“Crypto Christmas,” digital assets are all the rage at Christmas https://ift.tt/3FgUH7L

Christmas is just around the corner, and, like every year, millions of people are getting ready for the usual last-minute race to find the most original gifts. Among the most popular trends, there is a category that, more than any other, is climbing the wish list: digital assets.

Digital assets as Christmas gifts

With young people showing more and more concern about their financial future, interest in investments is increasing, and digital assets are garnering more and more interest. In 2021, cryptocurrencies have become mainstream: the entire industry has surpassed $3 trillion in capitalization in recent weeks, and the prestigious Collins publishing house has even declared “NFT” the word of the year. Additionally, blockchain technology has been identified by Allied Market Research as one of the top financial trends for 2022. From technology to music to the world of film and art, the entire entertainment industry has been encompassed by a widespread crypto-mania.

The phenomenon involves more and more Italians, who seem to show a high interest in investment activities despite any stereotype or belief. That’s revealed by a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bitpanda in Italy, according to which 66% of respondents would start investing right away to add an additional financial input to the salary normally received. Young people are the most inclined: the percentage of interest, in fact, seems to decrease after the age of 44, settling at 55% for the over 55s, compared to 67.5% declared by Millennials up to 34 years old and Generation Z (18-24 years old). Overall, men (78%) appear more inclined than women (60%).

Here are five reasons why digital assets make the perfect holiday gifts for Gen-Z:

Increased value

Unlike a sweater, perfume, or any other simple material asset, the value of digital assets potentially increases over time, opening up new possibilities and scenarios for the future.

Discovering a dynamic market

The world of digital goods is vast and rapidly growing, no longer aimed at just a few nerds or enthusiasts. Offering digital assets paves the way for a relevant and growing industry that seems to bring positive effects on people’s lifestyles. 

Improve your financial education

The world continues to evolve, and it is vital to develop an understanding of finance’s world and the new technologies driving its transformation. The emergence of digital assets is contributing significantly to building financial literacy.

Stress-free gifts

Giving original and personalized gifts is not easy and can be time-consuming, especially at a time like Christmas, where a flood of often unnecessary material goods invade people’s lives. Digital goods can be a way to give someone the key to a new, modern, and evolving culture, whereby they can make their own decisions and be key players in their financial future. 

A key to the metaverse

The metaverse is the evolution of the internet, a virtual universe where companies will want to be protagonists. Electronic payments, Bitcoin, and other virtual currencies will be among the main sectors affected by this evolution. Digital assets could be a great vehicle to approach the metaverse.

Orlando Merone, Country Manager of Bitpanda Italy, explains: 

“The behavior of consumers, especially younger ones, is constantly changing, with a clear preference towards the digital world and an increasingly multichannel approach. At Bitpanda, 25% of users are Gen Z – a percentage indicative of a real cultural shift on the horizon, which cannot be ignored. Gen-Z members are becoming a huge audience and are interested in everything that happens in this world. It’s no wonder, then, that for many of them, classic holiday gifts have given way to digital assets, which are versatile and useful in enhancing their financial education. We often hear that electronic payments, Bitcoin, and other virtual currencies are destined to dominate the economic trends of the future, but if for someone digital assets are still something to be associated with the future, we can say that for many young people, they are already the present.”