The customer has gone shopping, but this time they are not looking for the latest fashion or gadget in an effort to make others green with envy. No, the leading trend right now is cryptocurrency, which covers everything from the famous Bitcoin to any asset subject to cryptology and blockchain technology. Investing in “crypto” is no longer just for “nerds”; it is about to become completely mainstream.

According to the specialist platform Voyager Digital, more than six of every 10 North Americans (61%) are seriously considering buying cryptocurrency in 2022. This finding is part of the platform’s Cryptographic Trust Survey, which interviewed more than 6,000 US consumers. The report is just part of the growing evidence that more and more people are embracing cryptocurrencies.

In fact, growth in this sector is actually leading to fragmentation of demand. Today, there are more Americans opting for alternative cryptocurrencies, or altcoins, than those choosing the more “traditional” Bitcoin. Evidence of this can be particularly seen in the rise of Dogecoin and the “stablecoin” USD Coin. However, consumers seem primarily committed to diversification, with more than half (60%) choosing to buy both Bitcoin and altcoins.

According to the survey, 2022 is set to be an important year: amongst current cryptocurrency owners, more than three quarters (76%) believe that it is a good way of protecting themselves against inflation. The study has also found that the majority of Americans believe that cryptocurrency education is important and should begin in secondary school classrooms or even earlier.