Is Cryptocurrency Suspicious? The Honest Opinions of 1,486 People and the Wall of 'Lack of Understanding'

Clabo Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Ikuma Ueno) conducted a fact-finding survey on "Attitudes and generational images towards crypto assets" among 1,486 men and women nationwide.

As a result of the survey, the most common answer was "It's suspicious because I don't understand how it works (23.3%)", revealing that cognitive lack of understanding is the biggest barrier to investment, rather than objective risks such as price fluctuations and fraud.

Those with investment experience account for only about 30% of the total, and it has become clear that many of the unentered demographics are seeking practical defense information such as "How to choose a safe exchange (44.4%)" and "How to spot scams".

In this report, we analyze in detail the causes of anxiety and information contact routes that differ by generation, and present the necessity of educational content that the industry should work on to dispel the preconceived notion that it is suspicious.

[Check the full version of the survey results]

Survey Overview Survey date: February 24, 2026 Survey method: Internet survey Survey target: Men and women residing in Japan Number of valid responses: 1,486 Conducting agency: Clabo Inc.

Survey Content ## Crypto Asset Recognition and Knowledge Level First, we asked how much they know about crypto assets. "I know a little about it" was the most common at 41.7% (619 people), followed by "I know it well including how it works" at 24.1% (358 people).

On the other hand, 23.4% (347 people) answered "I only know the word", and 10.9% (162 people) answered "I hardly know anything". There is a large gap between "knowing" and "being able to explain", and it can be read that the majority of users have heard the name but have not reached the level where they can explain the actual mechanism to others.

Reality of Investment Experience | 1 in 2 have not yet entered When asked about their experience investing in crypto assets (virtual currency), the most common answer was "No investment experience" at 5...