Crypto Investors Shrink as Prices Plummet

A recent report from the Urban Institute found that despite efforts by federal regulators and policymakers to bring cryptocurrency into the mainstream, crypto investors remain relatively rare. According to the study, roughly 17% of American adults have ever owned cryptocurrency, but only about 9% own it now.

This means nearly half of America's crypto investors have bailed since their peak in 2021 when 12% of Americans bought, sold, held or otherwise used digital currencies. The numbers suggest that despite an ongoing campaign to promote it, crypto may not be spreading across the investing landscape as expected.

Many experts attribute this lack of growth to the volatility and periodic huge declines in cryptocurrency prices. Bitcoin's value has shed roughly half of its value since October 2025, from around $125,000 to about $65,000 in late July 2026.