US Public Remains Skeptical of DeFi Despite Growing Privacy Concerns

Large national banks command high trust from 42% of the population, dwarfing the 5% confidence rating for DeFi. Despite this lack of institutional faith, interest in decentralized tools climbs to 40% when participants are presented with specific use cases, such as transaction privacy and lower costs. Among those willing to experiment with the sector, 85% cite potential savings as a primary motivator, though only 24% express interest in crypto lending or borrowing.

Familiarity remains a significant barrier to adoption. Roughly 92% of respondents report little or no knowledge of DeFi, a figure that has held steady since 2025. While lifetime crypto ownership has risen to 22%, active participation over the past year remains stagnant at 13%. This hesitation persists even as 63% of Americans demand systemic upgrades to combat AI-driven cyber threats, signaling that public anxiety over financial security is currently directed at existing institutions rather than new alternatives.