Nearly 25% of APAC Adults With Internet Access May Own Crypto, Report Finds

Nearly a quarter of adults with internet access in the Asia Pacific region could own cryptocurrency, though ease of use and accessibility remain major barriers, according to a report jointly produced by CoinDesk and Protocol Theory.

The study, based on a survey of 4,020 respondents across 10 countries—including India, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Australia, Japan, and the UAE—was extrapolated to represent the broader APAC population. It found that limited access to traditional financial services continues to drive crypto adoption, while stablecoins are used by nearly 18% of internet-connected adults in emerging markets across the region.

The report emphasized that the pace of adoption will depend largely on how seamlessly digital assets can be integrated into everyday life. “APAC Digital Asset Adoption 2025 finds that participation is now shaped by usability, integration, and inclusion rather than speculation,” the authors wrote. “Stablecoins, remittances, and tokenized assets are emerging as practical foundations of a cross-border digital economy, supported by regulatory frameworks designed to enable participation rather than restrict it.”

Survey results indicated that half of adults who are aware of cryptocurrency intend to use it within the next year, despite only modest growth in adoption over the past 12 months. Respondents included internet-connected adults aged 18–64 who had previously heard of crypto, with roughly 400 participants per country.

One factor slowing adoption, the report noted, is that traditional financial services—such as digital bank accounts, remittances, and bill payments—are relatively accessible across much of the region, compared with the perceived complexity of wallets, exchanges, and token transfers.

Regulation, however, is emerging as a key enabler of growth. Over 70% of adults in emerging economies, including the UAE, India, China, the Philippines, and Thailand, said regulatory frameworks are important. That figure falls to roughly 66% in markets like Hong Kong, Australia, and Singapore, and drops below 50% in Japan.

“This divergence reflects varying levels of market confidence,” the report said. “In emerging economies, regulation bridges an institutional gap, acting as a proxy for trust and signaling that participation is legitimate. In mature markets, where consumer protections are already robust, regulation primarily serves to manage risk rather than drive adoption.”