Nearly half of Gen Z hopes to unwrap crypto this Christmas, survey finds
Even with Bitcoin’s latest downturn, younger Americans are still eager to receive crypto as a holiday gift. A new Visa survey released Tuesday shows that 45% of Gen Z would be excited to find cryptocurrency under the Christmas tree — far higher than the 28% of adults overall who said the same. According to Visa, this enthusiasm suggests that digital assets may be “poised to transform U.S. holiday spending” in the years ahead.
Why it matters
The crypto market has suffered a massive multitrillion-dollar pullback in recent weeks, dragging Bitcoin to its lowest price since April and reigniting familiar concerns about volatility. But despite the slump, Visa’s data — combined with a recent partial price rebound — suggests that interest in digital assets is proving surprisingly durable.
If the trend continues, crypto could keep advancing toward mainstream acceptance, spanning everything from casual consumers making holiday purchases to major financial institutions.
What the survey shows
Visa partnered with Morning Consult to poll 1,000 adults between October 14 and 16 — right as Bitcoin began its steep slide. During that period:
- Bitcoin fell from nearly $125,000 in early October to under $82,000 by November 21st
- Ethereum lost about one-third of its value
- XRP dropped nearly 30% from its October high
Still, Gen Z remained the generation most open to using digital assets. According to the survey:
- 44% of Gen Z said they would use cryptocurrency for their holiday shopping
- Nearly half of all adults surveyed (47%) said they had used AI to help with gift planning, often relying on AI tools for inspiration
This trend reflects a broader shift in U.S. shopping behavior. Data from Adobe Analytics shows that AI-driven traffic to retail sites surged 760% over Thanksgiving weekend compared to last year, including a 670% jump on Cyber Monday alone. That spike in AI-assisted browsing helped drive record-breaking online spending:
- $14.25 billion on Cyber Monday
- $11.8 billion on Black Friday
What experts are saying
Bruce Cundiff, Visa’s VP of Consumer Insights, said Americans’ shopping habits are changing fast.
“Shoppers are embracing AI and digital tools at remarkable speed,” he explained, noting that everything from AI-powered gift finding to crypto gifts signals a fundamental reimagining of commerce by younger generations.
Financial experts speaking to Newsweek emphasized that Bitcoin’s recent slide doesn’t necessarily threaten its long-term prospects.
Lyn Alden, investment strategist, pointed out that Bitcoin has endured 17 major dips of over 30% throughout its history.
“I view it as unlikely to harm Bitcoin’s long-term value proposition,” she said. She added that Bitcoin’s past peaks have followed a four-year cycle, leading some investors to speculate that late 2025 could be another top — prompting selling that may have fueled the latest downturn.
Economist Garrick Hileman, known for his research on blockchain, echoed that sentiment.
“The core proposition hasn’t changed,” he said, noting that short-term drops can actually help new investors enter the market.
What comes next
Bitcoin has rebounded slightly, climbing more than 10% off its November lows. But analysts say it will take a stronger, more sustained rally to move back toward record highs.
“Bitcoin fans will be rightly cautious,” said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG. After several false recoveries in recent months, he said skepticism is understandable.
Alden agrees that the biggest part of the correction may already be behind us.
“We could test some lower lows,” she told Newsweek, “but the fall from $126k to the low $80s represents the majority of the drop, in my opinion.”
Disclaimer
This rewritten article is based on an original report published by Newsweek. You can read the original at https://www.newsweek.com/.
