Coinbase has published a survey that reports, among other things, that 18% of college students now own cryptocurrency. Though the findings may be alarming at first glance, they are not entirely shocking. Current post-secondary students are what we would refer to as “technology natives.” Meaning that they have grown up with technology. Therefore, their technological literacy and overall comfort with technology are far greater than the post-secondary populations of the past. Though young and presumably financially-unstable individuals such as students investing their money in crypto may seem frightening, perhaps they are the most logical generation to be doing so. Especially now that crypto is available on easy to purchase resources, like Yahoo Finance.
To begin with, course offerings in post-secondary institutions have become far more diverse, offering students the opportunity to specialize in areas that didn’t exist just a few short years ago. As such, students are gaining education on topics that are new and relevant to today’s workforce. So, as crypto and blockchain are relevant today, it would make sense to provide formal education on various crypto and blockchain topics. Luckily, students aren’t just throwing their money into crypto. Rather, they are requesting more educational resources from their institutions and committing to learning about the emerging industry.
Formal Crypto and Blockchain Education
When it comes to Bitcoin (BTC) and blockchain, ignorance is not bliss. There is endless information to learn on these topics and, luckily, more learning resources are beginning to emerge. As of now, cryptocurrency education is economic education, whether it be alternative economics or not. It is relevant, it is affecting us right now, and the current post-secondary population wants to learn about it.
The Coinbase survey noted that 42% of the top 50 universities in the US are now offering at least one course in crypto or blockchain. Some of the institutions with such course offerings include Stanford, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, National University of Singapore, Berkeley, Harvard, Princeton, NYU, and more. And others have dedicated blockchain business schools.
Furthermore, the survey which interviewed 675 US students found that 47% of social science majors expressed interest in crypto and blockchain, along with 34% of computer science and engineering majors. Therefore, interest in crypto-related topics stretches cross-discipline, rather than just within the tech and finance-related fields of study.
9% of surveyed students reported having taken a cryptocurrency course. 26% want to take a cryptocurrency course. And an astounding 18% actually own cryptocurrency.
Crypto in the Hands of Students
18% of survey respondents reported owning cryptocurrency of their own. Not only are students investing in crypto, but the colleges they attend are, too.
Though we can’t know exactly how much the survey respondents own in crypto, it is poignant that they are investing at all. Post-secondary students are not only asking for cryptocurrency education and utilizing the resources, but they are also applying their knowledge directly within the crypto market. Cryptocurrency has been around for nearly a decade, and with more coins and tokens popping up every day, this indicates that it’s here to stay.
In this case, crypto and blockchain education is of the utmost importance for the workforce for the future. Luckily, large institutions are acting accordingly.
