An industry-sponsored survey estimates that 33 million U.S. adults who do not own cryptocurrency are likely to buy it this year, but that figure measures stated intentions, not purchases.
The 2026 Crypto Readiness Report, commissioned by the National Cryptocurrency Association and conducted by The Harris Poll, surveyed 2,014 adults who did not own cryptocurrency. It found 59% were open to owning it in some form, while 41% said they actively avoided it. Being open to the idea did not necessarily mean respondents planned to buy.
Lack of understanding was the most frequently cited barrier to ownership, named by 48% of respondents among their top three reasons. Security and fraud concerns followed at 43%. Separately, 26% said easier-to-understand information would make them more comfortable buying, and 25% cited better fraud or scam protections.
Among nonowners who said they were likely to buy in 2026, 41% named investment diversification as a reason. The report did not test whether those respondents would actually buy cryptocurrency or whether it would be a suitable investment for them.
Harris conducted the online survey June 24 to July 1, 2026, and weighted responses for demographic factors. The report gives a 95% Bayesian credible interval of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points for the full sample, with wider intervals for subgroups. The 33 million figure is an estimate extrapolated from survey responses, not a count of transactions. The findings are national; the report did not provide a Finger Lakes estimate.
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