Cryptocurrency Still Has Limited Main Street Appeal

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Roughly one in seven U.S. adults, 14%, report owning cryptocurrency today, with few others intending to buy it soon. Most Americans say they won’t ever buy it, as their perception of it being a very risky investment appears to be a key barrier.

Still, ownership has clearly risen over the past few years, evident in Gallup’s trend in ownership among U.S. investors, which has increased from single digits in 2021 to 17% today.

Crypto Ownership Most Common Among Men Under 50

Although 14% of U.S. adults overall report owning bitcoin or another cryptocurrency, the rate varies significantly by gender and age. Ownership is much higher, at 25%, among men aged 18 to 49 than among men aged 50 and older (12%), women aged 50 and older (9%) and women aged 18 to 49 (8%).

College graduates (19%), upper-income Americans (19%) and political conservatives (18%) also report above-average ownership, while seniors (7%) join younger women, older women and lower-income adults (9%) as being among the least likely to own crypto.

In addition to those who currently own cryptocurrency, just 4% of Americans say they will probably buy it in the near future. Seventeen percent admit they are intrigued by the investment but are not planning to buy it anytime soon, while 60% say they have no interest in buying cryptocurrency. Another 6% are either not familiar with cryptocurrency or are unsure about buying it.

These findings come from a June 2-15 survey of U.S. adults aged 18 and older, conducted by web using the probability-based Gallup Panel. The poll was conducted before President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act on Friday. The bill, passed with bipartisan support, establishes a clear framework for regulating certain types of cryptocurrencies.

Crypto Ownership Among U.S. Investors Has Surged Since 2021

This is Gallup’s first reading of U.S. adults’ ownership of cryptocurrency. However, Gallup previously measured ownership among U.S. investors, basing these surveys on adults with $10,000 or more invested in stocks, bonds or mutual funds.

In 2018, Gallup found that only 2% of investors owned bitcoin, specifically, which increased to 6% in 2021. Currently, 17% of investors say they own bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, after falling from 72% in 2018 to 58% in 2021, the percentage of investors who say they would never own cryptocurrency is at 64% today.

Crypto a Familiar Term, Murky Concept

Almost all Americans say they have at least heard of cryptocurrency; just 5% say they haven't. But barely a third, 35%, say they know something about it, while 60% say they have heard of it but don’t know much about it.

Mirroring ownership patterns, the 59% of men aged 18 to 49 who say they know something about crypto contrasts with 37% of men aged 50 and older, 24% of women aged 18 to 49 and 22% of women aged 50 and older. Familiarity is also much higher among upper-income than lower-income Americans (45% vs. 27%).

Meanwhile, almost all Americans consider cryptocurrency a risky investment, including 55% who say it is “very risky” and 32% “somewhat risky.”

The perceived risk is the same regardless of one’s level of knowledge about cryptocurrencies; however, less than half of current owners, 42%, consider it very risky. This contrasts with 72% of those with no interest in ever buying crypto who view it as very risky.

Views also differ by politics and ideology, possibly reflecting Trump’s efforts to strengthen the cryptocurrency markets, including calling himself “the crypto president.” Democrats (66%) and liberals (71%) are more likely than Republicans (45%) and conservatives (45%) to perceive cryptocurrency as very risky.

Perceptions of cryptocurrency as very risky jump to 64% among U.S. investors, little changed from 2021, when 60% regarded it as very risky.

Bottom Line

Cryptocurrency remains a niche investment in the U.S., with about one in seven adults owning it and limited interest beyond that. This contrasts with about six in 10 Americans owning stock and real estate (in the form of their own home), according to Gallup’s 2025 estimates, helping to confirm why just 4% believe cryptocurrency is the best long-term investment.

Although policymakers have started to align cryptocurrency with the U.S. financial system and consumer investing platforms could enable broader adoption, these attitudes suggest that lack of familiarity and concern about potential returns still stand in the way of it becoming a routine investment. As a result, for now, it appears that younger men, upper-income Americans and conservatives stand to gain or lose the most from buying it.

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