Crypto markets have had a strong 2025, with the total market cap up 9.9% year-to-date. But those big numbers hide a fundamental problem: a massive knowledge gap is still holding back mainstream adoption. It’s not just about the technical details. It’s a barrier that feeds fear, leads to bad decisions, and holds the entire industry back.
To fix this, market leaders are trying something different. Instead of just marketing, they’re launching major educational initiatives to build a smarter, more resilient user base—one story at a time.
Financial Literacy at Dangerously Low Levels
Despite the market’s growth, which has seen assets like Ethereum deliver 36% year-to-date returns, the financial understanding within the crypto community remains alarmingly low.
One recent report described the crypto community’s financial literacy rate as “dangerously low,” estimated at just 25%—less than half the average in the United States.
This knowledge deficit has tangible consequences. The same report noted that 76% of crypto investors have expressed regret about their investment decisions. Another survey found that over 70% of Bitcoin users don’t feel confident explaining how the asset works.
People aren’t staying away due to a lack of interest. It’s a lack of clarity. Nearly half of non-crypto owners in the US say not understanding it is their main reason for avoiding the market, followed by security fears (43%) and a basic distrust of the platforms (36%).
And this knowledge gap isn’t the same for everyone. Research has found a major gender divide, with over 60% of women in the UK admitting they don’t fully understand cryptocurrencies, compared to less than 40% of men.
This isn’t just an interesting statistic; it points to the risk of creating a new kind of digital divide if education isn’t accessible to all. The problem isn’t just about individual losses, either. Academics have found that the overconfidence of less-informed participants can actually make markets more volatile and help create bubbles.
Market Players Step Up
Fixing this educational shortfall is critical for the industry’s future, and some of the biggest players are taking the lead. Binance has made accessible education a central part of its strategy, moving beyond simple product guides to build an entire learning ecosystem.
Binance Academy, the company’s free educational platform, has already reached over 64 million people in 29 languages. Initiatives like the Learn & Earn program have incentivized learning by distributing over $12.8 million in rewards.
The company is also taking this mission into the classroom, partnering with over 200 universities with the goal of educating one million students in blockchain by 2026. Furthermore, a recent partnership with the Global Fintech Institute will sponsor over 500 scholarships for a course in crypto regulation and compliance, demonstrating a commitment to educating at all levels of the financial industry.
Now, Binance is taking a new approach with its recently launched “Humans of Binance” series, a global campaign designed to humanize crypto through real stories rather than technical jargon.
The debut story features Luis, a 57-year-old TV producer who turned to crypto to stay financially active. He explains the initial challenge clearly: “There’s a lot of noise out there. If you don’t have the right information, you feel fear.” For him, Binance Academy became a trusted source. “It helps us to understand digital currency in a better way and an easy way,” he says.
Binance CMO Rachel Conlan shared, “At Binance, we believe authentic storytelling is the foundation for building meaningful connections with people from all walks of life. Through ‘Humans of Binance,’ we’re encouraging everyone to share their unique crypto stories, with the hope that this will be the start of a movement to debunk misconceptions of crypto and highlight its true potential.”
“In a market that’s often crowded and misunderstood, emotional narratives like this allow us to cut through the noise, build genuine brand trust, and inspire new users to discover the possibilities of blockchain technology. We are excited to be part of the crypto journey for the next one billion crypto users and beyond,” Rachel added.
Education as the Bedrock of Adoption
The crypto market is at a crossroads. While the financial infrastructure is getting more sophisticated, the knowledge of its users’ needs to catch up for adoption to go truly mainstream. This isn’t just an inconvenience for individual investors; the knowledge gap is a threat to the entire industry.
There’s only one way to fix this: education that is accessible, relatable, and trustworthy. The industry needs to shift from a narrative of hype to one of real human stories. That’s the real foundation of lasting growth. And today, education isn’t optional—it’s essential.