Americans United on Financial Privacy: Survey Reveals Cross-Party Consensus — Bitcoin Policy Institute

Event summary

A national survey of 2,200 U.S. adults found that 68% of Americans prefer financial data to be collected only with explicit consent or not at all.
Republicans, Democrats, and Independents showed remarkably similar views on financial privacy, differing by only a few points on nearly every question.
74% of respondents would switch or close an account after a serious privacy violation.
The survey was conducted by the Cornell Brooks School Tech Policy Institute (BTPI), Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI), and Fedi.

The big picture

In an era of political polarization, financial privacy stands out as a rare bipartisan issue. The survey highlights a growing consumer demand for control over personal financial data, which could drive regulatory changes and shape the strategies of fintech companies. This consensus underscores the strategic importance of privacy in the design and marketing of financial services.

What we're watching

Regulatory Impact: How these findings will influence upcoming financial privacy regulations and government access to financial data.
Industry Response: Whether fintech companies will adapt their data-sharing practices in response to consumer preferences.
Consumer Behavior: The pace at which consumers adopt specialized privacy tools like VPNs or Signal, bridging the gap between beliefs and action.