Source: Kraken; Translated by: Deng Tong, Golden Finance
summary
A whopping 73% of U.S. cryptocurrency holders plan to continue investing in cryptocurrencies in 2025, indicating their long-term view on the market.
70% of U.S. cryptocurrency holders prefer to invest in established cryptocurrencies over other options such as memecoins (12%) and emerging currencies (17%).
U.S. cryptocurrency holders believe that cryptocurrencies (36%) have greater growth potential than traditional assets such as stocks (34%), bonds (13%), and real estate (17%).
Investment interest spans all income levels. While those with higher household incomes ($175,000+) are more likely to invest in cryptocurrencies (82%), more than half (59%) of those with lower incomes ($0-24,999) also plan to invest by 2025.
Positive price movement is the main driver of cryptocurrency adoption (31%), followed by institutional adoption (22%), regulation (22%), individual recognition (15%), and negative price movement (8%).
Our survey revealed an interesting trend. While cryptocurrency interest spans generations, 69% of middle-aged respondents (45-60 years old) reported having purchased cryptocurrency in the past, compared to only 55% of younger respondents (18-29 years old).
Middle-aged investors (46%) clearly prefer cryptocurrencies over traditional stocks (23%) in their future investment plans, dispelling the notion that cryptocurrencies are primarily for younger generations.
The dynamic nature of today’s cryptocurrency market may cause holders to rethink their investment strategies. Our new survey analyzed over 1,000 U.S. respondents to reveal the latest cryptocurrency trends and predictions for the coming year. According to our data, 73% of U.S. cryptocurrency holders will continue to invest in cryptocurrency in 2025.
This trend highlights the evolution of the cryptocurrency investment landscape, where potential volatility matches a growing appetite for opportunity. Our new survey delves into this landscape, revealing how U.S. cryptocurrency investors are navigating today’s environment — and their plans for the future.
Respondents believe mature cryptocurrency investments have greater growth potential than stocks and bonds
Our survey shows that the majority of U.S. cryptocurrency holders (36%) believe cryptocurrencies offer greater growth potential than traditional investments such as stocks (34%), bonds (13%), and real estate (17%).
However, when it comes to investment decisions, it’s clear that the type of cryptocurrency investment is also very important. For example, 70% of respondents said they prefer established currencies such as Bitcoin. In contrast, only 12% said they prefer memecoins such as Dogecoin, and 17% said they prefer emerging currencies such as Solana.
The finding could indicate that investors are paying more attention to established cryptocurrencies, as investors prioritize coins with longer histories and larger market capitalizations, which many in the cryptocurrency market believe are more resilient during periods of negative sentiment.
This shows that there is a strong comfort level with cryptocurrencies as a potential investment, even compared to other established asset classes.
This also shows that cryptocurrency investors are maturing. While some may be chasing the next big thing, a significant number see cryptocurrencies as a viable opportunistic investment option that could stand alongside traditional assets like stocks.
73% of Crypto Holders Will Continue to Invest in 2025 — Regardless of Their Income Level
A significant portion of respondents who have already invested in cryptocurrencies expressed a strong interest in continuing to invest in 2025. About 73% of these respondents said they were likely to invest in cryptocurrencies within the next year (45% said "very likely" and 29% said "somewhat likely").
Those who reported having a higher household income were more likely to express interest in investing. 82% of respondents had a household income of $175,000-200,00 or more, indicating that they were at least somewhat likely to invest in cryptocurrency in the next year.
On the other end of the financial spectrum, more than half (59%) of those with lower incomes ($0-24,999) also plan to continue investing.
These continued investments, coupled with the aforementioned higher overall interest in cryptocurrencies than other traditional investments, may indicate a steady level of comfort and confidence in the cryptocurrency market.
Both high-income and low-income groups consider mature currencies to be the most attractive investment option, suggesting that risk assessment is a priority regardless of income status.
Most cryptocurrency holders are motivated by positive price action and institutional adoption
While the data shows growing interest in cryptocurrencies across income levels, barriers to widespread adoption remain. Nearly a third of respondents (31%) said positive price movements would increase their interest.
Other key factors driving cryptocurrency adoption include:
Familiarity with institutional and corporate adoption of cryptocurrencies (22%)
Pass clear cryptocurrency regulations (21%)
Get approval from people they trust (15%)
Negative price movement (8%)
Many respondents said that seeing established institutions adopt cryptocurrencies would increase their interest and help validate the legitimacy of cryptocurrencies. Similarly, the desire for greater cryptocurrency regulation highlights the importance of transparency among cryptocurrency entities and can also boost the confidence of investors who ask themselves, “Is crypto safe?” Without a clear framework, some people may hesitate to enter the cryptocurrency market due to concerns about potential legal consequences or unexpected changes in regulations.
Middle-aged people are more likely to invest in cryptocurrencies than millennials or Gen Z
Our survey data revealed a surprising trend: middle-aged adults (45-60 years old) are the most likely (69%) to invest in cryptocurrencies. While younger generations are known for their digital fluency and openness to new technologies, middle-aged adults seem to be showing a keen interest in cryptocurrencies.
We asked 2,191 U.S. residents aged 18+ if they had purchased cryptocurrency in the past. The percentages below show how many respondents in each age group said they had purchased cryptocurrency.
55% of respondents are aged 18-29
49% of respondents are aged 30-44
69% of respondents are aged 45-60
20% of respondents are over 60 years old
The data may suggest that middle-aged people represent more experienced investors who may be less afraid of potential market volatility. This ties in with our first point, which suggests that cryptocurrency users are actively maturing.
This speculation isn’t to say that younger generations are completely out of the game. They still make up a large portion of cryptocurrency investors. However, this new data suggests that a broad range of demographics believe that cryptocurrency is an investment, and even the future of finance.
