The NCA, along with The Harris Poll, asked more than 2,000 people who don't currently own crypto what's holding them back, including questions about their interests, concerns, and what would make them more comfortable exploring crypto.
While we heard from skeptics, most non-holders indicated they were open to crypto, and many said they were likely to buy before the end of the year. In fact, more than 33 million U.S. adults who don't hold crypto today are likely to buy in 2026.
More broadly, six in 10 non-holders, an estimated 114 million Americans, are open to crypto in some form, whether they're actively interested, curious, skeptical but open-minded, or waiting for the right moment.
And when we asked what they would do if someone gave them $1,000 in crypto today, only 12% said they would refuse it outright.
This new research breaks down who the next wave of holders are, what's been keeping them on the sidelines, and what could move them forward.
Future crypto holders will be even more diverse
Crypto holders are already diverse and far from the “bro” stereotypes we’ve heard about:
One third of crypto holders are women
Nearly half of crypto holders are from communities of color
More crypto holders are over 55 years old than under 25
When looking at non-holders who plan to buy crypto this year:
Women account for 43% of the 33 million likely buyers.
Hispanic (29%), Black (27%), and Asian (29%) non-holders are more than twice as likely to say they plan to buy crypto in 2026 as those who are white. People of color account for more than half (55%) of the 33 million likely buyers, an estimated 18.5 million potential new holders. They also report feeling more knowledgeable about buying crypto than they did a year ago, at 33% compared to 24% last year, ahead of the 26% average across all non-holders.
Age matters less than most people assume. Adults 35 to 54 are just as likely to plan a purchase as 18- to 34-year-olds, both at 27%.
Non-holders see crypto as both an investment and an everyday purchasing asset. For many of them, crypto is a tool that they'd use like Venmo as much as an investment that they'd hold.
What is holding them back?
For the second year in a row, uncertainty was found to be the biggest barrier to entry. Far more non-holders find crypto confusing, unstable, or unclear than the 13% who consider it a scam. When asked about why they don't own crypto, 48% of non-holders cited a lack of understanding, followed by concerns about security and fraud (43%). The absence of clear regulation ranked fifth as an important factor (27%).
Four in five non-holders (80%) believe that losing money with no way to recover it is more likely to happen in crypto than in traditional finance. That finding applies across different scenarios, such as fears of being hacked or irreversible transaction errors. The data suggests that risk perception, not distrust, is what's holding many non-holders back.
And the clearest pattern in the data is knowledge itself. Non-holders who consider themselves very knowledgeable about buying crypto are nearly four times as likely to plan a purchase as those who aren't knowledgeable at all (41% vs. 11%).
What will change their minds?
When asked directly about what would change their minds about crypto, non-holders gave clear answers:
Easier-to-understand education or information ranked first (26%), with better protections against fraud or scams coming in second (25%). Clearer government regulation matters, but trails both. These two answers indicate that people want to understand crypto and need to feel safe using it.
They also highlighted who they want to hear it from: More than one in three say they'd be more likely to buy if crypto were offered through a trusted institution, such as a bank, a retirement account, or a payment app.
Among non-holders with a financial advisor, more than three-quarters (76%) say that a recommendation from them would help them want to learn more, while 66% say it would help them want to buy. Yet more than half of non-holders with an advisor (61%) have never discussed crypto with their advisor.
And when asked what would build their confidence in engaging with crypto, they ranked guides from financial experts highest. When asked where they would turn to learn more, financial advisors tied at the top with organizations focused on crypto education, at 27% each.
The path forward starts with education. If you're new to crypto, NCA's Crypto 101 course is a good place to start at your own pace.
Key Takeaways
Non-holders are more open than opposed: 88% would accept crypto if given to them, and more than 33 million are likely to buy it themselves in 2026. The barrier holding back the rest is more about a knowledge gap, with non-holders ranking the need for clearer information above every factor holding them back.
The fastest route to adoption runs through the people and institutions Americans already know and use. One in three would be more likely to buy through a trusted financial institution, and two in three would be more likely to buy based on a financial advisor’s recommendation, though most haven’t had that advisor conversation yet. Crypto education organizations are another source non-holders say they’d turn to for information.
Explore the full findings in NCA's 2026 Crypto Readiness Report.