A new OKX survey has exposed a significant disconnect between student demand and institutional availability for cryptocurrency education. According to the report shared with crypto.news on August 26, 90% of college students want crypto and blockchain included in financial education, while only 28% of reviewed U.S. business schools offered related courses. The gap extends across generations, with 87% of parents joining students in supporting college-level crypto education. Some respondents wanted more than optional courses, as 27% of students and 32% of parents said crypto and blockchain education should be required for college students. As reported by OKX, this was not a soft preference - students and parents viewed it as essential curriculum rather than optional electives.
With formal courses available at a minority of universities, students are increasingly turning to social media for cryptocurrency knowledge. As reported by OKX, 33% of students consider social media or influencers their most important source, nearly five times the 7% who cite schools, teachers, or professors. Financial advisers ranked second at 17%, followed by crypto platforms and apps at 12%. The survey found that 47% of students have taught a parent or guardian about crypto or investing, while 43% of parents said their college-aged child had taught them about these subjects. Students were about twice as likely as parents to rely on social media for learning, with 33% versus 17% respectively. Among parents, crypto platforms and apps were the leading source of information at 21%.
A separate 2025 study published in the Information Systems Education Journal examined 533 U.S. universities with business schools accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Researchers found that 151 institutions, or approximately 28%, offered at least one blockchain-related course as of March 2024. Course depth varied significantly, with only 76 schools having two or more relevant classes, and two universities offering at least 10. The most common subjects included blockchain fundamentals, smart contract development, and cryptocurrency economics. As reported by OKX, this supply-side gap persists despite demand being close to universal.
Student interest in digital assets extends beyond investment to employment, with 56% of students saying they would accept a job paying 20% of their salary in Bitcoin. Parent support is higher at 62%. However, as reported by OKX, receiving Bitcoin as wages would not remove federal tax obligations for U.S. workers. The IRS states digital assets received as compensation are treated as ordinary income, subject to federal income-tax withholding, Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment taxes.
Despite high acceptance rates for Bitcoin pay, both generations still prioritize traditional assets for long-term wealth building. According to the OKX report, 52% of students described buying crypto as a long-term investment, while 48% of parents chose the same approach. Real estate leads both groups, with 27% of students and 26% of parents selecting it as the asset they might regret not owning. Bitcoin ranked fourth among students at 17% and second among parents at 24%. The report found that 89% of students believe some crypto exposure could form part of a responsible portfolio, while 11% said the appropriate allocation should be zero. As reported by OKX, crypto and AI dominated headlines, but housing still dominated anxiety among both generations.
