Dutch own around €3 billion in cryptocurrency

Approximately 400 thousand Dutch own cryptocurrency, according to a study by Maurice de Hond. In total they own around 3 billion euros worth of these digital coins, the Telegraaf reports.

De Hond, of polling site Peil.nl, investigated Dutch interest in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum in the run-up to the Day of the Crypto at RAI in Amsterdam on Monday and Tuesday. During these days, people interested can learn about investing in cryptocurrencies and the risks involved. Tickets can be bought here. 

According to De Hond, interest in cryptocurrency is growing strongly in the Netherlands, showing a significant spike in November and December. The pollster adds that while 3 billion euros is a lot of money, it is only a pittance compared to the Dutch's total wealth. It is less than 1 percent of the total 350 billion euros the Dutch have in savings. 

Whether these figures are completely accurate is not clear. Cryptocurrencies do not fall under the control of Dutch regulators like financial markets authority AFM or central bank DNB, and gaining insight into the cryptocurrency world can be difficult. 

Earlier this week the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, debated cryptocurrency with the Dutch regulators and experts in the field. All agreed that this new sector needs to be regulated, though how to do so is still a matter of discussion.