UK investors lose interest in crypto and forex for stocks, bonds and space

New research reveals a surprising shift in online search interest from the much-hyped crypto market as UK investors embrace stability and the final frontier.

Brits appear to be turning their backs on the flashiest corners of finance. Investing.co.uk dug into search trends over the last 12 months using data from Keywordtool.io and discovered crypto and forex trading might be losing their appeal, while interest in stocks, bonds, and even space exploration is on the rise.

Searches related to crypto trading have fallen by as much as 43% in the last year. This will come as a surprise to many given that social media still feels packed with ‘crypto bros’ flaunting their Lamborghinis. Equally, queries related to foreign exchange trading – the buying and selling of currencies like the British pound and US dollar – are down 33%.

In sharp contrast, interest in stock trading is up 72%, while searches related to bond trading have climbed 63%. Most eye-catching of all, searches for space-related investments have shot up by 141%.

“This data suggests UK investors may be becoming more cautious in the face of the uncertain geopolitical and economic environment, yet they remain forward-looking when it comes to potential growth industries like space,” said Tobias Robinson, analyst at Investing.co.uk.

Why crypto could be losing its appeal

In recent years, crypto has dominated headlines, social platforms, and chatter in online investment forums. But in the UK, the mood might be shifting.

The high-profile collapses of crypto exchanges like FTX in 2022, the FCA’s tightening regulations on crypto advertising and derivatives, not to mention growing fraud concerns – the City of London Police found 66% of investment fraud reports in 2024 related to crypto – could be, quite understandably, denting enthusiasm.

“Retail investors may be shifting their attention to instruments and sectors they see as more stable or promising,” Robinson explained. “Stocks are benefiting from resilient earnings, bonds from the Bank of England’s rate cycle, and space equities from innovation and headlines.”

Why interest in space stocks are soaring

The most surprising trend may be the surge of interest in space-linked investments. Commercial space ventures are on the rise: satellite launches by SpaceX, space tourism from Blue Origin, and lucrative government contracts awarded to firms like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, may be providing rocket fuel to the aerospace industry, attracting search interest.

“Space has always captured the imagination,” said Robinson. “Now it might be beginning to capture investor interest.”

A number of prominent brokers in the UK think so, with big names like Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB introducing products in recent years like the VanEck Space Innovators UCITS ETF (JEDI), which follows a basket of global space companies.

The bigger picture

If 2021–2023 was the era of crypto hype, then 2024–2025 looks like it could be the era of pragmatic investing. This latest data suggests Brits are Googling financial instruments related to stability and innovation – not just the next get-rich-quick scheme.

As Robinson summed it up: “UK investors want assets that can weather uncertainty, but they’re still willing to dream – just with one eye firmly on tangibility and reality.”

Disclaimer: The search volume and interest figures cited are based on keyword trend data from third-party tools and should not be considered definitive measures of actual investment activity. Search behaviour is not the same as investment flows or holdings. Search data is relative, may include ambiguous terms, and can be distorted by news cycles.