Crypto
readiness

How Americans who don’t own crypto think about it, and what would change their minds.

The 2026 Crypto Readiness Report surveyed 2,014 U.S. adults who don’t currently own crypto. Every dot here stands for about one million of them, roughly 193 million in all.

Scroll to meet them
Open to crypto

114 million

are open to crypto in some form, whether actively interested, curious, skeptical but open-minded, or waiting for their moment.

That’s 59% of non-holders. 41% actively avoid it.

Five mindsets

24%

call themselves skeptical but open-minded, the largest group of the open. Another 17% are curious but unsure where to start.

11% are waiting for the right moment, and 7% expect to buy soon.

Already close

66 million

have either owned crypto in the past or considered buying it. 42 million considered it in the past 12 months.

The next wave

33 million

are likely to buy crypto in 2026.

55% of them are people of color, an estimated 18.5 million potential new holders.

The $1,000 test

12%

would refuse $1,000 in crypto if someone gave it to them today. Everyone else would hold it, invest it, spend it, pass it on or think it over.

For most, the answer is already something other than no.

Here’s what they told us.

01The next wave

Meet the 33 million.

More than 33 million Americans who don’t own crypto are likely to buy it in 2026. If they follow through, the crypto-holder population would become more female, more racially diverse, and include more lower-income households than it does now.

Today’s crypto holders vs. the next wave

Profile of current holders vs. non-holders likely to buy in 2026

Median age38 yrs
Women34%
People of color48%
Household income under $75K23%

Who’s most likely to buy

Interest is spreading across ages and backgrounds.

Hispanic, Black and Asian non-holders are each more than twice as likely to say they plan to buy as White non-holders. And adults 35 to 54 are just as likely as 18 to 34 year olds to plan a purchase, at 27% each.

Pick a group

% of non-holders in each group somewhat or very likely to buy crypto in 2026

29%

of Hispanic non-holders are likely to buy crypto in 2026

Why they’d buy

What would crypto actually do for me?

Diversification motivates likely buyers most. Practical uses carry weight too: shopping, getting paid faster and round-the-clock access to their money all rank high. Knowledge matters most of all: non-holders who feel knowledgeable about buying crypto are nearly four times as likely to plan a purchase (41% vs. 11%).

41%Diversification, the single strongest motivator
26%Shopping for goods and services
24%Getting paid faster
24%24/7 access to their money
Next02 Mindsets

02Mindsets

Which non-holder are you?

Most non-holders are open to crypto, even many who call themselves skeptics. Pick the statement that sounds most like you to see how many Americans share it.

24%

Skeptical, but open-minded

of non-holders. The largest open group. They haven’t said yes, but they haven’t ruled it out.

Open to crypto: 59%Actively avoid: 41%
43% of all non-holders cite concerns about security and fraud.
25% say better protection against scams would make them comfortable buying.

In their own words

Twice as many are confused as dismissive.

Asked for the one statement that best describes their attitude, 39% of non-holders say they just don’t get crypto or find it confusing. Another 38% are wary of it, calling it unstable or short on regulatory clarity. 19% call it a scam or a passing fad.

Which of the following best describes your attitude toward cryptocurrency?

% of non-holders

39%ConfusedI just don’t get it, or I think it’s confusing
38%WaryIt’s unstable, or it lacks regulatory clarity
19%DismissiveIt’s a scam, or a passing fad
20%

I just don’t get it

19%

I think it’s confusing

21%

I think it’s unstable

17%

It lacks regulatory clarity

13%

I think it’s a scam

6%

A passing fad

4%

Other

Next03 Barriers

03Barriers

The confusion is real, and you’re not alone.

Lack of understanding is the top reason non-holders give for not owning crypto (48%), followed by concerns about security and fraud (43%). Flip the question to what would make them comfortable, and the answers mirror each other: easier information first, then better scam protection.

The literacy gap isn’t specific to crypto. Among non-holders who own a 401(k) or IRA, 38% don’t fully understand what their retirement assets are invested in.

Top barriers to crypto ownership

% of non-holders ranking each among their top three reasons

Lack of understanding48%
Concerns about security and fraud43%
Prefer traditional banking34%
Lack of trust in crypto platforms31%
Lack of regulation27%
Volatility of crypto market26%
Lack of practical use26%
Worried about losing access to my wallet14%
Bad actors10%
Negative news or media10%

A bigger pattern

For avoiders, it’s not just crypto.

Among non-holders who actively avoid crypto, hesitation is part of a broader attitude toward new technology. Nearly half also actively avoid AI.

Attitude toward new technology

% who avoid each

Open to cryptoActive crypto avoiders

Actively avoid AI

14%
48%

Avoid wearable technology

13%
36%

Avoid mobile payments

7%
29%
Next04 Knowledge

04Knowledge

Trust takes root in education.

Knowledge is the variable that moves everything else. Each step up the ladder, from not at all knowledgeable to very knowledgeable, comes with higher purchase intent, greater trust and more openness to using crypto.

The knowledge ladder

% actively interested in buying or waiting for the right moment, by how knowledgeable they feel. Tap a rung.

5×higher purchase intent on the top rung than the bottom (54% vs. 10%)

54%

of very knowledgeable non-holders are interested or waiting for the right moment

Most stand on the bottom rung

54% aren’t familiar with any of these crypto concepts.

24%

Familiar with examples of utility tokens

17%

Familiar with blockchain technology

11%

Familiar with stablecoins

4%

Familiar with smart contracts

The widest gap

Women are just as curious. What’s missing is knowledge.

Women non-holders are less than half as likely as men to feel knowledgeable about buying crypto (16% vs. 39%). Nearly two-thirds of women are unfamiliar with a single concept, compared with 41% of men, and lack of understanding is the top reason women give for not owning crypto (51% vs. 44%).

Crypto knowledge: women vs. men

% somewhat or very knowledgeable about each

WomenMen
How to buy crypto
16%39%
How to sell crypto
13%31%
How to trade crypto
12%28%
How crypto is kept secure
12%27%
How crypto gets its value
14%26%
How to tell types of crypto apart
10%24%
How to use crypto in everyday transactions
12%22%
How crypto is regulated
12%21%
How to mine crypto
10%19%
How to report crypto on taxes
9%18%
Next05 Trusted voices

05Trusted voices

The advisor conversation isn’t happening yet.

Non-holders want crypto in places they already trust. More than one in three say they would be more likely to buy it if a trusted financial institution offered it. And among those who work with a financial advisor, receptivity is high, but most have never talked about it.

Among non-holders who work with a financial advisor

76%

Say an advisor’s recommendation would make them more likely to learn about crypto

66%

Say it would make them more likely to buy

61%

Have never discussed crypto with their advisor

Where they’d learn

They want to learn from people they trust.

Nearly half of non-holders who use new technologies like AI or mobile payments say seeing others use them successfully made them more comfortable. When it comes to building confidence with crypto, guidance from financial experts ranks first (37%).

Sources to learn more about crypto

% of non-holders

My financial advisor27%
Crypto education organizations27%
Friends or family26%
Social media20%
Traditional financial institutions19%
Podcasts13%
Government or regulatory agencies10%
My employer3%
Next06 The $1,000 question

06Looking ahead

Would you turn down $1,000 in crypto?

Most wouldn’t. Imagine someone gave you $1,000 in crypto today. What would you do?

Pick an answer to see how 2,014 non-holders answered.

Hold onto it and see how its value changes41%
Not sure17%
Invest it further, like buying more crypto15%
Use it to buy something or make payments12%
Refuse it12%
Give it away or transfer it to someone else3%

% of non-holders

12%

of all non-holders would refuse it

26%

of active avoiders would refuse it. Nearly three in four would not.

NextIn conclusion

—In conclusion

What stands between non-holders and ownership is specific, and addressable.

48%

Understanding. Lack of it is the top barrier, and easier information is the top fix.

43%

Protection. Security and fraud concerns come second, and scam protection is close behind as a fix.

76%

Trusted voices. Advised non-holders would learn more if their advisor recommended it.

12%

A low-stakes first step. Only 12% would turn down $1,000 in crypto.

Cover of the 2026 Crypto Readiness Report

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Every chart, every finding, and the full methodology.

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Methodology. The research was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of the National Cryptocurrency Association among 2,014 non-cryptocurrency holders, June 24 to July 1, 2026. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, employment, household income and political party affiliation. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within ±2.1 percentage points using a 95% confidence level; the interval is wider among subgroups. The State of Crypto Holders figures come from NCA’s 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report. Media inquiries: media@nca.org.

© 2026 National Cryptocurrency Association. The National Cryptocurrency Association is a 501(c)(4) organization.Media inquiries: media@nca.org