New Gemini Report: Crypto Ownership Nearly Doubled in U.S., Latin America, and Asia Pacific in 2021

At Gemini, we take a global view of crypto. We strive to develop a robust understanding of how crypto is being adopted and deployed around the world. As the world marches toward broad adoption of cryptocurrency, Gemini is introducing a first-of-its-kind report exploring the attitudes, drivers, and adoption of crypto globally.

Click here to download the 2022 Global State of Crypto Report.

The crypto industry hit numerous milestones in 2021. Bitcoin reached all-time highs at over $65,000 USD, and venture capital investment in crypto businesses soared beyond $30 billion USD. Last year was also transformative for crypto adoption, with 41% of existing crypto owners globally making their first investment in 2021, according to our report.

The report also found that nearly half of all current crypto owners in the United States (44%), Latin America (46%), and Asia Pacific (45%) first bought crypto in 2021. Inflation concerns were also highlighted as a primary driver of adoption. Further, the gender gap in crypto is potentially narrowing. Among those who plan to purchase crypto for the first time this year, 47% were women globally. With regard to barriers to entry, education remains the greatest obstacle to investing in crypto.

Additionally, developing countries Brazil and Indonesia led the way in crypto adoption with more than two in five (41%) respondents in each country reporting owning crypto, compared to just 17% across developed countries and regions including the U.S. (20%), Europe (17%), and Australia (18%).

Key themes:

• 2021 Was Crypto’s Breakout Year: Forty-one percent of crypto owners surveyed globally purchased crypto for the first time in 2021.
• The Crypto Gender Gap May Be Narrowing: Among the crypto curious who plan to purchase crypto for the first time in the next year, 47% were women globally.
• Inflation a Primary Driver for Crypto Adoption: Respondents in countries that have experienced 50% or more devaluation of their currency against the USD over the last 10 years were more than 5 times as likely to say they plan to purchase crypto in the coming year.
• Crypto Regulation A Top Concern Globally: Regulation is a concern globally. Among non-owners, 39% in Asia Pacific, 37% in Latin America, and 36% in Europe saying there is legal uncertainty around cryptocurrency.
• Education is the Greatest Barrier to Ownership: Globally, respondents were nearly twice as likely to say that more educational resources on cryptocurrency would help them get started with crypto (40%) compared to recommendations from friends (22%).

Crypto adoption is poised to grow throughout 2022 and beyond, as educational resources become more accessible. At Gemini, we support global crypto adoption by ensuring consumers have a safe, simple, and regulated on-ramp to invest in crypto.

If you don’t yet have a Gemini account, you can create one here.

We are still at the start of this journey, as we continue on our mission to unlock the next era of financial, creative, and personal freedom.

Onward and Upward!

Team Gemini

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online between November 23, 2021 and February 4, 2022 on behalf of Gemini by Data Driven Consulting Group. The total sample has been balanced and is generally representative of the adult population in each country ages 18 to 75 with household incomes of $14,000 or more. Nearly 30,000 individuals in 20 countries were surveyed in the study.