Sarah Dean, Assistant Professor of Economics at Eckert College, will be giving a talk on cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies are a new technology that allow people to hold, trade, buy, and sell digital tokens. While the number of cryptocurrency owners is increasing, there is some reluctance towards ownership. Through survey and lab experiments, Sarah and her coauthors investigate factors that may impact the willingness to own cryptocurrencies. They find that cryptocurrency owners are young males with a high risk tolerance. They also find that receiving brief information that conveys the ease of use of cryptocurrencies or its security features can be effective in increasing nonowners’ willingness to own cryptocurrencies. Finally, they find that receiving a small amount of Bitcoin can increase individuals’ willingness to own cryptocurrencies in the future.