Road Town, British Virgin Islands, February 3rd, 2026, FinanceWire
1inch today released the results of a global survey examining DeFi user sentiment heading into 2026, revealing that 72% of respondents worldwide express optimism about the sector’s future. U.S.-based users reported one of the highest confidence levels at 83%, while sentiment across Asian markets was comparatively lower, with respondents in Singapore (64%), Taiwan (63%), and Hong Kong (56%). The survey gathered responses from 8,199 individuals and was conducted by 1inch in collaboration with Bitget Wallet, Ondo, BOB, DaGama, and SafePal.
According to 1inch, growing regulatory clarity and increased institutional participation appear to be contributing to improved user sentiment. While respondents continue to identify structural and operational challenges within DeFi, the survey data indicates that concerns about external factors that could significantly disrupt the sector have moderated.
Analysis by user experience level shows that optimism increases after the first year of participation in crypto. Respondents with more than one year of DeFi experience reported consistently higher positive sentiment of approximately 73%, compared to just over 60% among newer users. Overall, the findings suggest that users with prior exposure to crypto market cycles tend to express greater confidence in DeFi’s longer-term outlook.
Key user priorities and barriers to adoption
The survey also looked into the biggest frustrations of DeFi users, finding that paying gas is the number one annoyance, mentioned by 27% of respondents. Second is security risks with 22%, followed by Failed or slow transactions at 18%, and bridges at 14%.
When analyzing regulatory concern on its own, U.S. users were found to be more at ease, instead focusing more on practical issues such as security, fees, and gas costs. In contrast, non-U.S. respondents placed a greater emphasis on regulation and market structure, often identifying uncertainty around these factors as a key constraint identified by the respondents. However, it is important to note that perceptions of regulation are subjective and sentiment-driven, rather than an assessment of actual regulatory risk.
Finally, when looking at the factors that influence users to try new projects or assets, liquidity was found to be the dominant factor, cited by 56% of respondents. Trust-related fundamentals then followed, with clear backing and custody (39%), legal and regulatory clarity (37%), and transparency and attestations (35%) all playing a major role in user analysis of projects, according to respondents. This was then followed by on-chain functionality, with 31% valuing the ability to trade on-chain. Unsurprisingly, factors such as brand recognition (10%) and “vibes” (4%) had minimal influence over users actual decision, underscoring that while hype plays a part in attracting attention, its impact on conversion is limited. Thus substance over style remains true in DeFi.
“Confidence in DeFi comes with experience, and experience takes time,” said Sergej Kunz, Co-founder of 1inch. “As the industry looks to grow and onboard new users, we must make the process as seamless as possible—reducing friction around gas fees and bridges, while meeting users’ priorities around liquidity, security and trust.”
Methodology
The data referenced in this report is drawn from a global user survey conducted by 1inch in collaboration with select DeFi ecosystem projects, including Bitget Wallet, Ondo, BOB, DaGama and SafePal. The survey was distributed across partner social channels, collecting a total of 8,199 responses from DeFi users worldwide. Responses were aggregated and analyzed to assess user sentiment, experience levels, and outlook on the future of decentralized finance.
About 1inch
1inch accelerates decentralized finance with a seamless crypto trading experience for 26M users. Beyond being the top platform for low-cost, efficient token swaps with $600M+ in daily trades, 1inch offers a range of innovative tools, including a secure self-custodial wallet, a portfolio tracker for managing digital assets, a dedicated business portal giving access to its cutting-edge technology, and even a debit card for easy crypto spending. By continuously innovating, 1inch is simplifying DeFi for everyone.
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1inch
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