Bitcoin’s Mainstream Growth Divides Community: Nearly 30% of Newcomers See Risk to Decentralization

A fresh CoinGecko survey has exposed a generational divide in the crypto community as Bitcoin becomes more entrenched in traditional finance. While most participants view mainstream adoption as positive, 29% of first-cycle investors fear it could threaten decentralization.

Optimism vs. Skepticism

The poll, conducted between August 22 and September 11, 2025, gathered 2,549 responses. Findings show that:

• 60% see mainstream adoption, such as ETFs, corporate treasuries, and government holdings, as positive.

• 41.4% call it very positive, citing legitimacy and long-term price potential.

• 18.6% call it positive but with less enthusiasm.

• 19.4% remain neutral.

• 20.5% express concerns adoption could erode Bitcoin’s core values of decentralization and censorship resistance.

• 12.7% see it as very negative.

• 7.8% call it negative.

Newcomers Wary, Veterans Confident

The biggest split came between newer and veteran investors:

• 29.3% of first-cycle participants, with three years or less in crypto, were skeptical of Wall Street’s influence.

• Only 14.9% of second-cycle participants, with four to seven years in the market, and 15.7% of veterans with more than eight years shared this concern.

• In contrast, more than 65% of long-term users described mainstream adoption as positive, showing greater comfort with institutional involvement.

The survey suggests newcomers may view Bitcoin’s embrace by Wall Street as a risk to its independence, while seasoned users see it as an inevitable step toward global legitimacy.

Community Demographics

Sixty-eight percent of respondents identify as long-term investors, while 20% are short-term traders. Seven percent are builders, and 5% are market spectators.

By geography, participants were spread across multiple regions: Europe accounted for 31%, Asia 26%, North America 22%, with the rest spread across Africa, South America, and Oceania.

As Bitcoin straddles the line between grassroots movement and institutional asset, the divide highlights the ongoing tension between its original ethos and its new role in global markets.