The OANDA survey findings indicate that one in 10 US citizens reported trading or purchasing crypto in the last 12 months, with men four times more likely to have bought crypto than women.
OANDA released new survey data, which suggests a further shift in the American investment landscape towards digital assets. From a nationally representative sample of the US population*, the findings indicate that one in 10 US citizens reported trading or purchasing crypto in the last 12 months, with men four times more likely to have bought crypto than women.
The research, conducted on behalf of OANDA across a base of 1,000 US citizens and a deeper dive into 1,000 active crypto holders, demonstrates that digital assets are no longer a niche interest amongst a few enthusiasts, but are a key market for retail investors and traders alike.
Who invests in crypto?
The survey of US citizens indicated that men are significantly more likely to invest in crypto than women. Four in 10 male respondents reported buying digital assets in the last 12 months, compared to just one in 20 women surveyed.
Furthermore, the survey suggested that younger generations are more likely to own digital assets and be more engaged with investing and trading in general than older segments. Around 20% of 18-24 year olds own crypto, compared to around 18% of 25-34s and around 17% of 35-44s. These figures drop off rapidly as the age of respondents increased, with just one in 10 of those aged 45-54 and just one in 20 of over 55s owning crypto. Across all investable assets including shares, options, forex, and crypto, 18-24s are the most financially engaged generation with nearly half investing or trading in these assets in the last 12 months, compared to one in five of over 55s, the lowest of any generation.
Obstacles in investing
Despite the interest in investing in younger generations, significant barriers remain for the 73% of polled Americans who have not yet entered either the FIAT or digital asset markets. The primary hurdle is a lack of knowledge, cited by nearly half (48.6%) of non-traders, followed by security concerns (33%) and market volatility (20%). Interestingly, for the 18-24 demographic, cost is a major factor, with a third of respondents stating that trading expenses have kept them from investing in crypto.
Most popular assets: Which cryptocurrencies are dominating the market?
Across OANDA’s survey of US crypto holders, over three-quarters of respondents said they own Bitcoin, the most popular asset among US investors. This is followed by Ethereum, held by four in 10 crypto owners, and, perhaps surprisingly, Dogecoin, with over a quarter of holders owning the memecoin. While Bitcoin’s dominance among crypto natives is expected, the prevalence of Dogecoin, a token famously associated with Elon Musk, suggests varying motivations for different investors. Does the high ownership of such a culturally and politically charged asset indicate that for some, crypto has become as much a statement of affiliation as it is a financial strategy?
Our survey of current digital asset holders found that over 8 in 10 respondents who own crypto already plan to either increase or maintain their exposure to digital assets in 2026. This conviction is underscored by the fact that nearly half of these holders believe Bitcoin will eventually challenge the US dollar’s status as the world’s primary reserve currency.
Even among the broader population — where only one in 10 Americans currently own crypto — over a quarter of all respondents share the belief that Bitcoin could eventually displace the dollar. This sentiment is most pronounced among the younger generation: nearly half of 18-24 year olds anticipate this shift, compared to less than one in six respondents over the age of 55. Collectively, these findings suggest a burgeoning confidence in digital assets that may be mirrored by a declining trust in traditional fiat dominance.
Over half of US citizens surveyed believe that Donald Trump’s presidency has led them to increase or maintain their confidence in trading crypto. Among existing crypto holders, this sentiment rises to over three-quarters of respondents. In contrast, just a fifth reported having less confidence under the current administration, suggesting broad alignment with the pro-crypto agenda Trump championed ahead of the 2024 election.
"The data indicates that we have entered a new era of digital asset engagement," said Christian Norman, financial writer at OANDA.
"While the data proves that crypto is gaining favour, there’s still some way to go before crypto is fully understood by the general public."
"Between landmark 2024 ETF launches and campaign pledges to make the US the “crypto capital of the world” by President Donald Trump, there’s no sense in denying that cryptocurrency has now become a more mainstream store of wealth, and no longer only a niche interest."
“With news of Trump’s official nomination of Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell, cryptocurrency markets are now faced with a real test of faith early in 2026, with crypto markets, otherwise synonymous with volatility, plummeting to multi-year lows.”
“In context, however, even typical stores of wealth like precious metals have recently experienced unprecedented rallies and subsequent corrections, showing that extreme volatility, often cited as a reason against buying crypto, is not only exclusive to more recent additions to financial markets.”
“While in an ever-shifting economic landscape, rapid price fluctuations are seemingly the new normal for any high-growth or defensive asset, a potential for regulatory progress and further institutional and retail interest puts cryptocurrency in a unique position in 2026.”
Learn more about the survey results
Delve deeper into the survey findings with our complete data sets:
This article and its contents are intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered trading advice. Forex trading is high risk. Losses may exceed deposits.
