Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has cited new data from the National Cryptocurrency Association’s 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report — produced with The Harris Poll — to argue that cryptocurrency is no longer a fringe industry in the United States. The survey of 10,000 crypto holders estimates that 67 million Americans, or roughly one in four adults, now own digital assets.
The report highlights a broadening of crypto use beyond speculation. Respondents reported using digital assets for payments, financial management, charitable giving, business activities, and transfers to relatives and friends. About 63% said their interest in using crypto increased in 2026 compared with the previous year.
Demographics are also shifting. Women represented 42% of new crypto participants in 2025 and 2026, compared with 34% among earlier adopters, and female ownership rose 10% year over year. Approximately 90% of surveyed holders earn under $500,000 annually, with 23% reporting incomes of $75,000 or less.
Garlinghouse tied the figures to political influence, arguing that crypto holders are now an important voter bloc. The survey estimate is not a registry count: wallets are pseudonymous and exchange accounts do not always equal active ownership. Still, a large consumer sample showing 25% adult adoption suggests digital assets have moved well beyond early adopters.
At a White House crypto summit attended by Garlinghouse, President Donald Trump and senior financial regulators, CFTC Chair Michael Selig declared an end to political lawfare, debanking, and regulation through enforcement. SEC Chair Paul Atkins emphasized regulatory certainty for entrepreneurs and companies raising capital through digital assets.
The combination of growing everyday usage, wider demographic participation, and a more accommodative regulatory tone supports Garlinghouse’s broader argument: crypto already has a large user base and is now part of mainstream financial and political life.
