The Good Tech Companies - What Do Global Users Really Think About Crypto and Web3 Banking? A Dive into CrossFi’s 2025 Survey

Episode Date: March 18, 2025

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/what-do-global-users-really-think-about-crypto-and-web3-banking-a-dive-into-crossfis-2025-survey. ... Who's really using crypto? CrossFi's 2025 survey reveals unexpected demographics, global adoption trends, and Web3 banking insights. Check more stories related to programming at: https://hackernoon.com/c/programming. You can also check exclusive content about #crossfi, #web3, #crossfi-news, #crossfi-announcement, #good-company, #blockchain, #tech-stories, #cryptocurrency, and more. This story was written by: @ishanpandey. Learn more about this writer by checking @ishanpandey's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Who's really using crypto? CrossFi's 2025 survey reveals unexpected demographics, global adoption trends, and Web3 banking insights.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 This audio is presented by Hacker Noon, where anyone can learn anything about any technology. What do global users really think about crypto and Web3 banking? A dive in Tokrosvih's 2025 survey, by Aishan Pandey, CrossFi has dropped a bombshell with its 2025 crypto market research survey. A sprawling study of over 5000 crypto users from India, Finland, and Russia. This isn't your typical tech bro echo chamber. It's a vivid snapshot of a shifting landscape, 80% women, aged 28 to 43, earning $1,000 to $3,000 monthly, and leaning hard into cryptocurrencies and Web3 banking. The data challenges stereotypes, exposes pain points, and hints at a future where digital
Starting point is 00:00:44 finance could rival cash. So, who's driving this revolution? What's holding it back? And what needs to happen by 2025 to make crypto as seamless as a dollar bill? Let's unpack the numbers, decode the trends, and peer into the future of money. The survey at a glance, scope and credibility, CrossFi surveyed 5,000 participants across three nations, India, Finland, and Russia, chosen, presumably, for their diverse economic and technological profiles.
Starting point is 00:01:13 India's a fintech hotspot with a booming middle class, Finland's a Nordic tech leader with high digital literacy, Russia's a wildcard with a complex financial history. Participants weren't random, they were crypto users, likely sourced via crossfee's network or partnered platforms, giving the findings a focused lens on engaged adopters. This isn't a general population poll, it's a pulse check on the crypto curious and committed. Who's using crypto? A demographic shakeup, gender flip. Women take the lead to standout stat? 80% of respondents are women, flipping the script on crypto's male-heavy past. Compare this to Pew Research's
Starting point is 00:01:51 2023 finding that just 16% ofu's crypto users were women. What's driving this? In India, women-led financial inclusion programs, like the government's Jan Donn-Yogena, may be funneling more women into digital assets. Finland's gender-equal tech culture could be a factor, while Russia's economic volatility might push women toward alternative wealth-building tools. This isn't a fluke, it's a trend begging for deeper global research. Age and income. The middle ground most respondents fall between 28 and 43 years old, a sweet spot for earning,
Starting point is 00:02:26 saving, and investing. Their monthly incomes, $1,000 to $3,000, align with middle income brackets in their regions, per World Bank data. In India, that's above the national average, $180 monthly, in Finland, it's modest but livable, in Russia, it's solid for urban professionals. Cryptos not just for billionaires or the unbanked, it's resonating with the global middle class, a group hungry for financial control. Why this matters this demographic mix hints at crypto's broadening appeal. Women in these regions might see it as empowerment, a way to bypass traditional banking barriers. Middle-income earners, meanwhile, may view it as a hedge against inflation, India's
Starting point is 00:03:07 hit 5-6% annually, or currency instability, rushes ruble woes. It's less about lambos and more about stability. Crypto as a lifestyle. Usage and income patterns. Holding over hustling. Here's the kicker. Investing or holding cryptocurrencies is the dominant income source for respondents. Forget day trading or meme coin flips, these users are playing the long game.
Starting point is 00:03:31 This echoes Fidelity's 2024 report, where 52% of institutional investors held crypto for growth. Respondents likely buy Bitcoin or Ethereum, stash it in wallets, and watch it, hopefully, climb. Some might stake assets on platforms like Lido or Lend via Aave for passive income, low effort strategies that fit their profile. Weekly check-ins most engage with crypto 1-2 times per week. What are they doing?
Starting point is 00:03:57 Probably. Buying. Snagging dips on exchanges like Binance or Coinbase. Holding. Monitoring wallets via apps like Trust Wallet. Earning Adjusting staking pools or claiming rewards. This isn't the frenetic pace of Wall Street traders.
Starting point is 00:04:13 It's deliberate, like tending a digital garden. For middle-income users, it's a side hustle, not a full-time gig. Insight unlocked. This behavior signals crypto's evolution from speculative toy to financial staple. It's not about, to the moon, hype. It's about building wealth incrementally, especially in regions where traditional investments, stocks, real estate, feel out of reach. The fee problem.
Starting point is 00:04:37 Crypto's biggest ROADBLOCKTE pain of high costs high transaction fees top the list of challenges and it's a universal gripe. Ethereum's gas fees once soared to $200 per transaction, Etherscan, 2021, and while they've eased, a $10-$20 hit still stings for someone earning $1,000 monthly. Bitcoin's no picnic either. Fees peaked at $60 in 2021, Bit info charts. For context, sending $50 via PayPal costs pennies. Crypto's not competitive yet. Why fees bite network congestion? Ethereum's clogged during NFT booms. Bitcoin's slow by design. Mining costs. Proof of workchains like Bitcoin burn
Starting point is 00:05:20 energy, driving fees up. No middleman savings. Decentralization's freedom comes at a price. Solutions on the horizon layer 2 scaling. Polygon and Arbitrum slash Ethereum fees to cents. Faster chains. Solana and Avalanche process thousands of transactions per second, cheaply. Fee optimization. Tools like gas now help users time transactions for lower costs. The stakes for crypto to hit mass adoption, fees must drop. A $20 fee for a $5 coffee
Starting point is 00:05:52 is a non-starter. Respondents' frustration underscores a broader truth, cost is Kinjan financial inclusion. WEB3 Banking. Promise meets PAINWHAT users want Web3 Banking, blockchain-powered, decentralized finance, dazzles with potential. No banks, no borders, just you and your money. Respondents prioritize safety and reliability, and it's easy to see why. Traditional banks fail, think Lehman Brothers, or Freeze Funds, Russia's 2022 sanctions. Web3's promise? Your assets, your rules, secured by code, not CEOs.
Starting point is 00:06:30 The reality check yet satisfaction is lukewarm. Most are only, somewhat satisfied. Why? Frozen accounts. DeFi platforms can lock funds due to bugs, e.g. Wormhole's $320 million hack, 2023, or liquidity dries up. KYC clashes. Regulations demand, know your customer, checks, but decentralized systems balk at central ID hubs. Uploading a passport to a blockchain? Awkward. Decoding the disconnect web3's ethos is trustless freedom, but reality bites.
Starting point is 00:07:04 KYC is a legal must. Exchanges like Binance enforce it, yet DeFi resists. Solutions like decentralized identity, civic, self-key, aim to bridge this, letting users prove identity without compromising privacy. Meanwhile, frozen accounts reflect Web3 feet's immaturity, smart contracts need audits, and users need insurance, think nexus mutual. 2025 vision. Crypto as everyday CASHTHE big dream respondents predict that by 2025, crypto will flow like
Starting point is 00:07:36 fiat. Imagine swiping bitcoin for groceries or tipping in dogecoin, no delays, no fuss. It's bold, butchers catching up lightning network. Speeds bitcoin to seconds, costs to pennies. Stablecoins. USDC and Tether Nix volatility, mimicking dollars. Payment rails. Solana Pay and Binance Pay streamline merchant use. The hurdles volatility. Even with stablecoins, bitcoin's wild swings scare vendors. Adoption. Only 1% of US merchants take crypto, PyMNTs, 2024. Rules.
Starting point is 00:08:12 Taxes and regs vary, crypto's an asset in the US, currency in El Salvador. What it'll take UX overhaul. Apps as slick as Venmo, not clunky wallets. Merchant incentives. Cash back in crypto? Lower fees than Visa? Global regs. The EU's Micah is a model, others must follow.
Starting point is 00:08:31 Safety first. Cybersecurity fears loom large. The threat L and SCAPE safety and cybersecurity dominate concerns, and for good reason. Hacks siphoned $1, 7 billion in 2024, chain analysis. Fishing snares private keys, rug pulls tank projects, exchanges like FTX collapse. For every win, there's a scam. User armor hardware wallets. Ledger and Trezor keep keys offline. Only 10% use them, 2023 survey. Multi-Sig. Requires multiple approvals, forwarding thieves.
Starting point is 00:09:06 Education. Spotting phishing or fake ICOs saves millions. Industry fixes better UX. Biometric logins or social recovery, Argent wallet. Insurance. Defy cover from unslashed or inser ace. Audits. Certic and trail of bits catch contract flaws.
Starting point is 00:09:23 Crossfee's play. Bridging two worlds crossfi isn't just reporting, they're building. Their crossfi chain fuses fiat and crypto with non-custodial tech. Users hold the keys, but transactions feel seamless. Targeting women in India are middle earners in Russia, they're chasing inclusivity. It's a blueprint for 2025. Crypto that's practical, safe, and open to all. The big picture. What's next? Crossfee's survey isn't static. It's a roadmap. Crypto and Web3 banking are rewriting finance, but they're not ready for primetime.
Starting point is 00:09:58 Here's the playbook slash fees. Layer 2 and new chains must scale fast. Simplify UX. Hide the blockchain, show the benefits. Boost security. User-friendly tools beat hacks. Harmonize rules. Global clarity unlocks adoption. Crypto's shedding its niche skin, reaching everyday people with big dreams.
Starting point is 00:10:19 By 2025, it might just deliver. Dive into Crossfee's full report and see for yourself, the future's digital, decentralized, and knocking. Don't forget to like and share the story. Tip Vested Interest Disclosure. This author is an independent contributor publishing via our business blogging program. Hacker Noon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. Hashtag Dyor. Thank you for listening to this Hacker Noon story, read by Artificial Intelligence.
Starting point is 00:10:49 Visit hackernoon.com to read, write, learn and publish.

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