Tue, Nov 11, 2025
A A A
Welcome Guest
Free Trial RSS pod
Get FREE trial access to our award winning publications
Alternative Market Briefing

COVID-19 made cryptocurrency more attractive, says EIU survey

Monday, May 31, 2021

Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

An Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) survey showed 46% of people surveyed found the case for owning cryptocurrencies more compelling due to covid-19.

As more people stayed indoors to curb the spread of the virus, they found themselves with more time on their hands, while flushing with multiple rounds of stimulus money from the government, it said.

"Overall, 64% of survey respondents report using digital payments for over half of their purchases instead of physical banknotes, coins, or credit cards in the past 12 months. Almost one in five (20%) said they had not used a digital payment in the past year but plan to do so over the next 12 months, indicating further growth," said the report.

However, despite an openness to digital currencies, the study found that 51% cited the lack of knowledge as the main barrier towards greater adoption. Following this obstacle are security concerns at 34% and difficulties knowing where to buy cryptocurrencies at 29%.

Despite many new digital ways to pay, survey respondents still report the most common form of payment they use is a physical credit or debit card. The second most preferred option is online banking, with cash coming next. Cryptocurrencies, reflecting the aforementioned divisiveness, come last. Only 5% of survey respondents say that they "always" use them; 10% say they do so "often".

Yet digital currencies are capturing media headlines with China proposing a CBDC pilot progra......................

To view our full article Click here

Previous Opalesque Exclusives                                  
Previous Other Voices                                               
Access Alternative Market Briefing

 



  • Top Forwarded
  • Top Tracked
  • Top Searched
  1. Global fintech investment slumps to seven-year low of $95.6bn[more]

    Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: Global fintech investment plummeted to $95.6 billion across 4,639 deals in 2024, marking its lowest level since 2017, as investors grappled with persistent macroeconomic challenges and geopolitical tensions, revealed a study. According to the Pulse of Fintech H2'

  2. Opalesque Exclusive: Private capital deal value climbed 19% in 2024[more]

    Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York: Private capital deal value climbed 19% in 2024, according to the latest data from the Global Private Capital Association. Growth was driven by big-ticket investments across Southeast Asia, Latin America and Central & Eastern Europe (CEE). Investor confidence

  3. Opalesque Roundup: Citco: 77% of hedge funds achieved positive returns in January 2025: hedge fund news[more]

    In the week ending February 21st, 2025, a report revealed that hedge funds enjoyed one of their best opening months this decade in January, as Equity and Multi-Strategy funds posted strong returns. Funds administered by the Citco group of companies (Citco) delivered a weighted average return of 4%,

  4. Opalesque exclusive: Permuto's new equity unbundling product to change investment model[more]

    Opalesque Geneva for New Managers: Here is a different way of owning stocks coming to you soon: the option of holding just the dividend portion of a stock, independent of its price movements. Or capturing the stock&

  5. Opalesque Exclusive: Hedge funds outperform mutual funds in managing extreme risk contagion - key insights for investors[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque for New Managers: Hedge funds and mutual funds are among the most prominent vehicles for investors seeking growth and diversification. However, a critical question persists: which fund ty