Only one in 10 people understand how cryptocurrencies work while 29 percent have some knowledge about digital currencies, a new Survey by Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has found.
The rate at which cryptocurrencies are being adopted by global consumers is slowing down, despite celebrities like Johnny Depp and YouTube influencers such as PewDiePie embracing the technology.
"To date, four in five people (81 percent) have never purchased cryptocurrency, highlighting just how far away we are from it being accepted as a common form of payment or investment," the findings showed.
Although there is a desire among many consumers to use cryptocurrency, a knowledge gap is getting in the way of taking the plunge.
In addition, many people who thought they knew with what they are dealing with, later decided against using cryptocurrency. Nearly a fifth (18 percent) stopped because it became too technically complicated.
Nearly a third (31 percent) of respondents stated that they believe cryptocurrencies are quite volatile and they need to be stable before they are prepared to use them.
There is also a common perception among consumers that cryptocurrency will not be around forever.
A third (35 percent) believe cryptocurrencies are a fad that is not worth bothering about.
"It is clear that mainstream adoption and growth of cryptocurrency is being held back due to the vulnerable nature of the technology. While there is a high appetite to use it, giving your hard-earned cash to something you don't fully understand, or trust, is a hurdle," explained Vitaly Mzokov, Head of Commercialization at Kaspersky.
While widespread interest in cryptocurrencies may have already peaked, there is still a demand to use the technology. A fifth (20 percent) of those surveyed said that while they are not using cryptocurrency at the moment, they would like to in the future.
Fraudsters can use cryptocurrencies to their advantage, with around one in five (19 percent) of those surveyed saying they have experienced hacking attacks on exchanges.
Criminals also create fake e-wallets to attract people to unwisely invest their money, and 15 percent of consumers have been victims of cryptocurrency fraud.
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