MORE AMERICANS HAVE TRIED CRYPTO, BUT FEW ARE STICKING WITH IT

Summary from the TLDR Crypto newsletter

A survey of 1,545 US adults, commissioned by the DeFi Education Fund, shows lifetime crypto ownership rising to 22% from 18%, yet active past-year usage held flat at 13%, pointing to a retention problem more than an awareness gap. The lifetime figure grew because lapsed users returned: among respondents who had not used crypto in the past year, 11% reported prior ownership, up from 5% a year ago, while new-user entry did not accelerate. Trust in crypto exchanges (4% high trust) and decentralized platforms (5%) sits far below the 42-48% high-trust ratings earned by banks and credit unions, and DeFi familiarity registers at just 2% "very familiar." Despite the GENIUS Act establishing federal stablecoin rules, stated interest in learning about stablecoins fell to 7% from 11%, and DeFi interest dropped to 8% from 11%, showing that regulatory clarity has not translated into consumer engagement.