Portrait of Bitcoin Holders in the United States: A Deep Analysis of Population, Politics, and Morality

Recently, a research report on Bitcoin holders in the United States has attracted widespread attention. The report analyzes the adoption of Bitcoin in the U.S. from three dimensions: demographic characteristics, political inclination, and moral foundation, aiming to explore other factors that may influence Bitcoin holding and attitudes beyond standard demographic data.

Main Findings

1. Young males are more likely to hold Bitcoin: Bitcoin holders are generally younger and predominantly male, but in terms of race, ethnicity, income, education, and financial literacy, they are similar to the overall population of the United States.

2. Political factors are unrelated to Bitcoin holders: Although there are significant differences in attitudes towards Bitcoin among different political parties, the survey results show that there is no significant relationship between Bitcoin holding and political orientation. Americans from various political backgrounds hold Bitcoin at roughly the same rate.

3. Value systems have little relation to coin holding: The study used moral foundation theory to analyze the values and identity of Bitcoin holders. The results indicate that holding Bitcoin is not significantly correlated with specific moral foundations. In contrast, understanding the concept of Bitcoin, recognition of its protocols and assets, and the moral perception of Bitcoin have a greater impact on coin holding decisions.

Research Background

Although Bitcoin is widely known, detailed information about its holders remains limited. About 95% of Americans are familiar with the concept of Bitcoin, and approximately 1 in 7 Americans currently own Bitcoin, but specific data is still scarce. This research focuses on Bitcoin and limits the scope to the United States, surveying 3,538 adult Americans to collect their demographic information, ethical tendencies, and attitudes towards Bitcoin.

Demographic Characteristics

Research has found that the group of Bitcoin holders in the United States exhibits diverse characteristics. There are no significant differences between Bitcoin holders and non-holders in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, marital status, income, education level, or financial literacy. However, there are notable differences in age and gender among Bitcoin holders: they are more likely to be younger and male.

Political Bias Analysis

From a political perspective, Bitcoin holders and non-holders do not show significant differences. Although it is commonly believed that Bitcoin is more popular among right-wing or libertarian individuals, research findings indicate that the political distribution of Bitcoin holders is very similar to that of non-holders, with most people concentrated in the middle of the political spectrum. Compared to non-holders, Bitcoin holders are more likely to see themselves as being in extreme positions, whether very liberal or very conservative.

Self-identified very liberal respondents are most likely to hold Bitcoin (21.9%), followed by very conservative respondents (17.6%), while the holding rate among moderates is the lowest (14.3%). The only significant difference is that libertarians are more likely to hold Bitcoin, even though they make up a small proportion of all respondents.

Overall, there is no direct relationship between Bitcoin holding and political factors; the politicized statements regarding Bitcoin ownership by politicians, the media, and social platforms are often misleading.

Moral Foundation Analysis

The study adopts Moral Foundations Theory to explore the moral orientations of Bitcoin holders. The results show that Bitcoin holders exhibit unique characteristics: they are more focused on cultural freedom and equality; they align with conservatives on sanctity and loyalty, with liberals on care, and are positioned between liberals and conservatives on economic freedom and authoritarianism.

This indicates that Bitcoin holders possess a unique diversity and complexity in moral orientation, not fully aligning with traditional liberal or conservative classifications.

Key Factors Affecting Bitcoin Holders

Research has found that four key cognitive factors significantly influence whether a person is a Bitcoin holder:

1. Trust in the underlying technology of Bitcoin
2. Knowledge about Bitcoin
3. Understanding the Practicality of Bitcoin
4. The Moral Perception of Bitcoin

Bitcoin holders generally have more confidence in its technology and believe that Bitcoin is morally positive. In contrast, non-holders exhibit distrust or a neutral attitude.

These cognitive factors are key in determining whether to hold Bitcoin. Understanding Bitcoin technology will enhance trust in its network, thereby believing in its utility and realizing the potential social benefits it may bring. These factors may motivate individuals to purchase or invest in Bitcoin.

Conclusion

Research shows that Bitcoin holding is not related to specific social or political identities, but closely related to an individual's knowledge level and perception of Bitcoin. Bitcoin holders are often those who have a deep understanding of technology, believe it has practical uses, is trustworthy, and is morally acceptable.

This positive attitude drives them to hold Bitcoin rather than simply for political or social recognition. This also means that the future development potential of Bitcoin depends on the public's understanding of its value and use, rather than political differences.