Those that know something about finance are less likely to bitcoin than those that know little or a lot, according to a survey by the European Central Bank.
Among some of the findings of the ECB’s Consumer Expectation Survey, the report says:
“Respondents who scored either at the top level or the bottom level in terms of financial literacy scores were highly likely to hold crypto-assets.”
The survey further found that an estimated 10% of Europeans hold cryptos, which means the tipping point threshold is being crossed.
Most hold €5,000 or less in crypto, but 6% of those that hold any have more than €30,000.
Here too we have an equality of sorts with the poorest and the richest bitcoining more than the middle according to this survey which says:
“Looking at the income quintiles of the respondents, the pattern is largely U-shaped: the higher a household’s income, the more likely it is to hold crypto-assets, with lower-income households more likely to hold crypto than middle-income households.”
In addition, highly educated respondents are more likely to invest in cryptos, so this isn’t quite something about IQ but more perhaps about the middle being led astray.
There’s a saying, and it’s by Jesus himself, that he’d rather you are hot or cold, than sort of halfway believing in him.
That’s presumably because if you know some of something, but not enough to know the limits of what you know, then you are more susceptible to being mistaken.
In this case those that know a little, do not have it drilled that it must be a certain way. Those that know some, just take it as is and do not question further. Those that are very informed on finance, know why something is the way it is, and its limitations, and thus why bitcoin might be useful.
The bitcoin equality on low and high income is more surprising, with one potential explanation there being that ‘safe’ is as irrelevant to the poor as to the rich.
For the rich, because they have plenty to lose anyway and can afford risk. For the poor, because they have nothing to lose and all they can afford may well be risk with all them lotto tickets they buy.
The middle may be more inclined to play it safe as they do have a little to lose, and not enough to risk, although 10% of savings isn’t really unaffordable risk.
It’s instead smart risk as that’s what the rich do because you get to diversify, with crypto in addition giving the middle class some of the financial tools the rich have enjoyed for long. The actual problem therefore may well be that dictum that some knowledge can potentially be dangerous.
Which means it’s a communication or education problem. This space is not doing enough to reach the somewhat financially literate crowd and persuade them that they need to update their dogma.
