Poll: when will cryptocurrency go mainstream?

[DougM]

This recent article spells out the case for why 2020 could be the year cryptocurrency goes 'mainstream'. I have included a quote that summarizes her position. However I am more interested to hear from this group what you think and why.

Also interested in hearing what other positive or negative influences going on this year not mentioned that would impact mainstreaming.

Finally, will Bitcoin lead the charge or will other cryptocurrencies provide key contributions toward mainstreaming and why?

Note: You can only vote once, you can't change your vote, and you have only 14 days to make a choice. 

Why 2020 might be the year cryptocurrency goes mainstream
https://fortune.com/2020/08/24/crypto-digital-currency-bitcoin-jpmorgan/

Cryptocurrency and digital money like Bitcoin are poised to go mainstream in 2020 due to a confluence of factors, writes Catherine Coley.

There are a few factors contributing to this change, and they are important enough that Americans should be paying attention. First, government payments to individuals and businesses alike are weakening the U.S. fiat (physical cash) system. Second, large banking institutions like JPMorgan Chase are condoning and even welcoming digital currencies onto their platforms. And third, more Americans are home, witnessing the discrepancy in the market’s growth and the nation’s unemployment rate.

[tyz]

In principle crypto currencies are already mainstream. Almost everyone has already heard of it and many possess at least a few coins like various surveys have shown. Also a lot of series cover crypto currencies. The question is probably rather, when crypto currencies become mainstream means of payment. That depends also strongly, when the developers can finally provide scalable solutions which can be used by everyone without technical knowledge, otherwise cryptos as general means of payment remain a wet dream.

[Insanerman]

This recent article spells out the case for why 2020 could be the year cryptocurrency goes 'mainstream'. I have included a quote that summarizes her position. However I am more interested to hear from this group what you think and why.

As far as I know, (based also on what I've observed in the past couple of months) Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general are already hit the mainstream level, making it be adapted by many companies, used by many applications, and even made crypto a normal and accepted mode of payments among various businesses. But in fact, some countries were still on the process of adapting and progressing with the system of crypto, whilst some are taking it in legal actions and sees it as illegal. Hence, it was mainstream in many or rather most countries, but not totally in all.

[Taskford]

This recent article spells out the case for why 2020 could be the year cryptocurrency goes 'mainstream'. I have included a quote that summarizes her position. However I am more interested to hear from this group what you think and why.

Also interested in hearing what other positive or negative influences going on this year not mentioned that would impact mainstreaming.

Finally, will Bitcoin lead the charge or will other cryptocurrencies provide key contributions toward mainstreaming and why?

Note: You can only vote once, you can't change your vote, and you have only 14 days to make a choice. 

Why 2020 might be the year cryptocurrency goes mainstream
https://fortune.com/2020/08/24/crypto-digital-currency-bitcoin-jpmorgan/

Cryptocurrency and digital money like Bitcoin are poised to go mainstream in 2020 due to a confluence of factors, writes Catherine Coley.

There are a few factors contributing to this change, and they are important enough that Americans should be paying attention. First, government payments to individuals and businesses alike are weakening the U.S. fiat (physical cash) system. Second, large banking institutions like JPMorgan Chase are condoning and even welcoming digital currencies onto their platforms. And third, more Americans are home, witnessing the discrepancy in the market’s growth and the nation’s unemployment rate.

You should put undefined on the poll since we don't know actually on when this thing gonna happen since so far we don't have a government adoption. There are bad news coming and it relates with scam so no wonder that bitcoin will struggle to reach in mainstream since there are other people who's not helping the industry and always creates a bad act which stain the image of all cryptocurrency.

[yazher]

We are already mainstream, as you can see from the media to the world of internet Bitcoin is no longer stranger to the people since it has taken it's first all-time high last 2017. nowadays when we say BTC people most likely to recognize it as digital money rather than a fraud that was because of the good news spreading all around the news today since it has become the talked from the other main television channel in some part of the world. however, we cannot change the fact that there still some people who used it to fool others but nevertheless we are going right in the eyes of the people because as of now they knew who the scammers are.

[Eugenar]

Cryptocurrency is already in maintream. Its popularity is spreading accross countries but adaptation is another thing. Majority of the countries do not support this technology AT THIS MOMENT. There are still issues which makes it a "threat" in the global market in order for cryptos to be used widely as a digital currency. But as development occur in this industry, there would be a bigger spotlight for cryptos to be freely used and for people to be able to appreciate its advantages.
It is just at this moment, cryptos are mainly used as a form of investment. Many investors are taking advantage of the volatile market value. Given that thid aspect already made cryptos popular, what more when it became used accross countries as a mode of payment.

[Oasisman]

If you say mainstream, that means the conventional use of Bitcoin. That's almost exactly the same as adaption/popularity and usage.
Well, IMO Btc is yet to be on the mainstream level base on the statistics conducted in 2019

Source : https://news.bitcoin.com/latin-america-and-turkey-have-the-most-cryptocurrency-users-poll-shows/ 
The data might not be accurate depends on the number of respondents, but 20% is still too low considering the limited number of respondents.
Though, It might change in 2020 since everyone right now will prioritize in paying a cashless transactions, thus Bitcoin's name will surely come across to every consumer, specially now that there is a growing number of merchants and companies who are accepting Bitcoin.
Nobody knows when will Bitcoin become the "mainstream" in general, but sure 2020 will be a good start.

[sunsilk]

Why never is on the poll if cryptocurrencies have been on the mainstream many years ago? Think of 2017 when bitcoin reached $20,000 or almost. The media and people were already going crazy over with because they think that it's going to be more then the unexpected comes.

Even before that year bitcoin was already in the mainstream but with sort of bad impression. There's no need to wait for next years to come for bitcoin to go mainstream if, in fact, it's already in it.

[pakhitheboss]

I guess everyone globally is aware about cryptocurrency in some way or the other. Some are aware of the positive aspects and some are aware of the negative. I do not think 2020 was the year, In my opinion, 2017 was the year when cryptocurrency especially Bitcoin went mainstream.

[cryptoperkele]

How do you define mainstream?

What would need to happen to bitcoin that you would say it's mainstream now?

You can already use it for groceries (converting it to cash in btc credit card apps and to pay). But if you are waiting for shops to accept btc for hodling, i am guessing you have to wait some more. It's just too volatile for that and going to be so for a long time. It isn't designed to be as liquid as cash money from the start.

Or do you accept your grandparents to understand how the wallet works? The same ones who barely understand how to use a browser?
New tech takes time to get adoption like that.

The hard truth is that we are pretty mainstream now. Not everyone is going to accept us, and a lot of people are going to fight us.
Some will be agaisnt us for political reasons, some people hate change, some people technology.
Hell some people against vaccinations and burn 5g stations, so ofcourse there will be people against Bitcoin.
That doesn't mean we haven't been adopted by many.

[Fundamentals Of]

To a certain extent Bitcoin is already mainstream today. We are not anymore in the days when the use of Bitcoin was almost exclusive within a very small circle of nerds and people who are trying to avoid the open market.

Today, countries are aware of Bitcoin. Many of which are even accepting Bitcoin already. Bitcoin is also already under legal regulations. People are aware of its existence. Businesses are also offering Bitcoin payment options. Billionaire investors are also into Bitcoin. Therefore I would say that Bitcoin is already mainstream, although it is still in its earliest stage.

[ChiBitCTy]

I think it really depends on what ones definition of "mainstream" is.  I think to some extent we've already reached mainstream adoption.  A good portion of the world is familiar with bitcoin, presidents have spoken about it in public, goverments have released  rules etc.  That said I think bitcoins adoption has a long ways to go, and we've yet to come close to the adoption we will likely see in a few years.  Especially once these fiat currencies keep devaluing themselves.

[gentlemand]

Awareness is ever growing. That doesn't mean it's mainstream.

I will start to think it's mainstream when it's available on all the usual platforms people are familiar with and when people use it either without knowing they're using it, or not remarking on it as anything unusual.

I think it's going to be far beyond 2025 before it reaches that point.

[tomahawk9]

Weird poll, it doesn't have the only correct option which is 2017    in all seriousness, 2017 was THE year for cryptos, back then even the average joe living far away in a small farm in the countryside started to ask "what is this cryptothing everyone's talking about?". Cryptos hit the mainstream world 3 years ago, now it's all about when will they consolidate as an alternative payment method that the massess can easily use anywhere, and also as an asset that the general public and investors can use as a store of value.

Btw, the article in the OP is kinda trash, they're just using the same old arguments about bitcoin (the weak dollar, bankers, and the future of btc), i feel like i've read this exact same article 10 times in the last 6 months....are we sure 'Fortune' didn't recycle this article from one of the many shitty crypto news site? =P

[mezzaluna]

If you are still not satisfied with the current milestones of Cryptocurrencies, I do not know when you will be satisfied. When I first learned about Cryptocurrencies back in the year 2018, I never expected that I can gain money from it. It was all too good to be true since all we are doing is studying, posting, and tell people our own opinions. Maybe Cryptocurrency is not yet popular at some countries but it is already Mainstream.

[avikz]

My answer to this question is - Never!

Cryptocurrency has a very grim chance of going mainstream in literal sense! Yes, there will be more countries other than just Japan and Germany will adopt cryptocurrency and legalize it in coming years but it won't become global mainstream.

Unless and until the governments have a toll which will enable them to track the owner of a certain wallet (which is not possible right at this moment), I don't see cryptos going mainstream anytime soon!

[ampu]

Banks now have too much money and they have good liquidity. I think when banks become financial crisis, crypto will become mainstream. Cryptocurrencies will help people pay faster and more conveniently. Along with that, DEFI projects now have a huge amount of money pouring in. I think not far away we will have a crypto bank.

[TimeTeller]

If you say mainstream, that means the conventional use of Bitcoin. That's almost exactly the same as adaption/popularity and usage.
Well, IMO Btc is yet to be on the mainstream level base on the statistics conducted in 2019
-
Source : https://news.bitcoin.com/latin-america-and-turkey-have-the-most-cryptocurrency-users-poll-shows/  
The data might not be accurate depends on the number of respondents, but 20% is still too low considering the limited number of respondents.
Though, It might change in 2020 since everyone right now will prioritize in paying a cashless transactions, thus Bitcoin's name will surely come across to every consumer, specially now that there is a growing number of merchants and companies who are accepting Bitcoin.
Nobody knows when will Bitcoin become the "mainstream" in general, but sure 2020 will be a good start.

I am certain, those above graph has already shifted this year and with the pandemic, I believe there is growth in adoption also.
Based on the statistics below, you can see the considerable increase of blockchain wallet users.
However, I can't say how accurate it is because definitely a lot of them are already inactive.
Just rough estimate on what's going on and if crypto users are really increasing.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/647374/worldwide-blockchain-wallet-users/



Though we can't say that crypto is in full throttle but we are heading that way.

[Yamifoud]

It unlikely I have an opposite insight in regards to this. Yes, we already have that popularity but it is not a thing to measure that we already at its mainstream, we are still far from it and less chance to happen.

The government had already printed a lot of paper money, some counties don't have the capacity to use crypto for many reasons, and some still banning Bitcoin. It could only bring us into the mainstream if we don't have that paper money option and use conventionally with crypto. But unfortunately, we never have that looks.

Well, I don't think it is a need to have that...people never consider this as a currency but just an investment. We are mostly making this form a money generator, not as a currency. Until then, I can't the possibility that it works.

[Sadlife]

One of the biggest contributors on Cryptocurrency going mainstream and becoming well known into retailers and Institutional Investors will be the fiat and banks printing overdrive.
Even canadian firms, and restaurants are migrating their wealth to Bitcoin because their fea the whole financial system might end.