10 Ideas to Get Your Family Excited About Crypto This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for food, family, and yes, those awkward conversations around the dinner table. This year, crypto might come up and if you’re passionate about it like me, you probably want to share why it’s so exciting without sounding like the obnoxious “crypto guy” at the dinner table.

Coinbase summed it up perfectly in a tweet:

Their advice inspired this new post. It’s all about starting a thoughtful, engaging conversation without overwhelming anyone—or turning Thanksgiving into a crypto seminar. So, if you’re asked about Bitcoin, Ethereum, or even DeFi, here are 10 ways to make the topic accessible, exciting, and relatable to your family.

Setting the Stage: How to Approach the Conversation

Before diving into crypto’s technical details or your personal experiences, start by laying a simple foundation for a meaningful exchange. Here’s how I do it using some of my soft skills from a former life in sales:

1. Start by Listening
   Begin with curiosity rather than expertise. Ask open-ended questions like:

   • “What have you heard about crypto so far?”

   • “Is there anything about crypto that you find interesting—or confusing?”

   This helps you gauge their knowledge and tailor the conversation accordingly.

2. Ask What They Want to Learn
   Instead of assuming what they’re curious about, inquire directly. Again, shut up about what you want to ramble about and ask questions. People may be more interested in practical applications (like crypto donations or NFTs) than technical jargon. Try asking:

   • “Is there anything specific you’d like to understand better about how crypto works?”

3. Connect Crypto to What They Already Know
   Everyone has some experience with finance—whether it’s saving, investing, or simply managing a checking account. Use relatable analogies to bridge the gap:

   • For high-net-worth individuals: “Crypto is like a new asset class, comparable to stocks or real estate but with unique advantages.”

   • For everyday banking users: “Think of crypto as a digital version of cash, but with extra features like faster transfers or new ways to save.”

4. Use Simple, Relatable Language
   Meet them where they are. If they refer to crypto as “Bitcoin,” go with it—it’s better to ease them in with familiar terms than overwhelm them with technical jargon. There’s no need to correct them right away or dive into concepts like Ethereum scaling or DeFi protocols. Keep it simple and approachable.

By meeting them where they are, you can make the topic more accessible and less intimidating.

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Top 10 Ideas to Share to Get Your Family Excited About Crypto

1. The Bigger Picture: A Shared, Open Financial System
   Crypto represents the first truly permissionless financial system. With a crypto wallet, you don’t need middlemen like banks or payment processors to access financial services. You can save, borrow, send money internationally, or invest—anytime, anywhere, and entirely on your own terms.

   This is revolutionary because it flips the script on gatekeeping. Whether you’re a business owner, an investor, or someone sending $10 to a friend overseas, crypto removes the barriers.

2. Digital Gold and Beyond
   Bitcoin is often referred to as “digital gold” for a reason. It offers a store of value that’s independent of inflation or government interference, much like physical gold. But crypto goes further: platforms like Ethereum enable programmable money and smart contracts, opening doors to applications gold could never touch.

3. Crypto in Everyday Life: Payments Are the Future
   Crypto is transforming how we think about payments. Companies like PayPal are doubling down with stablecoins like PYUSD, and Stripe is building the world’s best infrastructure for stablecoin payments. Why? Because crypto offers faster, cheaper, and more reliable payment systems than traditional finance.

   Want to send $1,000 or even $100 million across the globe in seconds for less than a penny? That’s crypto.

4. Financial Inclusion: Banking the Unbanked
   For years, crypto carried the narrative of banking the unbanked, championed by Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin. That dream is now becoming a reality. With blockchain infrastructure maturing (new L2s and L1s), anyone—regardless of geography or status—can send and receive money for pennies or less, without needing a bank account.

   Crypto’s accessibility has made it a lifeline for those excluded from traditional systems, whether due to geography, high fees, or discrimination.

5. The Evolution of Money Is Crypto
   The world is already digital—our money should be too. Most people buy goods online, yet we’re stuck using outdated systems like credit cards, where Visa and Mastercard charge small businesses 3% just to accept payments.

   Crypto solves this by offering digitally native money without the exorbitant fees, fraud risks, or middlemen of traditional payment networks. It’s the logical evolution of money in an increasingly digital world.

6. Cut Out the Middlemen
   Ever wonder why it costs $4 to withdraw your own money from an ATM? Or $50 to send a wire transfer? Or why your bank charges monthly fees just to store your money while lending 90% of it out for profit?

   With crypto, you can replace middlemen with automated, cryptographically secure code that runs on a blockchain. It’s faster, cheaper, and completely transparent.

7. DeFi: Powerful Financial Tools for Everyone
   Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is one of the most exciting parts of crypto. It unlocks financial tools that were once reserved for the wealthy or institutional investors.

   • Borrow with Ease: In DeFi, you can borrow against a basket of crypto assets in minutes—no paperwork, no credit checks. Just click and go.

   • Start Small with Zero Fees: Platforms like Coinbase make it easier than ever to start. You can exchange dollars for USDC stablecoins with zero fees and use them instantly. Smart wallets like Base now allow users to spend directly from their Coinbase balances on-chain without transferring funds manually.

   The hardest part is getting started with a self-custody wallet, but even that is becoming simpler every day.

8. DeFi Provides Tools That Eclipse Traditional Finance
   DeFi provides access to financial tools that don’t just rival traditional finance—they often surpass it.

   • Borrowing against stocks? Now you can borrow against a basket of crypto assets without middlemen.

   • Passive income? DeFi lets you earn yield on your savings by lending your crypto or staking, often at rates far superior to traditional banks.

   • Global, instant access? DeFi works anywhere in the world, offering the same tools to everyone, not just those in wealthy countries.

9. No Reward Without Risk
   Crypto is not without risks, and it’s important to acknowledge that. However, the days of worrying about crypto going to zero are long gone. With Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs now live in the U.S. and billions of dollars pouring into the space, the “blue-chip” assets like BTC, ETH, and SOL have established themselves with robust ecosystems, communities, and investor backing.

   Could a random memecoin go to zero? Absolutely. But BTC? ETH? SOL? These assets are here to stay. As with any investment, there’s risk—but without risk, there’s no reward.

10. A Lifelong Learning Journey
    Learning crypto requires some time and effort, but so does anything that can profoundly improve your life.

    • If you already understand traditional finance, learning DeFi is about familiarizing yourself with new terms and technology.

    • If you’re less familiar with finance, crypto is an opportunity to learn how money, banks, and financial systems work—and why crypto offers something better.

    The beauty of crypto is that it teaches you about systems we’ve long taken for granted. From discovering inefficiencies in traditional finance to exploring the potential of blockchain, crypto empowers you to take control of your financial future.

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