Survey finds 22% of Americans have tried crypto, but active use is stuck at 13%

A DeFi Education Foundation and Ipsos poll shows more people have dabbled in crypto, while regular usage, trust and political appeal lag behind More Americans have dipped a toe into crypto. Fewer seem interested in staying in the pool. A new national survey from the DeFi Education Foundation (DEF) and Ipsos found that 22% of US adults have owned or used crypto at some point. That’s up from 18% in 2025. Active use within the past 12 months, however, held steady at 13%. The numbers behind the plateau The poll surveyed 1,545 adults between September 8 and September 16, 2026. The results were released on October 27, 2026, only weeks ahead of the US midterm elections. The headline gain is a four-point jump in lifetime ownership or use, from 18% to 22%. By the standards of annual consumer surveys, that’s real movement. The flat 13% active-use figure tempers the celebration. Plenty of newcomers apparently tried crypto, then drifted away or simply stopped touching it. Familiarity remains thin. Only 9% of respondents described themselves as very or extremely familiar with crypto. DeFi fares even worse on that front. Just 2% said they feel very familiar with decentralized finance, the corner...