Republicans are now more likely than Democrats to have used cryptocurrency, marking a clear partisan divide in US crypto adoption even as overall usage remains largely unchanged, according to new data from the Pew Research Center (a US nonpartisan think tank that conducts public opinion polling and social science research).
Republicans Lead Democrats in US Crypto Adoption, Pew Research Finds
9 June 2026 - 12:30 CEST
By Sandmark staff
About 19% of US adults said they have invested in, traded or used cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) or Ether (ETH), up only slightly from 17% in 2024 and 16% in 2021.
The more notable shift occurred along political lines. Pew found that 22% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have used crypto, compared with 17% of Democrats and independents favouring that party. In 2024, the two groups were statistically tied at 18% and 17%, respectively.
The findings come as digital assets have become increasingly entwined with US politics, with crypto-associated groups pouring millions of dollars into congressional races ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Growth concentrated among wealthier Americans
The survey also suggests recent adoption gains have been concentrated in specific demographic groups rather than across the broader population.
Among upper-income Americans, crypto usage rose to 27% from 23% in 2024 and 17% in 2021. By comparison, adoption among lower-income Americans was largely unchanged at 16%.
Men under 50 remained the most active crypto users. Four in 10 men aged 30 to 49 reported having used cryptocurrency, compared with 17% of women in the same age bracket. Usage among men aged 50 and older also increased from 11% in 2024 to 14% this year.
Meanwhile, crypto adoption among white Americans rose to 18% from 14% two years earlier, bringing it broadly in line with Black and Hispanic adults.
Crypto’s political alignment takes shape
For policymakers and industry participants, the latest Pew findings suggest crypto is becoming more closely associated with a particular political constituency at a time when regulatory debates over market structure, stablecoins and digital-asset oversight remain active in Congress.
Whether that partisan gap widens or narrows may become an important indicator of how crypto’s role in American politics evolves in the years ahead. Overall adoption remains relatively low, with roughly four in five US adults still reporting no engagement with digital assets.
The Pew Research Center survey was conducted between 20 and 26 Jan among 8,512 US adults who are part of the centre's American Trends Panel. The data is based on self-reported usage, which carries inherent limitations common to survey research, such as potential recall bias or social desirability effects.
