Even after a prolonged downturn since December 2017, consumers and investors still appear constructive on the long-term outlook for major cryptocurrencies. New research released by FINRA-registered broker Sharespost suggests that while the so-called crypto winter has not fully ended, sentiment has begun to improve and confidence in digital assets remains intact.
Survey points to improving sentiment
The study gathered responses from 1,018 consumers and 96 accredited and institutional investors, with data collected through Surveymonkey and Amazon Mechanical Turk. Sharespost research analyst Alejandro Ortiz said the findings indicate a “growing bullishness” around digital currencies. Most respondents said they believe crypto prices have a meaningful chance of rebounding over time.
Portfolio data in the survey also showed continued conviction in leading assets. More than 30% of surveyed investors said they held at least $25,000 in BTC, while 20% reported a similar level of exposure to ETH. Across the broader respondent base, the most commonly owned coins mirrored the market-cap hierarchy at the time, with BTC, ETH, and XRP leading the list. At the same time, the report noted softer expectations for ETH, which it linked to the delayed Constantinople upgrade.
Payments seen as blockchain’s biggest opportunity
Beyond price expectations, respondents also highlighted practical blockchain adoption. The survey found that 39% of investors and 46% of consumers believe their employers will eventually use blockchain technology in some capacity. Among potential use cases, money transfer and payments were seen as the area most likely to disrupt the financial sector first.
Still, expectations for mass adoption have become more measured. In the previous year’s survey, investors thought widespread crypto and blockchain adoption could arrive by 2020. In the latest results, that timeline has shifted to 2025, suggesting that optimism remains, but with a more realistic view of how long large-scale implementation may take.
Regulatory clarity remains a major demand
One of the clearest messages from respondents was the need for better regulation. According to the report, 43% of investors expect crypto regulation to improve going forward, and nearly 75% of those surveyed want greater clarity from regulators. That finding underlines how policy uncertainty continues to shape adoption, capital allocation, and confidence across the sector.
Overall, Sharespost concluded that investors are still willing to make larger bets on BTC, while consumers are more inclined to diversify their holdings. The report also said that for the second consecutive survey, more than 80% of investors viewed Coinbase as the most successful exchange, with Binance ranking second among both investor and consumer respondents.
The broader takeaway is that the market may still be in a fragile phase, but long-term belief in cryptocurrencies and blockchain has not disappeared. Instead, confidence appears to be evolving into a more selective and pragmatic form, shaped by product adoption, infrastructure progress, and clearer regulatory frameworks.