In recent Bitcoin news, a survey run by the Cornell University Bitcoin Club found that people living under higher financial stress are more likely to turn to Bitcoin.
Respondents who felt that “their finances control their lives” showed stronger ownership and trust in the cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin Adoption Rises with Financial Stress
A new survey by Cornell University demonstrated that people’s views on Bitcoin vary widely across regions.
The findings suggested that financial stress and trust in government play a big role in shaping how people see the cryptocurrency.
In some countries, stress and low trust can drive higher adoption, while in others, stability keeps interest lower.
For example, the survey discovered countries like Turkey, India, Kenya, and South Africa reported the highest stress levels alongside some of the strongest Bitcoin adoption rates.
Meanwhile, countries that indicated lower financial stress also show less interest in Bitcoin.
El Salvador, Switzerland, China, and Italy reported some of the lowest stress levels, and their citizens were less likely to own or trust the cryptocurrency.
Interestingly, Mexico, Italy, and Japan were among the lowest in both financial stress and Bitcoin adoption.
Bitcoin Trust Levels
The survey also tested Bitcoin trust levels by asking people to rate it on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 meaning no trust and 10 meaning a great deal of trust. Across 25 countries, Bitcoin scored an average of 4.67.
As a result, the findings raised questions about what people trust, what they distrust, and how Bitcoin compares to governments, national currencies, and other assets.
Nigeria reported the highest levels of trust in Bitcoin, while Japan showed the lowest, according to the survey.
When compared with traditional assets such as gold, real estate, and major currencies, Bitcoin was perceived as riskier and scored lower in overall trust.
According to the survey, 45% of respondents stated that Bitcoin carries about the same risk as stocks, and 43% reported the same when compared to corporate bonds.
When asked about Bitcoin’s ability to reduce fraud, protect privacy, and provide trustworthy services, most participants gave neutral answers.
The responses showed neither strong support nor outright rejection. This further suggested that uncertainty, rather than skepticism, shapes how people view Bitcoin’s potential as a tool for financial freedom.
Bitcoin News: Low Trust in Government Aligns with Higher Adoption
In further Bitcoin news, the findings went on to reveal that out of the 25 countries, 10 trusted Bitcoin more than their governments, including Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, and Venezuela.
As per the survey, these regions were largely emerging markets or countries dealing with political instability.
Meanwhile, the UAE, China, and Saudi Arabia showed strong trust in their governments, far higher than confidence in Bitcoin.
The findings suggest that Bitcoin gains more traction where trust in institutions has weakened, making it an alternative to centralized authority.
The Cornell study showed that views on Bitcoin were shaped more by local economic conditions and trust in institutions than by a single global trend.
For most respondents, uncertainty rather than outright rejection defined their perspective on the cryptocurrency.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2025/09/06/bitcoin-news-adoption-thrives-where-financial-stress-is-most-severe/
