Cryptocurrency has become one of the hottest topics of 2022. As such, it should come as no surprise that mentioning “crypto” in an online dating profile can garner additional attention.
A new study from brokerage firm eToro found that 33% of Americans who were surveyed would be more likely to go on a date with someone who mentioned crypto assets in their online dating profile. Of the 2,000 adult residents of the United States between the ages of 18 and 99 surveyed, more than 40% of men and 25% of women indicated that their interest in a potential date is stronger when crypto is typed into a dating profile.
Crypto: What does love have to do with this?
Callie Cox, US investment analyst at eToro, told Cointelegraph that the findings of eToro’s inaugural “Crypto & Culture” survey demonstrate the intersection between money, culture and identity. “We talked a lot about identity in the survey and how this has a strong place in the crypto community. The genesis of this campaign was to better understand how people think about big life projects and find the perfect match,” said Cox.
With this in mind, Cox explained that one of the report’s most notable findings was that 33% of those surveyed would be willing to date someone who mentioned crypto in their profile. “This shows that there is a connection between money, love and identity when people are looking for a partner on a dating app,” she said. Cox added that it was also interesting to see that nearly 74% of respondents said they would likely go on a second date with a person who paid the bill for the first date in Bitcoin (BTC). “We also wanted to test the environment to see how people felt about using crypto as a currency. We were surprised to see this percentage so high, which also speaks of identity”.
While these findings suggest that publicly open cryptocurrency holders and enthusiasts may attract more attention on dating apps, Cox shared that Millennials and Gen Z respondents made up the majority of people who participated in the survey. “Everyone had to identify themselves and most of the respondents were from the younger generation,” she said. Regarding the use of cryptocurrencies as currency, Cox further mentioned that eToro’s findings show that paying a bill in Bitcoin is of greater interest to men than women.
The crypto community and online dating
Although eToro’s survey suggests that crypto terminology can make daters more desirable, some in the crypto community find mentioning the trait a double-edged sword.
For example, Hailey Lennon, Law Partner at Anderson Kill and founder of Crypto Connect, told Cointelegraph that she initially didn’t have “Bitcoin” anywhere on her online dating profile, but eventually added it because the digital asset has been a long -time passion of hers. While Lennon didn’t notice an increase in responses to her profile by adding Bitcoin, she did have a few matches that piqued her interest because of the common ground:
“There is something in common among people who are interested in Bitcoin. For example, if I post a photo wearing a Bitcoin hat, it will likely attract other interested people into the space. I have also jokingly tweeted before when I find someone with ‘Bitcoin’ mentioned on their dating profile that I have found my soulmate. But, it really shows a common interest and that we can connect and talk about a common passion.”
However, Lennon also noted that including crypto terminology in your online dating profile can backfire. “Sometimes I rephrase things and say that I am a fintech lawyer, not mentioning Bitcoin or crypto so as not to make the whole conversation about Bitcoin and what I do for a living. There are also those people who still associate cryptocurrencies with this false narrative that they are only used for criminal activity and money laundering, so it might be interesting to try and explain how you are a lawyer in the digital assets space,” Lennon said. .
Additionally, while Lennon finds the results of the eToro survey interesting, he noted that many people in the cryptocurrency community are so focused on digital assets in their daily lives that they may wish to have non-cryptocurrency-focused conversations in non-cryptocurrency settings. romantics. . “Sometimes a date can just be about wanting to talk about Bitcoin and how it works when people find out what you do. That can get old and take the romance/fun out of the date.”
Echoing this, Iván Pérez, owner of Multiplied, a cryptocurrency-focused PR firm, told Cointelegraph that since adding “investing and working in cryptocurrencies” to his online dating profiles, he has gone online three times. with women who also work in the cryptocurrency space. While Perez mentioned that common ground can be an added bonus, he shared that every date he had with someone in the crypto industry felt more like work than pleasure. “All we did was talk about crypto,” Pérez said.
Perez further explained that having “crypto” on his online dating profile has also attracted the wrong attention at times:
“Some girls will like my profile and then start off saying ‘you work in crypto, that’s cool.’ Then when we go on a date, the first 10-20 minutes are usually focused on how crypto works and what I do. Some women focus only on the money aspect. I’ve had many experiences where I date and crypto becomes the whole topic of conversation.”
In turn, Perez explained that working in crypto can make dating frustrating. “Now that NFTs are getting more mainstream attention, I’ve had women at conferences start looking for people rich in crypto. This is frustrating because it puts you in a place of doubt. Are these women interested in me or in the industry I work in?” Pérez questioned.
From a woman’s perspective, adding cryptocurrency to your online dating profile can also create challenges. Jessica Salama, a community leader at the GoodDollar Foundation, a nonprofit initiative focused on financial education in digital assets, told Cointelegraph that while she thinks adding cryptocurrency to her profile has increased her appeal, it hasn’t necessarily been for the right reasons:
“Yeah, I got more matches, but then came the ‘explainers.’ Working in Web3, which still feels like a man’s world, has no shortage of challenges. Dodging mansplainers in and out of work and on Tinder is exhausting.”
According to Salama, the “explainers” are condescending men who assume that women do not understand the basics of the blockchain industry. Unfortunately, the crypto space is still largely male-dominated and therefore can be frustrating for some women. On the plus side, Salama is aware of the fact that she is part of a transformational industry, which can also be beneficial in terms of finding romance. “I met a great guy at a friend’s dinner who is a cryptocurrency day trader and he took a genuine interest and respect in my work and passion for Web3. We spent the whole night talking. I can’t say it was love as the relationship slowly faded (did we fork?), but he gave me that extra push to stand up for and own what I do and love,” Salama explained.
NFT: personalized love for the digital age
Crypto and dating aside, the eToro study also found that 8% of respondents would be interested in receiving a non-fungible token (NFT) as a Valentine’s gift this year. According to Cox, this statistic was not a huge surprise given the rise of the NFT market. However, Cox noted that this finding was interesting as it shows that Millennials and Gen Z value identity-themed products. “The younger generation wants to own something in real life or in the Metaverse and that shows who they are – NFTs represent this.”
As a result, a series of identity-themed Valentine’s Day NFTs are being offered this year. For example, jewelry designer MYKA has created a limited edition NFT collection consisting of digital drawings on three of his best-selling jewelry pieces.
Ronnie Elgavish, VP of global marketing at MYKA, told Cointelegraph that he thinks more couples will give NFTs this Valentine’s Day due to the rise of the Metaverse and the desire for a digital identity.
Ivan Sokolov, founder of Mintmade, a platform that offers programmable templates for NFTs, agrees with Elgavish. He told Cointelegraph that he believes more couples will give tokenized Valentine’s Day cards this year.
Sokolov said that Mintmade allows users to mint a pair of NFTs personalized with their names and those of their partners. “These NFTs are user-generated, meaning they are created by the buyer. The buyer simply enters two names on the platform and can mint the NFT with these names,” explained Sokolov.
In addition to NFT gifts for Valentine’s Day, the eToro study found that nearly 20% of singles would be more interested in dating if they used an NFT as their profile picture on a social platform or dating site. quotes. “So if your gift of an NFT doesn’t work out, you can always use it to find a new date for March,” Cox joked.
Crypto May Be Sexy, But Security Concerns Remain
Although eToro’s findings suggest that cryptocurrency terminology and features can make online dating profiles more attractive, security is an important factor that should also be considered when mentioning cryptocurrencies publicly. Keeping a user’s crypto secure has become a primary concern as the industry goes mainstream.
To put this into perspective, a recent report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis found that the intersection between cryptocurrency and crime has grown to be a $14 billion industry by 2021. Justin Maile, research manager at Chainalysis, tells told Cointelegraph that it is better not to brag about it. you own crypto, especially investments or any holdings, on your dating profile to avoid becoming a target. Maile added that the scams are not limited to dating apps. “Meta (Facebook), Instagram, LinkedIn, Quora, Discord, WeChat and others are platforms that scammers use to find their victims,” he said.
Maile further noted that while he believes it is okay to publicly mention an interest in cryptocurrencies, additional details should not be revealed. “Just like you wouldn’t publicly share that you have a savings account and how much is in it, it’s safer not to publicly share that you own crypto to avoid becoming a target.”
Additionally, Cox commented that eToro’s findings show that adding the term “crypto” to a dating profile helps hone a user’s identity, but that online daters need to be wise and cautious about what they reveal. “There are good and bad actors everywhere, so people need to be careful whether or not ‘crypto’ is mentioned in their profiles.”
This post Does owning a cryptocurrency make daters more desirable?
was published first on https://cointelegraph.com/news/love-in-the-time-of-crypto-does-owning-cryptocurrency-make-daters-more-desirable
