SharesPost crypto survey: Consumers bullish, investors cautiously optimistic

Despite the 60% decline in cryptocurrency valuations this year, consumers and investors continue to offer a bullish, long-term outlook for crypto and blockchain. However, investors have become less optimistic about near-term cryptocurrency trends while consumers’ positive outlook remains largely unchanged since the beginning of the year.

Investment platform SharesPost polled 2,490 retail investors and 528 individual accredited and institutional investors. 59% of investors and 72% of consumers plan to increase their holdings over the next 12 months. The majority of respondents expect crypto valuations to increase over the next 12 months though investors were less bullish than in SharesPosts’ previous survey. 57% of investors and 66% of consumers expect growth in crypto valuations over the next year.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP rule the roost

Both investors and consumers overwhelmingly picked Bitcoin as the top currency they own, followed by Ethereum, XRP and Litecoin. The three currencies, they said, offer the most potential for long-term success. Bitcoin, in particular, saw a significant jump in investor interest. Positive investor sentiment grew to 78% from 48%. XRP remains investors’ preferred choice over Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash.

Elsewhere, 32% of investors and 49% of consumers say employers are planning to roll-out blockchain technology in the near future. However, both groups tempered their expectations for widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies. The percentage of investors who think crypto will go mainstream in 2020 dropped to 27% from 51%; 37% from 42% among consumers. More people now feel 2025 is a more realistic time table.

Finally, over 50% of survey takers picked volatility and over 37% picked safety and security as their top concerns. Both crypto and non-crypto owners have expressed similar sentiments. 55% of investors and 57% of consumers picked lack of understanding as the top challenge while half of both investors and consumers opted for lack of effective use cases as their primary concern.