Consumer Cryptocurrency Report 2024

Finder's Consumer Cryptocurrency Report uses data from Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker (CST) to build a profile of the cryptocurrency market within Australia and consumer behaviour and attitudes towards it.

Beyond the buzz

Cryptocurrency challenges traditional financial structures, offering unprecedented accessibility and potential for financial empowerment. While the market's journey has been marked by volatility, it represents a cautious step towards a future where individuals have greater control over their assets.

Australia alone has more than 15 cryptocurrency exchanges, with moves underway to introduce better regulations for protecting consumers. Additionally, the launch of Bitcoin ETFs in the US has paved the way for more investors than ever to get involved.

With Bitcoin hitting all-time-highs of $112,100 AUD ($73,750 USD) in March of this year, there's no mistaking that there's a buzz in the air. Partnering with Coinbase, Finder has surveyed more than 3,000 Australians to dig deeper and find out what's really on the mind of everyday Australians and crypto natives in 2024.

Expert insight

"If you've bought crypto recently, you're not alone. In the past 12 months, 9% of Australians or 1.9 million people have traded crypto."

John O'Loghlen

Regional Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Coinbase

Dissatisfaction

• Only 65% of Australians reported some level of satisfaction with the current financial services at their disposal.
• Gen Z and millennials are the least satisfied – only 59% of millennials are at least somewhat satisfied compared to 73% of baby boomers.
• 24% of consumers who reported some level of dissatisfaction have owned crypto in the last year compared to 17% who reported satisfaction.

Expert insight

"Earlier this year, the SEC approved spot trading on exchanges of funds invested in Bitcoin, making investment in Bitcoin accessible to ordinary investors. This is another macro event that has further inspired investor confidence. Coinbase Institutional is the trusted partner and primary custodian to 8 of the 11 ETF providers approved by the SEC, providing a secure environment for ETFs to thrive."

John O'Loghlen

Regional Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Coinbase

Familiarity

• 17% of Australians (3.6 million people) have bought, sold or held cryptocurrency in the last 2 years.
• An impressive 52% of Australians say they are familiar with crypto or crypto ETFs.
• Younger generations (gen Z and millennials), men and consumers with high household incomes are the most familiar.

Expert insight

"The research also points to wider uptake and awareness among Australians working in trades such as plumbing and electrical. These occupations are among the most likely to own crypto."

John O'Loghlen

Regional Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Coinbase

Frequency

• Almost two-thirds (67%) of those with cryptocurrency trade at least once a month.
• This suggests a deep engagement in the market either through passive long-term strategies like dollar cost averaging (DCA) or shorter-term active trading.
• Both strategies are popular with 37% of crypto owners hoping to gain long-term appreciation or profit and 29% looking for short-term profits.

Expert insight

"The future of cryptocurrency in Australia is not without its challenges. But it is encouraging to see that the vast majority of Australians are optimistic about the outlook for crypto in Australia and its potential. Further, over half (53%) of Australians believe that crypto represents the future of finance."

John O'Loghlen

Regional Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Coinbase

Diversification and portfolio creation

• The average crypto portfolio held by Australians is worth $21,426. This is a third of the average stock portfolio at the time of writing ($61,855).
• Consumers who participate in both the share and crypto markets, have a larger average share portfolio of $100,710, and slightly less allocated toward cryptocurrency with an average portfolio of $19,168.
• For many holders, crypto is part of a larger multi-asset investment portfolio – over 3 in 4 (76%) who currently own crypto also own shares.
• These findings align with the benefits that holders see in crypto. Diversification is the fourth most popular benefit, with 26% reporting that they are hoping to diversify their portfolio with cryptocurrency.

Crypto exchanges: What's important?

• As crypto has continued to enter the mainstream, consumer preferences have evolved.
• 50% of owners said the security and reputation of an exchange is the most important feature to them, making it the top feature in 2024.
• In 2022 the security and reputation of exchanges was third most important with only 39% of consumers valuing it. Receiving good customer support has also jumped from 12% of holders ranking it highly to 31% now.
• Meanwhile, the appetite for most advanced features like self-managed super fund (SMSF) support has dropped from 19% to 9%.

Expert insight

"At Coinbase, we too believe crypto is the future of money. We are building a runway of clear rules, partnerships, and trusted products and infrastructure to support innovations, today and in the future. We have prioritised governance and compliance from the start, to be the most trusted exchange in the world."

John O'Loghlen

Regional Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Coinbase

Expert commentary

Graham Cooke – head of consumer research

"Whether you're a naysayer or a nerd, it is clear that the cryptocurrency ecosystem in Australia is brimming with highly engaged participants – regardless of whether they are short-term active traders or long-term holders.

For many of these Australians, cryptocurrency has graduated from a speculative investment on the outskirts of portfolios to an important tool for wealth creation and diversification. Beyond the investment implications, a surprising number of consumers are hoping to, or already are using it as a functional currency, giving us a glimpse into how cryptocurrency can continue to permeate our everyday financial lives beyond rates and returns."

Written by

Joshua Godfrey

Insights analyst

Joshua Godfrey is an insights analyst for Finder. Josh manages Finder's monthly Consumer Sentiment Tracker and quarterly reports which examine the financial issues currently affecting Australians. He has a Bachelor of Business and Diploma in Innovation from the University of Technology, Sydney where he studied finance and marketing. See full bio

Joshua's expertise

Joshua has written 25 Finder guides across topics including:

• Data and analytics
• Money trends