A new survey revealed the latest trend among accredited investors in the United States, targeting the decentralized finance (defi) sphere. The study shows that a vast majority of them are likely to invest in defi this year.

70% of the Respondents Already Invested in Bitcoin

According to Xangle, who surveyed 379 accredited investors, 67% of them have some knowledge about defi. Overall, such respondents claimed to have developed a significant interest in the cryptocurrency industry over the past year.

But the higher interest goes beyond the respondents, as 72.2% of them stated they were “very likely to invest” in Defi in the next 12 months.

Just 17.5% of the surveyed accredited investors are in the category of thinking that they’d be “somewhat likely to invest,” said the research.

Moreover, the crypto asset disclosure platform found that respondents invest more now than before the coronavirus pandemic. Per the figures, 70% of the surveyed U.S. accredited investors have invested in bitcoin (BTC).

Xangle added:

Surveyed investors see bitcoin as a store of value that will yield high returns, either through short-term investments or by buying and holding.

Still, respondents believe there is a lack of regulation regarding consumer protection in the crypto industry, including defi. According to the study, 78% of them think “regulators need to protect investors more”

The survey continued:

Survey respondents believed that the things holding investors back from crypto are a lack of regulator protection, scams, and a lack of awareness and education around the industry.

Bitcoin Remains as the ‘Top Choice for Future Returns’

Although there is widespread interest in investing in defi, the survey concluded that bitcoin is still the top pick “for future returns.”

Xangle explains that if accredited investors had $100,000 to invest but had to leave it for four years, “31.7% would choose Bitcoin while 29% would go into blue-chip stocks as the better investment.”

Lihan Lee, cofounder of Xangle, commented on the survey:

The survey findings confirmed our belief that accredited investors are very excited about investing in crypto assets, but they are being held back due to a lack of regulator protection, scams, and a lack of awareness and education around the industry. It’s extremely critical for the industry as a whole to step up and provide this new wave of investors with everything they need to ensure they have a positive experience and continue to invest.

Xangle took the following guidelines to establish who was eligible for being categorized as “accredited investor” for the survey:

Our 379 respondents are considered accredited investors, who are able to trade securities that may not be registered, like cryptocurrencies. According to Rule 501 of the SEC, they must have a minimum income of $200,000 for individuals — which were 71% of our respondents — or $300,000 joint income, which are the remaining 29% of our respondents.

What are your thoughts on the survey? Let us know in the comments section below.

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