A new survey from Generation Lab paints a grim picture of how young Americans see the U.S. economy — and the timing matters for the crypto industry. Just 2% of people aged 18 to 34 rate the economy as 'excellent,' while 52% call it 'bad' and 29% call it 'terrible.' The poll, conducted April 26–29 among 1,002 respondents, comes as the Trump administration pushes its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and signs the GENIUS Act to regulate stablecoins. For the demographic most likely to adopt crypto, the economic mood is deeply sour.
By the numbers
The pessimism cuts across age groups. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 84% rate the economy as 'bad' or 'terrible.' For 25- to 29-year-olds, that figure is 81%; for 30- to 34-year-olds, it's 73%. Gender also plays a role: 90% of female respondents — including non-binary and other — view the economy negatively, compared with 73% of male respondents. The survey has a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points.
Who young people blame
President Trump takes the most heat. Overall, 41% of all respondents blame him for poor economic conditions. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 42% blame Trump and 32% blame corporate greed. In the 25–29 bracket, Trump and corporate greed tie at 33% each. Among 30- to 34-year-olds, 48% blame Trump. Only 2% of respondents blame former President Biden. The survey also found that 77% of respondents believe the United States made the wrong decision in taking military action against Iran — a conflict that has pushed gas prices past $4.45 a gallon and contributed to March inflation of 3.3%.
What this means for crypto policy
That bleak outlook sits alongside Trump's crypto-friendly moves. The administration has backed a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and signed the GENIUS Act, which creates a federal framework for stablecoin regulation. For a generation that's overwhelmingly negative on the traditional economy, alternative assets like bitcoin and stablecoins could look more appealing — but the survey doesn't measure crypto sentiment directly. What's clear is the disconnect: young Americans see the economy as bad, and the people they blame are the same ones pushing crypto-friendly policies from the White House. The GENIUS Act is now law, and the Bitcoin Reserve is taking shape. Whether that resonates with a generation that's 84% negative on the economy is an open question.
