Love in the Age of Crypto: Does Owning Cryptocurrency Make You More Attractive on Dates?
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Love in the Age of Crypto: Does Owning Cryptocurrency Make You More Attractive on Dates?
Cryptocurrency has become one of the most widely discussed topics of 2022. So it's no surprise that mentioning "cryptocurrency" in an online dating profile might attract extra attention.
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Original author: Rachel Wolfson
Compiled by: 0x4868, TechFlow
New research suggests that including "cryptocurrency" in your dating profile may make you more attractive — though members of the crypto community have expressed concerns about online dating.
Cryptocurrency has become one of the most widely discussed topics of 2022. So, it’s no surprise that mentioning “crypto” in an online dating profile might attract extra attention.
A new study by brokerage firm eToro found that 33% of surveyed Americans would be more likely to date someone who mentions crypto assets in their dating profile. Among the 2,000 U.S. adult residents aged 18 to 99 surveyed, over 40% of men and 25% of women said they’d feel stronger interest in a potential match if cryptocurrency was mentioned in their profile.
Cryptocurrency: What's Love Got to Do With It?
Callie Cox, U.S. investment analyst at eToro, told Cointelegraph that the results of eToro’s first “Crypto and Culture” survey reveal an intersection between money, culture, and identity. “We talked a lot in the survey about identity and how central that is within the crypto community. This initiative originated from wanting to better understand how people view major life decisions and how they search for a perfect partner,” said Cox.
With that in mind, Cox explained that one of the most notable findings in the report is that 33% of respondents would be open to dating someone who mentions cryptocurrency in their profile. “It shows there’s a connection between money, love, and identity when people are looking for partners on dating apps,” she said. Cox added that another interesting result was that nearly 74% of respondents indicated they’d be more likely to go on a second date with someone who paid for their first date using Bitcoin (BTC). “We also wanted to test the waters around how people feel about using crypto. We were surprised to see such a high percentage, which again speaks to issues of identity.”
While these findings suggest that openly identifying as a crypto holder or enthusiast may attract more attention across dating apps, Cox noted that Millennials and Gen Z respondents made up the majority of participants. “Everyone has to self-identify, and most of our respondents come from younger generations,” she said. Regarding crypto payments, Cox further mentioned that eToro’s survey showed men are more interested than women in paying with Bitcoin.
The Crypto Community and Online Dating
Although eToro’s survey indicates that crypto-related language might make daters more appealing, some members of the crypto community find that referencing this trait can be a double-edged sword.
For example, Hailey Lennon, legal partner at Anderson Kill and founder of Crypto Connect, told Cointelegraph she initially didn’t include “Bitcoin” anywhere in her online dating profile but eventually added it, as the digital asset has long been a personal passion. While Lennon hasn’t noticed an increase in responses to her profile since adding Bitcoin, she has had matches that sparked her interest due to shared interests:
“There’s common ground between people interested in Bitcoin. For instance, if I post a photo wearing a Bitcoin hat, it’s very likely to attract others interested in this space. I’ve even joked before that when I see someone mention ‘Bitcoin’ in their dating profile, I’ve found my soulmate. But really, it does show we share interests and passions we can connect over.”
However, Lennon also pointed out that including crypto-related terms in your dating profile could backfire. “Sometimes I rephrase it and say I’m a fintech lawyer without mentioning Bitcoin or crypto, so the entire conversation doesn’t revolve around Bitcoin and my job. Some people still associate crypto with misconceptions, like it being used only for criminal activities and money laundering, so explaining how I became a lawyer in the digital asset space can be quite challenging,” Lennon said.
Moreover, while Lennon finds eToro’s survey results interesting, she noted that many in the crypto community, who are deeply engaged with digital assets daily, may prefer romantic settings where crypto isn’t the main topic. “Sometimes, once people find out what I do, dates turn into conversations solely about Bitcoin and how it works. That gets a bit stale and kills the romance or fun of the date.”
Echoing this sentiment, Ivan Perez, founder of Multiplied — a PR firm focused on crypto — told Cointelegraph that after adding “working and investing in crypto” to his dating profile, he’s matched three times with women also working in the crypto industry. While Perez acknowledged this commonality could be an added benefit, he said every date with someone in the crypto field felt more like work than fun. “All we did was talk about crypto,” Perez said.
Perez further explained that using “crypto” in his dating profile sometimes attracts the wrong kind of attention:
“Some girls like my profile and start off saying, ‘You work in crypto? Cool.’ Then, when we go on a date, the first 10–20 minutes usually focus on how crypto works and what I do. Some women only care about the money aspect. I’ve had multiple experiences where, on a date, crypto becomes the entire conversation.”
On the flip side, Perez said working in crypto can make dating frustrating. “Now that NFTs are gaining more mainstream attention, I’ve encountered women who specifically target crypto millionaires on dates. It’s frustrating because it makes you paranoid. Are they interested in me or just my industry?” Perez wondered.
From a female perspective, including crypto in online dating profiles also presents challenges. Jessica Salama, community lead at GoodDollar Foundation — a nonprofit initiative focused on financial education in digital assets — told Cointelegraph that while she believes adding crypto to her profile increased her appeal, it wasn’t necessarily for the right reasons:
“Yes, I got more matches, but along with that came ‘mansplainers.’ Working in Web3 — which is still very much a male-dominated world — is full of constant challenges. It’s exhausting juggling both work and dodging mansplaining on Tinder.”
According to Salama, “mansplainers” are single men who assume women don’t understand the basics of the blockchain industry. Unfortunately, the crypto space remains largely male-dominated, which can be discouraging for some women. On a positive note, Salama realized she’s part of a transformative industry, which also helps in finding romance. “I met a great guy at a friend’s dinner — he’s a crypto day trader who genuinely took interest in and respected my work and passion for Web3. We talked all night. I wouldn’t call it love, since the relationship slowly faded (we went our separate ways), but he gave me an extra push to speak up proudly for what I do and love,” Salama explained.
NFTs: Personalized Love in the Digital Age
Beyond crypto and dating, eToro’s research also found that 8% of respondents would be interested in receiving an NFT as a Valentine’s Day gift this year. According to Cox, given the rise of the NFT market, this statistic isn’t surprising. However, Cox noted this finding is particularly interesting because it shows Millennials and Gen Z value identity-driven products. “Younger generations want to own something — whether in real life or the Metaverse — that reflects who they are. NFTs represent exactly that.”
As such, this year has seen many identity-themed Valentine’s NFTs. For example, jewelry designer MYKA created a limited-edition NFT series featuring digital artwork based on three of its best-selling jewelry pieces.
Ronnie Elgavish, global marketing vice president at MYKA, told Cointelegraph he believes more couples will gift NFTs this Valentine’s Day due to the rise of the Metaverse and growing desire for digital identity.
Ivan Sokolov, founder of Mintmade — a platform providing programmable templates for NFTs — also shares Elgavish’s view. He told Cointelegraph he expects more couples to exchange tokenized Valentine’s cards this year.
Sokolov said Mintmade allows users to mint a pair of custom NFTs with their name and their partner’s. “These NFTs are user-generated, meaning they’re created by the buyer. The buyer simply inputs two names on the platform and mints an NFT with those names,” Sokolov explained.
In addition to NFT Valentine’s gifts, eToro’s research found that nearly 20% of singles would be more interested in dating someone who uses an NFT as their profile picture on social media or dating sites. “So if your NFT gift doesn’t land, you can always use it to find a new date in March,” Cox joked.
Crypto Might Be Sexy, But Security Still Matters
Although eToro’s findings suggest crypto-related language and features may make dating profiles more attractive, security remains a crucial factor to consider when publicly mentioning cryptocurrency. As the industry goes mainstream, safeguarding users’ crypto assets has become a major concern.
To illustrate, a recent report by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis found that the intersection of cryptocurrency and crime grew into a $14 billion industry in 2021. Justin Maile, investigations manager at Chainalysis, told Cointelegraph it’s best not to flaunt ownership of cryptocurrency — especially investments or holdings — on your dating profile to avoid becoming a target. Maile added that scams aren’t limited to dating apps: “Meta (Facebook), Instagram, LinkedIn, Quora, Discord, WeChat, and others are all platforms scammers use to find victims.”
Maile further noted that while he thinks it’s fine to publicly mention an interest in crypto, one should avoid sharing additional details. “Just like you wouldn’t publicly share that you have a savings account and how much money is in it, the safest practice is not to disclose your crypto holdings to avoid becoming a target.”
Additionally, Cox said eToro’s findings show that adding the word “crypto” to a dating profile can help signal identity, but online daters must remain smart and cautious about what they share. “There are good and bad people everywhere, so individuals need to be careful about whether or not to mention ‘crypto’ in their profile.”
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