The latest edition of the Global Public Opinion TRENDS Bulletin, published by the Global Barometer Department at TRENDS Research & Advisory, emphasizes that digital currencies have become an integral component of the global financial system. However, they continue to spark debate, balancing the opportunities they offer and the challenges they pose, particularly regarding regulation, security, and public trust.
The Bulletin’s new issue — Two Sides of the Digital Coin: Unpacking Public Views on Digital Currencies — sheds light on key global economic shifts driven by a rapidly evolving technological revolution and unprecedented digital expansion. This transformation has accelerated the digitization of money and reshaped traditional financial systems.
The Bulletin outlines the main categories of digital currencies, including stablecoins, pegged to traditional assets such as gold or the US dollar; cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, managed via decentralized networks and facing regulatory scrutiny; and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), issued by monetary authorities to enhance financial efficiency and inclusion, while raising concerns over centralized control.
According to the Bulletin, adopting digital currencies has gained significant momentum. The Chainalysis’ Global Adoption Index recorded a substantial increase in the total value of global cryptocurrency activity between the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, reaching levels higher than those of 2021. This growth was mainly fueled by heightened institutional investment, increased retail involvement in emerging markets, and the proliferation of decentralized finance platforms.
A global survey featured in the Bulletin revealed notable variation in public opinion toward digital currencies: 58 percent of respondents said they would use digital currencies for daily transactions within the next five years, while 75 percent expected them to become the world’s primary method of payment in the future. Additionally, 57 percent believed digital currencies would enhance global financial inclusion, and 54 percent anticipated a significant impact on traditional banks and financial institutions. Despite this optimism, trust remains conditional: 55 percent viewed traditional currencies as safer. In comparison, 69 percent supported the introduction of formal regulatory frameworks, signaling that adoption could rise substantially once clear protections are in place.
The Bulletin noted that, although the United States continues to dominate global crypto flows, a Pew Research Center survey in October 2024 found that 63 percent of Americans expressed little to no confidence in the reliability of cryptocurrency platforms. These findings were echoed in the 2025 Cryptocurrency Adoption and Consumer Sentiment report, which revealed that 59 percent of Americans familiar with the sector lacked trust in its security, citing concerns over market volatility, wallet access issues, and lack of oversight.
Conversely, a study by Strategy& highlighted that retail investors in the US, Germany, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are increasingly inclined to expand their holdings of digital assets. Nearly 50% of respondents believe major economies will hold strategic reserves of Bitcoin by 2030, reflecting an upward trend in integrating digital assets into the global financial system.
On the regulatory front, the Bulletin reported significant variation across jurisdictions. In the United States, oversight remains fragmented: the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) classifies cryptocurrencies as securities, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) categorizes them as commodities. At the same time, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) treats them as property. In contrast, China has taken a far stricter approach, imposing a sweeping ban in June 2025 on cryptocurrency trading, mining, and even private ownership—the move aimed at safeguarding the country’s financial system.
The Bulletin concludes that the future of digital currencies will hinge on striking a careful balance between technological innovation, clear regulatory frameworks, and institutional trust. While cryptocurrencies remain innovative financial tools with transformative potential, their sustainability depends on regulatory environments that protect users without stifling innovation.
