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Young Americans place much more trust in cryptocurrency platforms than older generations, with Gen Z and Millennials trusting it about five times more than Baby Boomers, according to a new survey by OKX.
The survey, conducted in January 2026 among 1,000 respondents from the United States, highlights a further generational gap in attitudes towards digital assets and traditional finance.
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Confidence in cryptocurrencies increases among Gen Z as baby boomers remain cautious
The OKX survey found that 40% of Gen Z and 41% of Millennials They reported high confidence in Cryptocurrency platforms, with scores of 6 or higher on a 10-point scale. By contrast, only 9% of boomers express similar confidence.
This division becomes clearer when… Comparing with trust in traditional banks. About 74% of boomers give high trust scores to legacy financial institutions, a level about eight times higher than the trust they place in cryptocurrencies.
Among younger respondents, skepticism towards banks is more pronounced. About 22% of Gen Zers and 21% of Millennials report little trust in… Traditional banking institutions.
“For young people, the traditional financial system seems like a relic of their parents’ generation. Generation Z and the younger millennials have grown up in a digital world. They are naturally more comfortable with the economy of digital assets,” Haider Rafiq, global managing partner at OKX, told BeInCrypto.
The data indicates that trust among young users is not only higher, but also growing. Compared to January 2025, 36% of Gen Z and 34% of Millennials said their trust in cryptocurrency platforms has increased over the past year.
Among boomers, sentiment was calmer. Only 6% reported increased confidence. Additionally, 49% said their confidence levels had not changed.
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But what does this confidence bring? Is it shaped more by direct experience or by the influence of society, such as social media, peers and content creators? Rafiq said that both factors play a role, but their influence It varies among younger users.
He explained that for the younger generations, social media is the natural entry point for information, whether for customer support, user experiences, or to evaluate credibility. They first turn to social media platforms when they encounter a problem, want to learn something new, or see what trusted voices online are saying.
“However, true trust is built only through direct experience. This is part of a larger change in Gen Z behavior: they check themselves for repeated personal use. In digital assets, in particular, loyalty comes one seamless transaction after another,” he added.
Half of Gen Z and Millennials see cryptocurrencies as the future
This increased confidence turns into action. This year, 40% of Gen Z and 36% of Millennials are planning To increase their business in digital currency trading . Only 11% of boomers said the same, making the youngest respondents about four times more optimistic than their older counterparts.
Differences in trust seem closely related to what each generation values ​​most. For Generation Z, Millennials and Generation The safety of the platforms is the main factor That was mentioned by 59%, 50%, and 54%, respectively.
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However, Boomers place greater importance on regulation and legal protection, with 65% citing them as their primary concerns.
Among young users who remain skeptical of cryptocurrencies, complexity stands out as the primary point of resistance, according to Rafiq.
“Gen Z grew up with fintech apps that seemed easy. Cryptocurrencies often feel like giving someone a power tool kit and telling you to figure it out – confusing navigation, hidden costs, jargon everywhere. Irreversible mistakes can cost real money,” he noted.
At the same time, the wider generational gap extends to long-term expectations about the future of finance. 52% of Gen Z and 50% of Millennial respondents believe that cryptocurrencies will eventually rival or surpass traditional finance as a dominant force.
Among the baby boomersOnly 28% share this opinion. In addition, 71% remain confident that banks will continue to support the financial system for years to come.
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“Younger generations clearly see cryptocurrencies as a path to greater opportunity and a hedge against limitations in traditional wealth creation paths,” the report says.
Opinions about the usefulness of cryptocurrencies divide generations more. Nearly half of boomers say cryptocurrencies don’t solve problems better than traditional finance. Among Generation Z, only 6% agree. According to the results,
“Younger participants consistently point to practical strengths that resonate deeply in a digital world, such as true ease of access 24/7, unlimited transfers, and the kind of flexibility that narrow infrastructure cannot imitate. These perceived advantages fuel not only adoption, but also a sense of empowerment among those who have reached the age that expects instant financial instruments, always.”
The data suggests that younger users perceive cryptocurrencies more as safe, innovative and deterministic. As for the older generations, they are more likely to associate digital assets with risks and uncertainty.
Rather than being a limitation, this gap in confidence acts as an indication of where the momentum is for cryptocurrencies. Adoption and growth are driven by the generations that place the most trust in technology.
“Remember when it was difficult for the older generations to understand Facebook? Now, the whole platform is baby boomers. We see a similar model in the economy of digital assets,” said Rafiq.
Overall, the results indicate a clear generational shift in financial confidence. As younger users become more confident with hands-on experience and native digital channels, they are increasingly paving the way for cryptocurrency adoption, while older generations remain tied to traditional banking models.
