Almost half of Japanese understand virtual currencies to some extent

CCC Marketing recently conducted a survey into virtual currencies.

i’m very sceptical about virtual currencies and wouldn’t recommend investing anything you aren’t prepared to lose 100% of your investment, a quite probable outcome due to either your own mistake, a local software bug, an exchange running off with your money, etc, etc. Furthermore, due to the unregulated nature many of the exchanges engage in dodgy market-fixing activities that benefit them, not you.

Bitcoin exchanges are popping up all over in Japan, with adverts like this to be seen in trains:

Research results

Q1: Are you interested in virtual currencies? (Sample size=1,501)

Very interested	5%
Somewhat interested	28%
Not very interested	27%
Not at all interesetd	36%
Not heard about it	4%

Q2: Do you understand what virtual currencies are? (Sample size=1,501)

Yes	8.7%
Probably	40.6%
Don’t understand, but want to learn (to SQ)	25.4%
Don’t understand, and don’t want to learn	25.2%

Q2SQ: How would you like to study about virtual currencies? (Sample size=382, multiple answer)

Look things up on the internet	73.3%
Ask a friend who knows these things	29.3%
Buy a book	21.5%
Watch television	21.2%
Ask a specialist	11.5%
Attend a course	5%
Just try dealing	3.4%
Other	1%

Q3: Would you like to purchase some virtual currency? (Sample size=1,501)

Already have (to SQ)	2.9%
Not purchased, but would like to	25.2%
Not purchased, and don’t want to	71.8%

Q3SQ: Which virtual currencies have you purchased? (Sample size=44, multiple answer)

Bitcoin	75.0%
Ripple	47.7%
Ethereum	40.9%
Bitcoin Cash	27.3%
Litecoin	13.6%
Other	18.2%

Q4: Do you think virtual currencies will become common? (Sample size=1,501)

Yes	17.2%
They’ll be in vogue for a while, but not become common	67.0%
They’ll neither be in vogue for a while nor become common	15.8%

Demographics

Between the 26th and 31st of January 2018 1,501 members of the T monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was aged between 20 and 69 years old. No further details were provided.