A data-driven report by Outset PR, analyzing crypto-native traffic trends across Western Europe’s thematic media—as well as finance, tech, and general news ecosystems

Crypto interest across Western Europe remains on an upward trend. In 2024 alone, the region's Web3 sector attracted more than €2.1 billion in funding, accounting for 21% of global crypto investment. Yet the media landscape that supports this interest is facing serious headwinds. As the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation began its soft rollout and Google launched its March core algorithm update, many crypto-focused publishers were penalized — not for lack of relevance, but for unclear disclaimers, SEO fragility, and regulatory ambiguity around content.

Building on Outset PR's earlier analysis of crypto media trends in Latin America, we turned our focus to Western Europe — analyzing the Q1 2025 performance of 133 crypto-covering outlets. What we found was telling: 82% of crypto-native publications saw traffic decline. We observed the beginning of a structural realignment — one where mainstream and finance-first platforms outperformed, powered by stronger domain authority, broader editorial range, and a faster shift toward compliance.

This matters far beyond communication circles — because the way crypto stories are told, discovered, or hidden affects how people invest, innovate, and engage with the digital economy. 

Crypto Adoption Trends Across Western Europe

According to the "Adoption of Crypto-assets in France and Europe 2024" report by Adan, Deloitte, and Ipsos, interest in cryptocurrencies across Western Europe is both broadening and deepening, driven by a desire for innovation in payments, digital identity, and decentralized finance.

• Italy leads the region, with 37% of the population expressing active interest in crypto.
• In France, ownership has stabilized at 10%, but intent is rising fast: 33% plan to acquire digital assets in 2025.
• The UK, Netherlands, and Belgium show steady growth, with adoption ranging from 17% to 19%.
• Younger demographics dominate crypto ownership. In France, for example, 61% of crypto holders are under 35, and 60% are employed full-time.
• Interest extends beyond tokens: 31% of French respondents are curious about blockchain-based payment apps, and 26% about decentralized ID solutions.
  Institutional acceptance is also growing, with major fintech platforms expanding access to crypto products across the region — a clear signal of normalization and integration into mainstream financial services. 

Methodology

Outset PR's report is based on SimilarWeb web and mobile traffic data tracking 133 active media platforms in Western Europe during January-March 2025, with the sites filtered for their consistent publishing and strong regional audiences. 

The sample includes:

• 87 crypto-native publications, ranging from niche newsrooms to top-tier content hubs

• 46 broader outlets — spanning finance, tech, and general media — that maintain dedicated crypto coverage sections

All selected outlets had consistent data across the quarter and predominantly Western European audiences, representing a statistically significant snapshot of the region's crypto-focused media ecosystem.

We calculated their average reach for the quarter, and how much their visibility changed. To better understand discoverability, we also identified which sites appeared in Google Discover based on a combination of SimilarWeb data, Ahrefs insights, and our own internal checks.

From there, we looked at how recent changes — like the early MiCA enforcement, market volatility, search algorithm updates, and stricter content rules — affected how visible these outlets were and how many people they reached. 

Key dynamics we observed:

• Precautionary compliance measures are already underway, even ahead of MiCA's full rollout

• Country-specific enforcement and legal nuances are fragmenting crypto visibility across markets

• Non-crypto-native platforms remained more resilient — dominating reach and sidestepping many of the SEO and regulatory pressures affecting crypto-first outlets

This layered methodology allowed us not just to measure media performance, but to understand why visibility is shifting — and what that means for the future of crypto narratives in the region.

The Triple Shock That Hit Crypto Media in Q1 

Three disruptive forces converged during the first quarter of 2025:

• MiCA's early enforcement began reshaping how crypto content must be presented to meet new compliance standards.
  
• Google's March core algorithm update penalized thin or repetitive content — disproportionately affecting smaller, crypto-native sites with limited SEO resources.
  
• Market volatility, driven by geopolitical tensions and shifting policies, weakened casual search interest and made general readers more cautious.

Many crypto-focused publications were unprepared for these changes. Lacking the legal language, structural clarity, or compliance features now expected in regulated search environments, they struggled to maintain visibility. This challenge became especially acute as MiCA's interpretation of what constitutes promotional content continued to evolve.  

Combined, these forces triggered a pullback in total crypto-native traffic — from 26.57 million visits in January to 22.85 million in February, and further down to 22.22 million by March — a cumulative decline of 16.3% over the quarter. The downturn was widespread, with 82% of publications in the dataset experiencing losses.

Traffic Dynamics Across Western Europe's Crypto Media, Q1 2025. Source: Outset PR analysis, based on SimilarWeb data

Crypto Media Faced a Fragmented Downturn 

The impact of Q1's disruption varied widely across Western Europe. Italy faced the sharpest collapse, with crypto media traffic falling by nearly 30%. Widespread penalties and a lack of compliant infrastructure left most outlets struggling to recover. Spain followed a similar pattern: SEO losses compounded by advertising restrictions, and by March, only one crypto-native outlet showed signs of regaining visibility. In Germany, traffic dropped by around 22% as BaFin tightened pressure on crypto communications and disclaimers.

Elsewhere, the disruption was less severe but still visible. France experienced a moderate decline — around 17% — as the AMF focused on transparency, prompting uneven adaptation across outlets. The Netherlands, despite facing no direct regulatory crackdown, saw a 15% traffic dip, mainly due to Google's algorithm changes impacting its SEO-dependent media environment. Even in the UK, which operates outside the MiCA framework, crypto-related traffic fell by 13%, driven by FCA compliance expectations and search discoverability issues. 

Generalist Sites Stayed Resilient

In contrast, general finance and tech outlets with crypto sections weathered the storm well. Of the 46 non-crypto-only sites analyzed, 54% saw traffic increase. In total, these non-crypto-exclusive sites generated more than 106 million visits in Q1 — over four times the reach of their crypto-dedicated counterparts. 

More than half recorded growth, thanks to stronger domain authority, diversified content, and lower reliance on volatile crypto cycles. 

Traditional finance portals outperformed crypto-native sites by wide margins in several countries, especially in Spain and Italy, often drawing millions of monthly readers. This reflects a broader trend: institutional narratives are gaining ground while niche crypto coverage remains fragile. One illustrative case was Benzinga's Spanish edition, which saw triple-digit growth — underscoring how finance-first platforms with crypto sections have proven more adaptable in this shifting landscape.

This trend was echoed in Germany, where top-tier outlets like Finanzen.net and Stock3 posted stable performance — illustrating that well-established financial media could absorb regulatory turbulence and algorithm updates far more effectively. 

Western Europe's Generalist Media Performance, Q1 2025. Source: Outset PR analysis, based on SimilarWeb data

Final Takeaway

The data tells a clear story: in Q1 2025, crypto media in Western Europe entered a period of realignment. As MiCA enforcement took hold and search algorithms evolved, 82% of crypto-native outlets saw their visibility shrink — not due to falling interest, but because staying discoverable now demands more structure, transparency, and regulatory readiness. Only the platforms that adapted were able to pull ahead.

This shift also reflects a broader transformation, where visibility isn't automatic — it's earned through trust, clarity, and the ability to evolve in today's digital landscape. Those who meet this moment with purpose and resilience will lead the next chapter in how crypto is accessed, understood, and embraced.