IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/bca/bocadp/19-10.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

2018 Bitcoin Omnibus Survey: Awareness and Usage

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher Henry
  • Kim Huynh
  • Gradon Nicholls
  • Mitchell Nicholson

Abstract

The Bank of Canada continues to use the Bitcoin Omnibus Survey (BTCOS) to monitor trends in Canadians’ awareness, ownership and use of Bitcoin. The most recent iteration was conducted in late 2018, following an 85 percent decline in the price of Bitcoin throughout the year. In 2017, almost half of Bitcoin adopters reported investing as their primary reason for owning it. This implies that the dramatic price drop could have affected whether Canadians continue to own Bitcoin and, if they do, what they use it for. The BTCOS has been conducted each year since 2016 with slight changes and improvements in every iteration. For 2018, we added questions on Canadians’ financial literacy, their plans to stop using cash and their preferences over features of online transactions. We also improved our way of calibrating sample estimates to represent the overall Canadian population with respect to demographic composition. The survey shows that from 2016 to 2018, both the share of Canadians who are aware of Bitcoin and who own bitcoin increased. But the share of past owners also increased, suggesting an influx of Bitcoin owners who sold their holdings after 2017. The main reason for owning Bitcoin continued to be for store of value or investment purposes, though this decreased slightly from 2017. Finally, Bitcoin owners differed from the overall population in two ways: they were less financially literate and more likely to say they plan to stop using cash.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Henry & Kim Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Mitchell Nicholson, 2019. "2018 Bitcoin Omnibus Survey: Awareness and Usage," Discussion Papers 2019-10, Bank of Canada.
    • Handle: RePEc:bca:bocadp:19-10
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/2019/11/staff-discussion-paper-2019-10/
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/sdp2019-10.pdf
    File Function: Full text
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Helmut Stix, 2021. "Ownership and purchase intention of crypto-assets: survey results," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 48(1), pages 65-99, February.
    2. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2014. "The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 5-44, March.
    3. Ted Chang & Phillip S. Kott, 2008. "Using calibration weighting to adjust for nonresponse under a plausible model," Biometrika, Biometrika Trust, vol. 95(3), pages 555-571.
    4. Annamarie Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2005. "Financial Literacy and Planning: Implications for Retirement Wellbeing," Working Papers wp108, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    5. Cosslett, Stephen R, 1981. "Maximum Likelihood Estimator for Choice-Based Samples," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(5), pages 1289-1316, September.
    6. Henry, Christopher S. & Huynh, Kim P. & Nicholls, Gradon, 2018. "Bitcoin awareness and usage in Canada," Journal of Digital Banking, Henry Stewart Publications, vol. 2(4), pages 311-337, May.
    7. Christopher Henry & Kim Huynh & Rallye Shen, 2015. "2013 Methods-of-Payment Survey Results," Discussion Papers 15-4, Bank of Canada.
    8. Heng Chen & Q. Rallye Shen, 2019. "Variance Estimation for Survey-Weighted Data Using Bootstrap Resampling Methods: 2013 Methods-of-Payment Survey Questionnaire," Advances in Econometrics, in: The Econometrics of Complex Survey Data, volume 39, pages 87-106, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    9. Heng Chen & Q. Rallye Shen, 2017. "Variance estimation for survey-weighted data using bootstrap resampling methods: 2013 methods-of-payment," Canadian Stata Users' Group Meetings 2017 13, Stata Users Group.
    10. Susan Athey & Christian Catalini & Catherine Tucker, 2017. "The Digital Privacy Paradox: Small Money, Small Costs, Small Talk," NBER Working Papers 23488, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Christopher Henry & Kim Huynh & Gradon Nicholls, 2018. "Bitcoin Awareness and Usage in Canada: An Update," Staff Analytical Notes 2018-23, Bank of Canada.
    12. Heng Chen & Marie-Hélène Felt & Christopher Henry, 2018. "2017 Methods-of-Payment Survey: Sample Calibration and Variance Estimation," Technical Reports 114, Bank of Canada.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Daniela Balutel & Christopher Henry & Jorge Vásquez & Marcel Voia, 2022. "Bitcoin adoption and beliefs in Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(4), pages 1729-1761, November.
    2. Helmut Stix, 2021. "Ownership and purchase intention of crypto-assets: survey results," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 48(1), pages 65-99, February.
    3. Heng Chen & Walter Engert & Marie-Hélène Felt & Kim P. Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Daneal O'Habib & Julia Zhu, 2021. "Cash and COVID-19: The impact of the second wave in Canada," Discussion Papers 2021-12, Bank of Canada.
    4. Kim Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Mitchell Nicholson, 2019. "2018 Merchant Acceptance Survey," Staff Analytical Notes 2019-31, Bank of Canada.
    5. Stolbov, Mikhail & Shchepeleva, Maria, 2020. "What predicts the legal status of cryptocurrencies?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 273-291.
    6. Walter Engert & Ben Fung & Björn Segendorf, 2019. "A Tale of Two Countries: Cash Demand in Canada and Sweden," Discussion Papers 2019-7, Bank of Canada.
    7. Fujiki, Hiroshi, 2020. "Who adopts crypto assets in Japan? Evidence from the 2019 financial literacy survey," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    8. Heng Chen & Walter Engert & Kim Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Julia Zhu, 2021. "Cash and COVID-19: The Effects of Lifting Containment Measures on Cash Demand and Use," Discussion Papers 2021-3, Bank of Canada.
    9. Daniela Balutel & Walter Engert & Christopher Henry & Kim Huynh & Marcel Voia, 2022. "Private Digital Cryptoassets as Investment? Bitcoin Ownership and Use in Canada, 2016-2021," Staff Working Papers 22-44, Bank of Canada.
    10. Divakaruni, Anantha & Zimmerman, Peter, 2021. "Uncovering Retail Trading in Bitcoin: The Impact of COVID-19 Stimulus Checks," SocArXiv khw8a, Center for Open Science.
    11. Jurgen E. Schatzmann & Bernhard Haslhofer, 2020. "Exploring investor behavior in Bitcoin: a study of the disposition effect," Papers 2010.12415, arXiv.org, revised Jul 2023.
    12. Levkov Nikola & Bogoevska-Gavrilova Irena & Trajkovska Milica, 2022. "Profile and Financial Behaviour of Crypto Adopters – Evidence from Macedonian Population Survey," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 17(2), pages 172-185, December.
    13. Marie-Hélène Felt & David Laferrière, 2020. "Sample Calibration of the Online CFM Survey," Technical Reports 118, Bank of Canada.
    14. Janet Hua Jiang, 2020. "CBDC adoption and usage: some insights from field and laboratory experiments," Staff Analytical Notes 2020-12, Bank of Canada.
    15. Daniela Balutel & Christopher Henry & Kim Huynh & Marcel Voia, 2022. "Cash in the Pocket, Cash in the Cloud: Cash Holdings of Bitcoin Owners," Staff Working Papers 22-26, Bank of Canada.
    16. Kim Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Mitchell Nicholson, 2020. "2019 Cash Alternative Survey Results," Discussion Papers 2020-8, Bank of Canada.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nils Brouwer & Jakob de Haan, 2024. "What Drives Households’ Knowledge about Cryptocurrencies?," Working Papers 799, DNB.
    2. Fujiki, Hiroshi, 2020. "Who adopts crypto assets in Japan? Evidence from the 2019 financial literacy survey," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    3. Heng Chen & Walter Engert & Marie-Hélène Felt & Kim P. Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Daneal O'Habib & Julia Zhu, 2021. "Cash and COVID-19: The impact of the second wave in Canada," Discussion Papers 2021-12, Bank of Canada.
    4. Daniela Balutel & Christopher Henry & Jorge Vásquez & Marcel Voia, 2022. "Bitcoin adoption and beliefs in Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(4), pages 1729-1761, November.
    5. Daniela Balutel & Walter Engert & Christopher Henry & Kim Huynh & Marcel Voia, 2022. "Private Digital Cryptoassets as Investment? Bitcoin Ownership and Use in Canada, 2016-2021," Staff Working Papers 22-44, Bank of Canada.
    6. Auer, Raphael & Tercero-Lucas, David, 2022. "Distrust or speculation? The socioeconomic drivers of U.S. cryptocurrency investments," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    7. Daniela Balutel & Marie-Hélène Felt & Gradon Nicholls & Marcel-Cristian Voia, 2024. "Bitcoin awareness, ownership and use: 2016–20," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(1), pages 33-58, January.
    8. Heng Chen & Walter Engert & Kim Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Julia Zhu, 2021. "Cash and COVID-19: The Effects of Lifting Containment Measures on Cash Demand and Use," Discussion Papers 2021-3, Bank of Canada.
    9. Heng Chen & Marie-Hélène Felt & Christopher Henry, 2018. "2017 Methods-of-Payment Survey: Sample Calibration and Variance Estimation," Technical Reports 114, Bank of Canada.
    10. Daniela Balutel & Christopher Henry & Doina Rusu, 2023. "Cryptoasset Ownership and Use in Canada: An Update for 2022," Discussion Papers 2023-14, Bank of Canada.
    11. Kovács Erzsébet & Vaskövi Ágnes, 2020. "Pension Pessimism in the Young Generation: Basics or Instincts to Blame?," Business Systems Research, Sciendo, vol. 11(2), pages 117-131, October.
    12. Mitchell, O.S. & Piggott, J., 2016. "Workplace-Linked Pensions for an Aging Demographic," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 865-904, Elsevier.
    13. Kamer Karakurum-Ozdemir & Melike Kokkizil & Gokce Uysal, 2019. "Financial Literacy in Developing Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(1), pages 325-353, May.
    14. Sergio Longobardi & Margherita Maria Pagliuca & Andrea Regoli, 2018. "Can problem-solving attitudes explain the gender gap in financial literacy? Evidence from Italian students’ data," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1677-1705, July.
    15. Dimitris Christelis & Dimitris Georgarakos & Tullio Jappelli & Maarten van Rooij, 2020. "Trust in the Central Bank and Inflation Expectations," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 16(6), pages 1-37, December.
    16. Marcin Kawiński & Piotr Majewski, 2017. "Financial and insurance literacy in Poland," Working Papers 2017-03, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    17. Lusardi, Annamaria & Michaud, Pierre-Carl & Mitchell, Olivia S., 2020. "Assessing the impact of financial education programs: A quantitative model," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    18. Marco Nieddu & Lorenzo Pandolfi, 2018. "Cutting Through the Fog: Financial Literacy and the Subjective Value of Financial Assets," CSEF Working Papers 497, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    19. Meta Brown & John Grigsby & Wilbert van der Klaauw & Jaya Wen & Basit Zafar, 2016. "Financial Education and the Debt Behavior of the Young," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 29(9), pages 2490-2522.
    20. Pavel Ciaian & Andrej Cupak & Pirmin Fessler & d’Artis Kancs, 2022. "Environmental and Social Preferences and Investments in Crypto-Assets," JRC Research Reports JRC129919, Joint Research Centre.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bank notes; Digital Currencies and Fintech; Econometric and statistical methods;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C12 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Hypothesis Testing: General
    • E4 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates
    • O51 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - U.S.; Canada

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bca:bocadp:19-10. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/bocgvca.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.