A new survey from CEX.IO of 1,100 active U.S. crypto users reveals how the current bear market — with bitcoin sitting roughly 40% below its October 2025 peak — is quietly pressing against household finances in ways that rarely show up in a price chart.
More than 1 in 3 traders cut spending
Thirty-six percent of respondents said they reduced non-crypto spending since October 2025, with 10% describing real sacrifices made specifically to keep their positions intact.
Beyond day-to-day cuts, 37% said they delayed or cancelled a purchase because of their crypto portfolio, and for 21% of all respondents that meant potentially major expenses like a home, a car, or a renovation.
For context, a Redfin/Ipsos survey from October 2025 found that 17% of Americans delayed a major purchase due to the federal government shutdown — a macro event that dominated headlines for weeks.
The bear market produced a comparable or larger effect on exposed users, yet most are navigating it alone:
Only 5% have someone who knows exactly how much crypto they hold and what it is currently worth, while 18% keep it entirely private.
Cashflow pressure and portfolio concentration
While 77% say they did not take on extra debt, 38% reported some form of financial disruption since October 2025.
A quarter dipped into savings or an emergency fund, while 12% missed or delayed a bill payment because of crypto.
Portfolio concentration helps explain the pressure:
49% of respondents said more than 30% of their total investable assets are in crypto.
The CEX.IO report noted:
“The 2025–2026 bear market has not produced the kind of systemic shock seen in past cycles, but its effects appear to be showing up in quieter ways at the household level.”
Regrets and the exit plan problem
Despite the strain, sentiment remains broadly optimistic.
Fifty-one percent plan to hold their positions regardless of short-term price action, while 28% plan to add more if prices stay flat or fall further.
Forty-four percent say they invested about the right amount in October 2025, and 24% wish they had invested more — not less.
When asked what single decision they would change over the last 18 months, 41% said they would have set clearer rules for when to take profits and stuck to them.
The report observed:
“Most respondents don’t believe they made a positioning mistake but rather an execution mistake. They believe they were in the right place but didn’t have a plan for the exit.”
Holding through the drawdown
Seventy-three percent said the bear market has not changed how they pursue income at all, with only 9% taking on extra work as a direct response to portfolio performance.
The report concluded:
“Pressure has been absorbed, not abandoned — most respondents say they are holding or adding to positions, while many view past mistakes less as being overinvested and more as failing to manage exits properly.”
