Are We Still in a Bull Market? Survey Reveals Crypto Investor Sentiment

A recent survey conducted by CoinGecko paints a mixed picture of cryptocurrency market sentiment, with roughly half of respondents expressing optimism and the other half exhibiting varying degrees of uncertainty or pessimism.

The survey, published on July 10th, garnered responses from over 2,500 participants over a two-week period from June 25th to July 8th. Significantly, 94% of respondents indicated involvement in the cryptocurrency space, either through holding crypto assets or working within the industry.

The survey results revealed that 49.3% of participants identified as either “bullish” or “somewhat bullish” on the current state of the crypto market. A quarter of respondents were more or less neutral, lacking a strong conviction about the market’s near-term direction (upward or downward). The remaining quarter expressed bearish sentiment, with a roughly even split between those feeling “bearish” and “somewhat bearish.”

Lim Yu Qian, a research analyst at CoinGecko, suggests that the high proportion of neutral sentiment might indicate:

• Uncertainty surrounding current market conditions.
• A wait-and-see approach from participants before forming a definitive market outlook.

When analyzing the survey results by participant type (investors, traders, builders, and spectators), a clear trend emerged. Spectators, defined as those with “no direct crypto involvement,” exhibited the most bearish sentiment, with 40% expressing some degree of pessimism. This group also had the highest percentage of neutral respondents (nearly 30%).

“Spectator respondents might reflect the views of participants who have taken profits and exited the market for the time being,” suggests Lim.

Conversely, investors holding long-term crypto positions displayed the strongest bullish sentiment, closely followed by those employed within the crypto industry (builders).

Bitcoin’s Post-Halving Performance

The CoinGecko survey findings come amidst a period of relative weakness for Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency by market capitalization. Since the April 2024 halving event, which saw mining rewards cut in half, Bitcoin’s price has fallen by approximately 9.5%. Currently, Bitcoin trades around $57,585, reflecting a slight uptick from a four-month low below $54,000 reached last week.

Historically, Bitcoin price rallies have followed halving events in the subsequent months. However, the current market faces potential headwinds:

Mt. Gox Creditor Repayment: The looming repayment of $7.6 billion worth of Bitcoin to creditors of the defunct crypto exchange Mt. Gox raises concerns about potential sell pressure.

German Bitcoin Sell-Off: The recent sale of Bitcoin holdings by the German government has also contributed to market jitters.