By Joseph Staples // SWNS
NEWS COPY W/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
Cryptocurrency is no longer just a way to “get rich quick”: more than half of Americans would willingly accept being paid in cryptocurrency from their jobs.
A survey of 2,000 adults found 68% believe crypto will become more widely accepted and mainstream within the next three to five years
Three in five (61%) would even allow their employers to invest a portion of their paycheck into a cryptocurrency of their choosing, similar to how employers invest employee retirement plans.
Of those with retirement plans already set up, (68%) can spot the long-term benefits of crypto — stating they’d be comfortable with it being a part of their retirement investment portfolio.
Nearly as many people (60%) believe cryptocurrency investing should be as widespread as traditional financing — forecasting a growing desire to participate in the decentralized financial system.
Commissioned by Coinbase and conducted by OnePoll, the study revealed 22% of people now own some type of cryptocurrency — the biggest hitters being Bitcoin (82%), Ethereum (65%) and Dogecoin (57%).
While 68% of overall respondents have concerns about whether or not cryptocurrency is secure enough for daily use, 66% feel confident enough about their knowledge of how to keep their currencies secure from hackers.
Nearly four in 10 (38%) have some basic knowledge of what cryptocurrency is, but not much beyond that. Meanwhile, 45% said they have an avid knowledge of crypto and how to use it. Only 16% of Americans have no idea what cryptocurrency is, nor what tokens are.
Overall, 73% said they want to understand crypto and simply don’t know where to start or are worried it will be too confusing. Sixty-four percent said they would be more involved in cryptocurrency if they found it easier to understand.
Close to three in four (71%) have had to look up crypto-related terms — like “decentralized finance,” “blockchain” and “non-fungible” — several times to figure out what they mean.
“Many of the concerns we see around crypto adoption stem from fear of the unknown — those who don’t fully understand crypto are likely to be hesitant when they hear about things like phishing scams,” said Matt Muller, Director of Security Operations at Coinbase. “The truth is that just a few key steps can go a long way to minimize vulnerability. I always recommend using a password manager and enabling two-factor authentication whenever possible. And remember, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is!”
For most (71%), cryptocurrencies seem to have come from thin air, without much context. This has been the cause for 59% of respondents who feel like they, personally, may have missed the boat to invest in cryptocurrency.
At present, two in three respondents still believe their money is safer in a traditional bank rather than a crypto exchange. Sixty-one percent said they feel like crypto is “too risky” for them to take seriously.
But having a better understanding of how crypto works would be enough for 53% to feel secure about using cryptocurrency.
When asked what would lead them to use cryptocurrencies more often, 43% said they would need to know how to obtain it, while 41% would need to be reassured that it’s safe and 34% would want to know how best to manage it.
“We wholeheartedly believe that crypto is the future of finance,” continued Muller. “This research shows that concerns about crypto security are often due to a lack of understanding about how crypto works. As awareness grows, many are seeing first-hand how easy it is to use crypto safely and diving into the crypto-economy, taking full advantage of the ways that crypto and the blockchain can create financial freedom for everyone.”
WHAT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE FEEL BETTER ABOUT CRYPTO?
Understanding how it works – 53%
Knowing how to avoid scams – 52%
Knowing how it will play into the future – 45%
Knowing how to keep it safe – 39%
Knowing more people who also use it – 17%