Cryptocurrency is one of the most talked about topics in 2022. It shouldn’t surprise, therefore, that cryptocurrency is a topic of great interest in 2022.
A new study by brokerage firm eToro has found that 33% of Americans would be more inclined to go on a date if they mentioned cryptocurrency assets in their online dating profile. More than 40% and 25% of the 2000 adult residents of the United States aged 18 to 99 were surveyed.
Crypto: What does love have to do with it
Callie Cox from eToro, a U.S. investment analyst, said to Cointelegraph that the results of eToro’s inaugural “Crypto & Culture” survey show the intersection between money, culture, and identity. “Identity was a major topic in the survey. It is a key component of the crypto community. Cox stated that the campaign was started to understand how people think about big life projects and find the perfect partner.
Cox explained that 33% of respondents would consider dating someone who mentions crypto in their profile. She noted that this shows that people are open to dating someone who mentions crypto in their profile. Cox said that 74% of respondents to the survey indicated that they would be willing to go on a second date if they were paid in Bitcoin ( BTC). “We wanted to test the environment to find out how people feel about crypto as a currency. This surprised us, and speaks to identity.
These findings suggest that crypto enthusiasts and holders of publicly-available crypto may attract more attention on dating apps. However, Cox revealed that Millennials and Gen Z respondents made up the majority of those who took part in the survey. She said that everyone had to self-identify, and that most of the respondents were younger. Cox also mentioned that crypto is a currency and that eToro’s findings have shown that Bitcoin payments are more popular with men than women.
The crypto community and online dating
Despite the fact that eToro’s survey suggests daters may be more desirable than crypto terminology, some members of the crypto community consider mentioning this trait to be a double-edged blade.
Hailey Lennon (law partner at Anderson Kill, founder of Crypto Connect) shared that she initially didn’t have “Bitcoin” in her online dating profile. However, she added it later because the digital asset was a long-standing passion of hers. Although Lennon didn’t notice an increase of responses to her profile after adding Bitcoin, she has had some matches that have piqued interest due to commonalities.
“There is a commonality among people who are interested in Bitcoin. If I post a photo wearing a Bitcoin hat, it will attract other people interested in the space. I have joked that I have found my soulmate by tweeting when I see someone with the ‘Bitcoin’ tag in their dating profile. It does show that we have a common interest and can connect to talk about a shared passion.
Lennon pointed out, however, that crypto terminology can backfire in an online dating profile. Sometimes I will reframe the conversation and say that I am an attorney in financial tech, but not mention Bitcoin or cryptocurrency. This is to avoid making the entire conversation about Bitcoin and my job. There are also people who associate cryptocurrency with the false narrative that it is used only for criminal activity. It can be interesting to try and explain how you are a digital asset lawyer,” Lennon said.
Lennon also noted that while she finds eToro’s survey results interesting, many people in the crypto community are so focused on digital assets in daily life that they may not want to have non-crypto-focused discussions in romantic settings. Sometimes a date is limited to talking about Bitcoin and how it works. When people find out your profession, that can be all you want. This can become tedious and take the fun out of the date.
Multiplied, a crypto-focused PR company, owned by Ivan Perez. He told Cointelegraph that he has connected three times with women working in the crypto space since adding “investing in and working in crypto” as a feature to his online dating profiles. Perez acknowledged that having a common interest can be a plus, but he also shared that each date with someone working in crypto felt more like work than pleasure. Perez stated, “All we did was discuss crypto.”
Perez explained that having “crypto”, in his online dating profile, has at times attracted the wrong attention.
“Some girls will like me profile and then say ‘you work as a crypto expert, how cool’. Then, when we meet up, the first 10-20 minute focus is on what I do and how crypto works. Some women only focus on the money. I’ve had many dates where crypto became the main topic of conversation.
Perez explained to Perez that dating can be difficult when you work in crypto. “Now that NFTs have become more mainstream, I’ve seen women at conferences start looking for crypto-rich people. This is frustrating as it places you in a position of doubt. Perez asked Perez if these women are interested in me or in the industry I work.”
A woman’s perspective on adding crypto to an online dating profile can pose challenges. Jessica Salama, community leader at GoodDollar Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on financial education in digital asset, told Cointelegraph that although she believes adding crypto to her profile has increased the woman’s desireability, it wasn’t always for the right reasons.
“Yes, I got more matches but then came the mansplainers.” It is exhausting to dodge mansplainers at work and on Tinder.
Salama says that “mansplainers” are men who patronize women and assume that they don’t know the basics of blockchain technology. Unfortunately, the crypto industry is still dominated bymen and can be frustrating for women. Salama is aware that she is part a transformative industry which can be beneficial for finding romance. “I met a great man at a friend’s dinner. He is a crypto day trader. He took an genuine interest in my work and shared my passion for Web3. We talked for the entire night. Since the relationship was slowly ending, I can’t claim it was love. (We swore to each other?). Salama explained that Salama gave her the extra push she needed to stand up for what she believes in and love.
NFTs: Personalized Love for the Digital Age
eToro’s survey found that 8% would be interested to receive a nonfungible token, NFT, as a Valentine’s Day present this year. Cox said that this was not surprising given the popularity of NFT tokens. Cox said that this finding was surprising because it shows that Millennials and Gen Z value identity-themed products. “The younger generation wants something real or virtual that reflects their identity. NFTs are this.
This year, there are a variety of Valentine’s Day NFTs that focus on identity. MYKA, a jewelry designer, has created a limited edition NFT line that includes digital drawings of three of their most popular jewelry pieces.
Ronnie Elgavish (Vice President of Global Marketing at MYKA) told Cointelegraph that he believes that more couples will give NFTs for Valentine’s Day because of the rise of the Metaverse, and the desire to have a digital identity.
Mintmade founder Ivan Sokolov agrees with Elgavish. Mintmade offers NFT templates that can be programmed. Cointelegraph was informed by him that he believes more couples will send tokenized Valentine’s Day greetings this year.
Mintmade allows users mint custom NFTs with their names and those of their partners. These NFTs can be created by the buyer. Sokolov explained that the buyer can simply enter two names on the platform to create the NFT with these names.”
eToro’s study revealed that nearly 20% of singles would prefer to date someone if they used a NFT profile picture on a dating site or social platform. Cox joked that even if your gift of NFT doesn’t work out, you can still use it to find a date for March.
Although crypto may be attractive, there are still safety concerns.
Despite the fact that online dating profiles may be more attractive due to crypto terminology and features, safety must still be taken into consideration when mentioning cryptocurrency publicly. It has become a major concern to keep a user’s cryptocurrency safe as the industry becomes more mainstream.
This is why Chainalysis recently reported that the intersection of cryptocurrency and crime has grown to become a $14 Billion industry by 2021. Cointelegraph spoke with Justin Maile, Chainalysis’s manager of investigations. He advised that it is best to not reveal that you have crypto, especially if you are investing in it, on your dating profile. This will make it more difficult for you to be targeted. Maile said that scammers don’t just target dating apps. “Meta (Facebook), Instagram and LinkedIn, Quora. Discord, WeChat, and other platforms are all used by scammers to find victims,” he stated.
Maile also stated that although he believes it’s fine to publicly express an interest in crypto, more details should not be disclosed. “It’s similar to not publicly revealing that you have a savings or how much you have in it, but it’s safer to keep it private to avoid being a target.”
Cox also noted that eToro’s results show that adding the term “crypto”, to a dating profile, helps to identify a user’s identity. However, online daters should be careful about what they reveal. “There are good actors and bad actors everywhere. Individuals must be careful about whether or not “crypto” is mentioned in their profiles.
