Almost three quarters of DeFi users optimistic about 2026 - 1inch survey

Findings of a survey recently conducted among over 8,000 individuals by 1inch, Bitget Wallet, Ondo, BOB, DaGama and SafePal reveal an optimistic outlook on crypto in 2026.

DeFi users are still bullish.

That’s one of the headline findings of a large-scale survey led by 1inch and carried out in collaboration with five other major players in the DeFi segment.

72% of global respondents expressed optimism about the crypto sector’s future, the survey revealed, with the U.S.A reporting even higher levels (82%).

As regulatory clarity is expected to take shape and institutional participation continues to grow, users are apparently optimistic about the future of DeFi. While challenges remain, fears that external forces could pressure the sector out of existence have largely dissipated.

Optimism correlates with crypto experience 

The survey revealed that DeFi optimism positively correlates with greater crypto experience. The highest levels of optimism for 2026 are found among the experienced users, at 72.5% for those with 3-5 years in DeFi, increasing to 73.25% for those with 6+ years. 

However, newer users show lower optimism at just 62% among those with less than one year in crypto. Overall, the data shows a clear pattern: those who have experienced crypto cycles already, have higher optimism about DeFi’s future.

“Confidence in DeFi comes from experience, and experience comes with time,” said Sergej Kunz, 1inch co-founder. “As the industry onboards new users, it takes time for them to see past short-term price fluctuations and scares. But once people understand the technology, its resilience and the real utility it provides, confidence grows naturally.”

“Despite the markets cooling down, users remain optimistic about DeFi because the utility keeps growing, reinforced by real world applications and institutional adoption,” added Veronica Wong, CEO and co-founder of SafePal. “The survey results also align with how we’ve evolved our wallet suite to a hub with comprehensive features; with experienced users valuing security and reliability while UX and education being essential to onboard new users. Closing this gap will be key to DeFi adoption and retention.”

“Confidence in DeFi is built through time and real-world use,” noted Jamie Elkaleh, Chief Marketing Officer at Bitget Wallet. “This research shows that the next phase of DeFi will be defined by long-term utility, as on-chain activity moves into everyday finance and users increasingly rely on their wallet as a primary financial tool. Reducing friction such as gas fees and improving access to deep liquidity are essential to building lasting trust and sustainable adoption.” 

"Based on the data, we clearly see how true DeFi retention is built on the unsexy fundamentals: security you can trust, costs you can calculate and trades that simply work,” concluded Basil Gubernatorov, Head of BD at daGama. “This is the durable path forward where staying in the game allows you to see Web3 blueprint become reality." 

Gas fees as the biggest frustration

The survey also looked into the biggest frustrations of DeFi users, finding that gas fees are the number one annoyance, mentioned by 26.8% of respondents. Second is security risks (22.4%), followed by failed or slow transactions at 17.7% and bridges at 14%. 

DEX features that matter most

When asked what features matter most when using a DEX or DEX aggregator, the highest number of users (57.3%) mentioned security. The second most popular feature was best rates (30.7%), followed by clear transaction data (29.1%) and control over slippage tolerance (24.3%).

Most used tools

The survey revealed that the most frequently used DeFi tools are wallet apps (used by 72.3% of the respondents), followed by DEXes (50.1%), wallet browser extensions (44.8%) and DEX aggregators (15.5%).  

What coins do users prefer?

When it comes to specific assets that the respondents used or held in 2025, ETH comes as the champion: 65.8% said they held or used it. BNB was second with 60.7%, followed by SOL (59.6%) and various memecoins (34%). 

User priorities in DeFi

We also looked at user priorities in DeFi. This also showed a clear shift with experience, revealing how expectations evolve from usability and trust toward infrastructure, resilience, and long-term sustainability:

• Newcomers (<1 year): Focus on UX clarity, education, and trust; optimism depends on DeFi feeling simpler and safer.
• Mid-tenure (1–2 years): Still care about UX, but increasingly frustrated by fees and friction as they become active users.
• Core users (3–5 years): Most balanced group - seeking polished UX, lower costs, strong security, and products that feel production-ready.
• Veterans (6+ years): Shift away from UX issues toward protocol robustness, regulation, and systemic health.

Methodology

The survey was conducted among global users by 1inch in collaboration with a few other DeFi ecosystem projects, including Bitget Wallet, Ondo, BOB, DaGama and SafePal. The survey was distributed across partner platforms and community channels and collected a total of 8,163 responses from DeFi users worldwide. Responses were aggregated and analyzed to assess user sentiment, experience levels and outlook on the future of decentralized finance.