According to a recent Reown and YouGov poll of 1,000 active cryptocurrency users in the US and the UK, adoption drivers are changing dramatically, with payments and artificial intelligence (AI) becoming the two main forces .
Although trading is still the most common activity, the survey shows that interest in cryptocurrency-based payments has increased and is currently surpassing DeFi operations such as yield farming and staking. More than 37% of respondents believe that payments and artificial intelligence would drive future adoption, indicating a rising belief in cryptocurrencies as useful financial tools rather than speculative investments.
The way people interact with technology is changing. Due to legal clarity and whale purchasing, Ethereum’s daily transactions peaked in 2025, and its price increased by 25% in a single week [3]. Layer-2 networks like Arbitrum and Optimism are drawing customers with reduced prices, and DeFi platforms report renewed deposits. AI and payments handle different adoption difficulties, according to Reown CEO Jess Houlgrave. AI improves fraud detection and personalized onboarding, while payments offer practical value [1].
Broader tendencies are reflected in market dynamics. Stablecoins have surpassed Solana in user holdings, especially among younger investors [1], while Bitcoin’s price surpassed $119,000 due to institutional ETF adoption and desire for inflation-hedging [2]. But prudence endures. With open interest in derivatives over $40 billion and volatility warnings, altcoin markets are highly leveraged [9]. Ongoing dangers are highlighted by recent rug-pulls in Solana that are linked to speculative activities [10].
Ask Aime: What benefits can payments and AI offer for the uptake of cryptocurrencies?
For the first time in the cycle, the cryptocurrency market capitalization has topped $4 trillion in spite of these obstacles [11]. Square (Block) and PayPal PYPL +0.87% are incorporating cryptocurrency payments, while Fidelity claims an increase in inflows into its cryptocurrency funds. Although institutional acceptance and regulatory frameworks will continue to be crucial drivers, analysts predict sustained development as traditional and digital finance converge.
