Is it time for a rebrand?
I recently read an article on CCN, a crypto, business and fintech news outlet, suggesting it’s time for “crypto” to rebrand itself, possibly adopting a new name.
I understand that we’re entering what appears to be the final phase of this market-wide bull cycle. However, looking ahead, this industry will continue to be plagued by scams, pump-and-dump schemes, hacks, bankruptcies, other controversies and recurring bear markets.
With 63%* of Americans having little to no confidence in the security and trustworthiness of cryptocurrency, some argue that there could be compelling reasons to rebrand the asset class and sector, considering the range of negative connotations associated with it.
Mind you, this data is from a February 2024 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. At the time, spot Bitcoin ETFS were still new, BTC was less than $50,000, and most of the market was starting to gain momentum again.
Google Trends data shows that general interest in Bitcoin, crypto, and related search terms remains lower compared to the peaks of the 2017 and 2021 bull runs.
In my opinion, there is still room for growth in this cycle, but we’re nearing its end.
This, coupled with greater institutional interest, would have likely (albeit slowly) boosted people’s confidence in BTC and other cryptocurrencies.
If PayPal can see crypto as FinTech, so can the masses.
The rebrand will require widespread changes to accepted industry terms and language. For example, “Digital payment infrastructure” could replace “crypto.”
Martin Desouza (CCN) > ‘Crypto Is Long Overdue a Rebrand’
Agreed, but ‘digital payments infrastructure doesn’t roll off the tongue like crypto or blockchain tech, particularly nowadays where brevity is key.
You could call it DPI, blockchain DPI, or another term specifically referencing cryptocurrencies instead of other types of payment infrastructure, but it’d take a while to catch on.
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Distancing ourselves from the nonsense in this space is useful, but how effective is a rebranding?
I’m not a marketing professional, so I wouldn’t know. It would take years to do so, and it needs to be well-executed to avoid being a flop, which would only cause even more ridicule to this industry and asset class that has been perceived as untrustworthy or dangerous by misinformed laypeople.
Additionally, it would be beneficial to have a logo associated with this asset class (or even one exclusively for altcoins, in case some Bitcoin maximalists throw a tantrum) instead of relying solely on symbols of particular assets that don’t represent other projects (e.g., using ETH to represent altcoins that are completely unrelated to it).
Ultimately, most people couldn’t care less about the name, as long as it’s generating profit.
Will it change? Possibly, but I doubt a new name will catch on, at least not for a long time, just like many still call it Twitter, not X.
Does crypto have an identity crisis? I don’t believe so. Even if you change its (official) name, its negative assocations will persist.
If anything, we have a lack of cohesion and respect for differing opinions, but that’s how society has become, so it isn’t exclusive to crypto.
Should crypto rebrand itself? Do we need a logo that represents this entire asset class, not just individual crypto assets?
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You might also be interested in these stories:
https://medium.com/@cryptowithlorenzo/bitcoin-is-going-to-zero-5562122f5481
https://cryptowithlorenzo.medium.com/why-we-shouldnt-be-investing-in-crypto-6ea5bc7de737
https://cryptowithlorenzo.medium.com/five-crypto-sectors-with-the-most-potential-in-2025-f1fe085564c8
Disclaimer: My opinions in this piece may not reflect those of any news outlet, person, organisation, or entity listed here.
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