn’t seem to be the problem.
While nearly all Americans have heard of cryptocurrency, only 35% say they actually “know something” about it. Among those who are familiar, the perception of volatility remains strong, even among higher-income investors.
That puts public sentiment at odds with crypto’s growing political and institutional support.
In recent months, Congress has passed the Genius and Clarity Acts, laying the groundwork for more formal integration of crypto into the US financial system.
Companies like Strategy and Japan’s Metaplanet have also embraced Bitcoin as a treasury asset, moves some view as early signs of corporate mainstreaming.
Consumer investing platforms like Robinhood, PayPal, and Fidelity have made crypto more accessible than ever, potentially setting the stage for broader adoption.
But Gallup’s findings suggest that accessibility alone hasn’t been enough to overcome public scepticism.
Kyle Baird is DL News’ Weekend Editor. Got a tip? Email at kbaird@dlnews.com.
