Crypto Adoption Stalls: 22% of Americans Have Tried Digital Assets, But Few Stick Around, Ipsos Survey Finds

A new Ipsos survey for the DeFi Education Fund reveals a widening gap between Americans who have dabbled in cryptocurrency and those who actively use it. While 22% of U.S. adults report having owned or used crypto at some point—up from 18% in the prior survey—the share who used it in the past year remained flat at 13%. The findings suggest that initial curiosity has not translated into sustained engagement for many. The data highlights a critical challenge for the crypto industry: converting first-time users into long-term participants. The 9-percentage-point gap between lifetime and annual usage implies that a significant portion of Americans have stepped back from digital assets, possibly due to market volatility, regulatory uncertainty, or unmet expectations. For policymakers and businesses, this underscores the need for clearer consumer protections and more practical use cases. DeFi Education Fund, a Washington-based advocacy group, commissioned the survey to gauge public sentiment as Congress debates digital asset regulations. The stable past-year figure may signal that crypto is becoming a niche financial tool rather than a mainstream one, despite high-profile endorsements and institutional adoption. The survey did not explore reasons for disengagement, but industry observers point to high-profile collapses and scams as likely deterrents. The takeaway: crypto faces a retention problem, not just an awareness problem. Until more Americans find everyday value in digital assets, adoption may plateau.