Nearly half of all cryptocurrency owners in the U.S., Latin America and Asia purchased digital assets for the very first time in 2021, according to a new survey from U.S. cryptocurrency exchange Gemini.
The survey of nearly 30,000 people across 20 countries was conducted between November 2021 and February 2022 and shows that 2021 was a blockbuster year for cryptocurrency purchases.
Brazil and Indonesia lead the world in cryptocurrency adoption, Gemini found, with 41% of people surveyed in those countries reporting ownership of some type of digital asset, compared with 20% in the U.S. and 18% in the United Kingdom.
Gemini, which is run by twin brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, found that 79% of people who reported owning cryptocurrencies last year said they chose to purchase the digital assets for their “long-term investment potential.”
Only 16% of respondents in the U.S. and 15% in Europe agreed that cryptocurrencies hedge against inflation.
It remains to be seen if the adoption of cryptocurrencies can keep rising this year.
While the most popular cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (BTC), hit an all-time high of more than $68,000 U.S. last November, helping to push the value of the entire cryptocurrency market to $3 trillion U.S., it has traded in a range of $34,000 U.S. to $44,000 U.S. so far this year.
