Ipsos survey finds US crypto support trails financial innovation by 22 points

The research, conducted by Ipsos through its KnowledgePanel between September 8 and 16, surveyed 1,545 U.S. adults. Findings indicate that 35% of Americans wish political candidates would support developing financial technology in the United States, contrasting sharply with only 13% who hold that view when the focus is explicitly on blockchain, cryptocurrency, and decentralized finance.

Journalist Eleanor Terrett noted the 22-percentage-point disparity, suggesting this highlights the industry's challenge in securing support when discussing cryptocurrency directly.

Dissatisfaction with established financial mechanisms was evident across the data collected. Only 19% viewed the current U.S. financial system as secure, while 63% believed upgrades were necessary to address emerging threats.

Trust in decentralized platforms remains low; just 5% reported substantial faith in these systems, and only 9% identified as very or extremely familiar with cryptocurrency.

Regarding usage, the foundation's data showed that 22% of Americans had previously owned or utilized cryptocurrency, up from 18% in a 2025 survey. However, usage within the last 12 months remained steady at 13%.

Interest in exploring DeFi was noted as higher than current familiarity. Ipsos found that 40% of respondents indicated they were at least somewhat likely to try DeFi if it became accessible, with saving money and domestic transfers being the most appealing applications.

These findings suggest that while market participants express concern over the security and control within existing financial structures, the direct political alignment of decentralized protocols remains underdeveloped.