How Many People Own Crypto

Digital currencies are something new and exciting for progressive people of all ages. In recent years, news about cryptocurrency pops up more frequently than the weather forecast on the radio. Conversations about new DeFi projects are getting more widespread. Today, we will tell you how many people actually own crypto and how this number has changed over the last 15 years.

Historical Overview Of Cryptocurrency Ownership

Attitudes toward digital currencies can vary greatly, from full acceptance and daily use to doubts and a multitude of questions. Naturally, each emotion reflects market changes during certain periods. Let's get to the bottom of this.

2008-2010

The start of the DeFi story dates back to 2008. At that time, trailblazer Satoshi Nakamoto, an individual or a group of anonymous persons, published a paper. It delved into the issue of centralized banks controlling citizens' funds.

The world saw the first cryptocurrency in the next year. It was Bitcoin. However, it also took time for this system to be adopted, and the first Bitcoin transaction did not take place until 2010. We are talking about the sensational story when one of the first crypto owners from Florida paid 10,000 BTC for just two pizzas from Papa John's. Based on this transaction, the first exchange rate was as follows: 1 BTC = 4 pennies. At the time, there were only a few thousand cryptocurrency owners.

2011-2013

The first signs of growth came when Bitcoin started making news headlines. The public began studying Satoshi Nakamoto’s paper, and at first, skepticism was in the air. The number of crypto owners had grown to tens of thousands by 2011, and just two years later, it reached the one million mark.

2014–2017

During this period, interest in the crypto market surged dramatically, and a strong community of developers and miners began to form. The number of holders increases with technological advancements. For example, the emergence of Ethereum and Monero. That figure rose to 20 million at the end of this period.

2018–2021

After a heated discussion, a market crash followed, and interest in cryptocurrencies temporarily declined. With Bitcoin's renewed growth and the introduction of innovations (Chainlink, Solana, Polygon), the number of holders reached 300 million worldwide. This was the end of 2021.

2022 – Present

We have reached the current day. The total value of all digital assets stands at around $2.02 trillion, and Bitcoin accounts for about $1.14 trillion. According to Triple-A, there are 420 million crypto owners worldwide. The study notes that this represents 4.2% of the whole population. So, the number of users keeps growing with interest in decentralized finance and NFTs. There are also quite a few cases, 560 million, where people just use digital assets but don't own them.

What is about the future? Experts claim that if the current growth rate continues, the number of owners will reach the significant mark of 1 billion by 2026.

How Many Americans Own Crypto?

Currently, around 13% of Americans hold virtual funds, which equates to about 45 million people. The country encourages the growth of digital assets and provides favorable regulation in the financial sector. This environment supports the expansion of the cryptocurrency market. Many people see crypto as an investment and, in some cases, as an alternative payment method.

Crypto Ownership By Country

Globally, the number of owners is growing. The table below shows the total number of cryptocurrency holders by major countries:

So, cryptocurrencies are popular in countries with high levels of population, such as India. It includes 7% ownership—about 98 million people. However, in large China, only 5% of the citizens keep crypto due to strict regulations.

The United States leads in the number of holders with around 43 million people, or 13% of the population. It reflects a high level of financial literacy and access to technology. In Canada, there are approximately 5.1 million owners with 13.3% of the population.

Nigeria also actively uses digital technologies as an alternative to the unstable financial system. They have 5.93% of ownership, it is a relatively small number of holders - 13.3 million.

Thus, we can say that the steady growth in the amount of digital holders shows a strong trend towards digital assets and continues to attract the attention of investors and developers.

We hope you found this article useful. Register on Cryptomus platform to approach the figure of one billion crypto holders now. To help you better understand the data for each country, we have prepared answers to frequently asked questions.

FAQ

How Many Nigerians Own Crypto?

In Nigeria, around 32 million people own cryptocurrency, making it one of the leading countries in terms of cryptocurrency popularity. It’s about 15% of the population.

How Many Indians Own Crypto?

It is estimated that about 100 million people in India own cryptocurrency, which constitutes around 7% of the country.

How Many Canadians Own Crypto?

Cryptocurrency is popular in Canada, where approximately 5% of the general public (about 2 million people) own digital assets.

How Many Australians Own Crypto?

In Australia, around 2.5 million people own digital assets, which makes up about 10% of the country's population.

How Many People In The UK Own Crypto?

In the UK, about 4% of the country, 3 million people, own cryptocurrency.