2026 Cryptocurrency Adoption and Sentiment Report
Today, 30% of Americans own cryptocurrencies, and 61% of owners plan to increase their crypto investments in 2026.
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Last Updated on Jan 12, 2026
Key Findings
- Approximately 30% of American adults, or 70.4 million people, own cryptocurrency today—up slightly from 27% in 2024. One in three owners are between 30 and 44 years old.
- For the second consecutive year, the most popular cryptocurrencies in the U.S. are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Solana. Solana had the fastest two-year increase in popularity of all currencies in our analysis.
- Though values did not increase as dramatically in 2025 as expected, 52% of U.S. adults believe Trump’s presidency has boosted cryptocurrency values, and 46% think his administration has made cryptocurrency adoption mainstream
- 53% of people who’ve ever owned crypto say they’ve had a positive return on their investments, but 21% have experienced a net loss.
- 61% of current crypto owners plan to buy even more this year, while just 6% of people without crypto plan to join the market in 2026.
- People who don’t own cryptocurrency cite unstable value, no government or bank protection, and cyber-attack risks as their top concerns.
After a turbulent few years marked by dramatic price swings and high-profile exchange collapses, cryptocurrency ownership in America has stabilized and begun climbing again. President Trump’s first year in office brought unprecedented federal support for digital assets, including the establishment of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the appointment of David Sacks as the nation’s first “Crypto Czar.” These policy shifts, combined with renewed investor confidence and the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs, have helped push ownership back to 30 percent in 2026.
But this recovery tells a more complex story than simple growth numbers suggest. Five years of Security.org research on the topic have shown that while Bitcoin maintains its dominance, newer alternatives like Solana gain ground, fundamental concerns about security, volatility, and regulatory oversight continue to prevent broader adoption. The question facing the crypto industry in 2026 is whether Trump’s pro-crypto policies can help break through the glass ceiling that has kept ownership hovering around 30 percent for three years.
Table of Contents
Crypto Ownership Bounces Back—But Hasn’t Broken Through the 2022 Peak
American cryptocurrency ownership has followed a distinct pattern of boom, consolidation, and recovery over the past six years. According to our latest survey of 992 U.S. adults, 30 percent of Americans now own cryptocurrency—up from 27 percent in 2024 and matching the 2023 baseline. Following a turbulent period marked by the Crypto Winter and characterized by dramatic price swings and high-profile exchange collapses, cryptocurrency ownership in America has stabilized.
Percent of U.S. adults who own cryptocurrencies, by year
| Year | Ownership |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 15% |
| 2022 | 33% |
| 2023 | 30% |
| 2024 | 27% |
| 2025 | 28% |
| 2026 | 30% |
The trajectory shows explosive growth between 2021 and 2022, when ownership more than doubled from 15 percent of Americans to 33 percent during the height of pandemic-era speculation and stimulus-fueled investing. Then, the crypto winter struck in 2022, and values dropped by over $2 trillion. However, President Trump’s election in late 2024 and his administration’s explicitly pro-crypto stance likely contributed to renewed optimism in 2025, along with the 2024 approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs that brought institutional legitimacy to the asset class.
Age distribution of cryptocurrency owners, by gender
| Age group | Female crypto owners | Male crypto owners | All owners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | 18% | 20% | 19% |
| 30-44 | 27% | 35% | 32% |
| 45-59 | 35% | 29% | 31% |
| 60+ | 20% | 16% | 17% |
Overall, American men are more likely than women to own cryptocurrency; however, the age distribution among crypto owners reveals interesting patterns between genders. Among female crypto owners, the largest group is those aged 45-59, followed by those aged 30-44. In contrast, male crypto owners skew slightly younger, with 35 percent in the 30-44 age bracket and 29 percent aged 45-59. Overall, roughly two-thirds of all crypto owners fall into the 30-59 age range—prime earning years when Americans have disposable income to invest in alternative assets. Notably, very few crypto owners are people aged 60 and over, representing just 17 percent of the total crypto-owning population.
For crypto owners who have weathered the volatility of the past few years, the long-term picture remains positive. Among the survey respondents who have ever owned cryptocurrency, 53 percent report net gains on their investments over time, while just 21 percent experienced net losses.
| How has your crypto portfolio performed overall since your first purchase? | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net gain | 45% | 69% | 53% |
| Breaking even | 20% | 16% | 23% |
| Net loss | 30% | 10% | 21% |
| Prefer not to say | 6% | 5% | 3% |
These self-reported performance figures, although subject to recall bias, suggest that many Americans who invested in cryptocurrency have been rewarded for their risk tolerance. However, significant barriers still prevent the vast majority of American adults from investing in cryptocurrencies.
The Most Popular Cryptocurrencies Today
Within crypto portfolios, a clear diversification trend is emerging. Bitcoin remains the undisputed king, owned by 74 percent of crypto holders in 2026, the same percentage as 2025. But its grip on the market is gradually loosening as investors explore alternatives.
The past year has seen an unprecedented volume of sales by early Bitcoin investors, with transactions worth $100 million or $500 million. There was a brief period of selling by people who owned massive quantities of crypto in 2021, but nothing like the sustained sell-off by a school of early “whale” investors in 2025.
Most Popular Cryptocurrencies, by Year
| Which cryptocurrencies do you currently own? | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | 76% | 74% | 74% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | 54% | 49% | 53% |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | 26% | 31% | 25% |
| Solana (SOL) | 11% | 18% | 20% |
| U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC) | 12% | 17% | 18% |
| Shiba Inu (SHIB) | 12% | 15% | 17% |
| Cardano (ADA) | 12% | 12% | 13% |
| Litecoin (LTC) | 4% | 12% | |
| Ripple (XRP) | 9% | 12% | 11% |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | 11% | ||
| Stellar (XLM) | 12% | 13% | 8% |
| Binance Coin (BNB) | 10% | 11% | 8% |
| Tether (USDT) | 7% | 9% | 7% |
The values of some of the most popular cryptocurrencies reached historic record highs over the course of 2025. That includes sector leader Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Solana. Meanwhile, capital inflow support for crypto price growth from Wall Street ETFs was massive.
The standout story is Solana’s remarkable rise in popularity, a 9-percentage-point gain since 2024 that makes it the fastest-growing primary cryptocurrency. Solana’s success stems from its faster transaction speeds and lower fees compared to Ethereum, along with a thriving ecosystem of NFT projects and decentralized finance applications. The blockchain has attracted developers with its technical performance and scalability, positioning it as a legitimate “Ethereum alternative” rather than just another speculative altcoin.
Dogecoin demonstrated the classic volatility of meme coins, spiking dramatically to 31 percent ownership in 2025—possibly fueled by the Trump inauguration and renewed attention from Elon Musk—before declining slightly this year.
Meanwhile, stablecoins continue their steady climb. U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC) grew from 12 percent to 18 percent ownership over two years, signaling cryptocurrency infrastructure maturation. Notably absent from meaningful adoption are political cryptocurrencies. Despite media attention surrounding tokens like Melania Coin and the Official Trump coin, which are held by about one percent of crypto owners each, these remain novelties with negligible real-world ownership.
| What currencies do you plan to buy in the next 12 months? | Percentage of people planning to acquire more crypto |
|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | 59% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | 49% |
| Solana (SOL) | 18% |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | 17% |
| U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC) | 14% |
| Ripple (XRP) | 14% |
| Litecoin (LTC) | 12% |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | 11% |
| Cardano (ADA) | 9% |
| Shiba Inu (SHIB) | 8% |
| Binance USD (BUSD) | 8% |
| Tether (USDT) | 7% |
| Binance Coin (BNB) | 7% |
| Unsure | 6% |
| Other | 24% |
Among those planning to acquire cryptocurrency in the next 12 months, priorities remain traditional: 59 percent plan to invest in Bitcoin, 49 percent in Ethereum, and 18 percent in Solana—suggesting the current hierarchy will persist.
President Trump’s Impact on Cryptocurrency in the U.S.
President Trump’s first year of his second term brought historic federal support for cryptocurrency, marking a sharp departure from the cautious or hostile approach of previous administrations. President Trump also installed a pro-crypto Securities and Exchange Commission chair, Paul Atkins.
In addition, the president signed an executive order for the government to establish a U.S. digital asset stockpile, including a Bitcoin reserve, as well as a public treasury of ETH, XRP, SOL, and ADA. Furthermore, Congress passed the GENIUS Act in July 2025 to regulate stablecoins.
However, our survey reveals a mixed public assessment of the actual impact of these policies.
| How true are the following statements to you? | True | Unsure | Untrue |
|---|---|---|---|
| I expect the values of cryptocurrencies to increase under the Trump administration | 52% | 24% | 24% |
| The Trump administration helped mainstream adoption | 46% | 22% | 31% |
| Strategic Bitcoin Reserve strengthened the economy | 24% | 32% | 44% |
A slim majority—52 percent of Americans—believe cryptocurrency values will increase under Trump’s presidency, with predictably higher agreement among crypto owners than non-owners. This suggests that Trump’s pro-crypto rhetoric and policies have influenced market sentiment, but in reality, values did not increase in 2025 as much as experts had expected.
Fewer than half of Americans believe the Trump administration has actually boosted mainstream cryptocurrency adoption. In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which has faced some skepticism among the public. Only a quarter of respondents believe such a reserve strengthens the economy.
David Sacks, appointed as the nation’s top advisor on cryptocurrency policy, received tepid performance reviews from the limited number of Americans aware of his role. Among respondents who were familiar with his performance, only five percent rated it as “excellent.” In late 2025, he came under scrutiny for ethics concerns related to his personal investments, which could have contributed to his low performance rating among the public.
Perhaps most revealing is that even cryptocurrency owners ranked “cryptocurrency infrastructure and blockchain development” ninth out of ten national priorities in our study. Americans want solutions to economic challenges far more than they wish crypto advocacy—and they’re not yet convinced that digital assets provide those solutions.
Security Concerns Continue to Plague Cryptocurrencies
Despite two years of recovery and pro-crypto federal policy, the fundamental barriers to broader cryptocurrency adoption remain unchanged. Market volatility, security concerns, and regulatory distrust continue to dominate Americans’ hesitations.
| What is your greatest concern regarding cryptocurrency? | Non-owners | Crypto owners | All respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unstable value | 37% | 38% | 37% |
| They’re unprotected by governments or bank oversight | 16% | 9% | 13% |
| Potential for cyber attacks | 12% | 16% | 14% |
| It’s difficult to trust crypto exchanges | 11% | 10% | 10% |
| The environmental impact | 7% | 8% | 8% |
| They’re hard to trade | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Potential for access loss | 10% | 14% | 12% |
| I have no concerns | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Value volatility is the primary issue people have with cryptocurrency, and 37 percent of respondents said it was their key concern. This was remarkably consistent across both owners (38 percent) and non-owners (37 percent). This concern hasn’t diminished despite years of market maturation, because it’s inherent to the asset class rather than a problem that technology or policy can solve.
The security confidence crisis represents an even more significant barrier to growth. Overall, 59 percent of Americans lack confidence in cryptocurrency security, according to the survey. But this masks a dramatic trust gap between owners and non-owners.
Among non-owners, security concerns are the primary barrier preventing an increase in cryptocurrency ownership. Until the vast majority of Americans who haven’t bought crypto can be convinced it’s secure, adoption will remain limited to risk-tolerant early adopters.
The concern isn’t theoretical—16 percent of cryptocurrency owners report having actually experienced access issues with their holdings, whether due to forgotten passwords, lost private keys, exchange outages, or frozen accounts. That’s roughly one in six owners encountering significant user experience failures.
How Many People Plan to Buy Crypto in 2026?
Perhaps the most significant finding in our latest survey is the existence of a large “persuadable middle”: 42 percent of Americans who might consider acquiring cryptocurrency in the future, although they have not yet made a commitment to do so.
Cryptocurrency purchase plans among current non-owners
| Year | Will never purchase | Would consider in the future | Intend to purchase in the next 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 49% | 46% | 5% |
| 2024 | 44% | 41% | 15% |
| 2025 | 38% | 48% | 14% |
| 2026 | 47% | 47% | 6% |
This persuadable group represents enormous conversion potential—nearly double the size of definite buyers (22 percent). However, reaching this persuadable middle requires addressing the significant gender gap that persists across every cryptocurrency metric. Women are half as likely as men to plan cryptocurrency acquisition in the next 12 months and more likely to say they’ll never acquire any. Men outnumber women roughly two to one in actual ownership.
The gender gap extends to perceptions of benefits. While 38 percent of all Americans cite potential price increases as cryptocurrency’s greatest benefit, women are significantly more likely than men to see no benefits whatsoever (19 percent vs. 10 percent, a statistically significant difference according to the survey).
| Which of these do you believe is the greatest benefit of cryptocurrency? | Non owners | Crypto owners | All adults |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anonymity | 22% | 17% | 20% |
| Avoiding banking/transaction fees | 11% | 10% | 10% |
| Lack of bank and government oversight | 14% | 20% | 17% |
| Potential price increases | 29% | 51% | 38% |
| I see no benefits | 22% | 2% | 14% |
The dominance of “potential price increases” as the perceived greatest benefit reveals that speculation still drives cryptocurrency adoption more than practical utility. Only 10 percent cite avoiding banking fees, and just 20 percent value the anonymity crypto transactions provide. These figures suggest the industry has failed to articulate a compelling practical use case beyond investment returns.
Among current owners, the commitment to cryptocurrency remains strong, with 61 percent planning to acquire more within the next 12 months. By contrast, only six percent of non-owners plan to join the market this year, highlighting the challenge of converting skeptics into participants.
| How do you expect the overall cryptocurrency market to perform in 2026? | Non owners | Crypto owners | All respondents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decline | 23% | 14% | 19% |
| Increase | 49% | 67% | 57% |
| Stay the same | 28% | 19% | 24% |
Most people have a positive outlook on cryptocurrencies in 2026, and more than half of U.S. adults expect the value of cryptocurrencies to increase this year. Of course, current owners are more optimistic than non-owners, but fewer than 20 percent of respondents believe values will drop.
How to Keep Your Crypto Investments Safe
Given that 59 percent of Americans lack confidence in cryptocurrency security and 16 percent of owners have experienced access problems, following online safety practices is essential for anyone holding digital assets. Here are key steps to protect your cryptocurrency investments:
Use hardware wallets for long-term holdings
For cryptocurrency you plan to hold rather than actively trade, hardware wallets provide the strongest security by keeping your private keys offline and away from internet-connected devices. These physical devices typically cost $50-$200 but offer protection against hacking and exchange failures, which concerned some of our survey respondents.
The risk tradeoff is losing your hardware wallet or experiencing an offline security failure, such as a house fire or theft of your cold wallet. Therefore, crypto owners must weigh these risks against the benefits of their crypto custody plans and take measures to minimize them.
Enable two-factor authentication everywhere
Like with any financial or bank account, every exchange account, wallet, and crypto service should use two-factor authentication (2FA), preferably through an authenticator app rather than SMS, which can be intercepted. This simple step dramatically reduces the risk of unauthorized account access.
Store recovery phrases securely
Write down your recovery phrases (also called seed phrases) on paper and store them in multiple secure physical locations—never digitally. Since 12 percent of crypto owners cite lost access as their top concern, having secure backups of recovery information is critical. Consider a fireproof safe or bank safety deposit box for long-term storage.
Start small and use reputable exchanges
For those considering a cryptocurrency investment, it’s always a good idea to start with small amounts you can afford to lose entirely. Use reputable cryptocurrency exchanges with strong security track records and insurance coverage for customer funds. Research any platform’s history, regulatory compliance, and customer reviews before trusting it with your money.
To reduce risk, spread your assets across more than one crypto exchange. If one of them is hacked or defaults, holders may find their crypto still safe in one of their other baskets.
The path to mainstream cryptocurrency adoption depends not only on policy changes or price performance, but also on building robust blockchain security infrastructure. By following security best practices, current crypto owners can protect their investments while helping demonstrate that cryptocurrency can be held safely and responsibly.
Methodology
Security.org surveyed 992 U.S. adults, including 504 female and 488 male respondents across age groups: 18-29 (198 respondents), 30-44 (260 respondents), 45-59 (305 respondents), and 60+ (229 respondents). Current cryptocurrency owners comprised 293 respondents (30% of the total sample), while 699 respondents (70%) did not own cryptocurrency. Year-over-year comparisons draw from Security.org‘s annual cryptocurrency surveys conducted from 2022 through 2026. All ownership, performance, and familiarity data are self-reported.