Cryptocurrency statistics 2025
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Since the rise of Bitcoin, the first widely known cryptocurrency, in the early 2010s, the use and ownership of these digital payment assets has surged. Now, there are thousands of types of cryptocurrencies, and millions of Americans have held or used this digital currency.
Unlike physical cash or centralized currencies regulated by the government, cryptocurrency is significantly more volatile, relying on the market to determine its value. That volatility can be seen across news coverage of the crypto market, with fluctuations in major currencies driving the market cap of all cryptocurrencies up and down.
Cryptocurrencies are also secured by cryptography, making them practically impossible to counterfeit or double-spend, and most cryptocurrencies exist on decentralized networks using blockchain technology to track transactions through a digital ledger.
The total market cap for all cryptocurrencies is more than $2 trillion as of May 2024.
Jump to insightThere are more than 21,000 cryptocurrencies available on the market.
Jump to insightAn estimated 575 million people worldwide owned cryptocurrency or other crypto assets in November 2023.
Jump to insightIn 2022, 1 in 10 U.S. adults held or used cryptocurrency.
Jump to insightAmericans reported losing nearly $4 billion to cryptocurrency-related investment fraud in 2023.
Jump to insightCryptocurrency statistics
Over the past decade, cryptocurrencies have grown from novel digital assets with few users to popular investments with millions of owners. An increasing number of users have turned to cryptocurrency because of its decentralized nature, which allows for quick transactions without the need for a bank.
The most popular of these currencies, Bitcoin, is often considered the first cryptocurrency. Since its inception in 2009, Bitcoin has come to dominate the crypto market. As of May 16, 2024, Bitcoin accounts for more than half of the nearly $2.4 trillion cryptocurrency market, despite being just one of more than 21,000 available forms of crypto.
Despite their rise in popularity and value in recent years, cryptocurrencies carry risks because of their volatility. The total market cap of all cryptocurrencies — a measure of the current price of the cryptocurrency multiplied by the circulating supply, or number of available coins — rose from less than $200 billion at the start of 2020 to more than $3 trillion in November 2021 before falling below $900 billion just months later in the summer of 2022.
The changes in market cap came after cryptocurrencies surged in popularity throughout 2020 and 2021. However, in 2022, multiple crypto companies faced bankruptcy, disrupting the market.
Cryptocurrency owners by year
Despite the challenges the crypto industry faced in 2022, the number of cryptocurrency owners has continued to grow significantly over the past five years.
Globally, there were an estimated 106 million cryptocurrency users in January 2021. By November 2023, that number grew to 575 million.
While the number of users worldwide did not decline in 2022, the share of Americans who held or used cryptocurrency fell from 12% in 2021 to 10% in 2022. A majority of that group bought or held cryptocurrency as an investment, rather than using it to make a payment or send as a gift.
Still, after a rebound in 2023, the number of crypto owners worldwide is projected to reach 700 million to 900 million people in 2024.
Cryptocurrency market size
The global cryptocurrency market was valued at nearly $4.7 billion in 2022, a reflection of the value of the companies and technologies that back the crypto trading market.9 This number is significantly smaller than the cryptocurrency market cap, a simpler measure of the value of crypto shares, which was upward of $800 billion in 2022.
As crypto rebounded in 2023, the industry is expected to see continued growth at a compound annual rate of 12.5% from 2023 to 2030. Recent developments in artificial intelligence and investment from private equity companies are expected to support the growing crypto industry.
The market is hampered by volatility and other risks, such as scams, however. For example, in 2023, Americans reported losing nearly $4 billion in crypto-related investment scams, an increase from about $2.6 billion in 2022.
Cryptocurrency market by region
The Asia-Pacific region represented the largest sector of the cryptocurrency market in 2022, accounting for 30% of global market revenue. The region’s dominance in the market was bolstered by the acceptance of cryptocurrency in several South and East Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan and India, as well as the presence of multiple cryptocurrency mining companies.
The next-largest market was the North American region, where cryptocurrencies are growing in popularity, particularly as a means of investment. In this region, several companies are investing in the development of blockchain technology, a digital ledger used to process and record cryptocurrency transactions.
What are the types of cryptocurrency?
The cryptocurrency market is dominated by Bitcoin, the longest-running and most prevalent digital currency available.
As of May 16, 2024, Bitcoin has a market cap of more than $1.2 trillion, with individual coins valued at more than $61,000. Though it has had a volatile price history, Bitcoin reached a peak value upward of $70,000 at its zenith.
Bitcoin’s dominance in the crypto market has resulted in the separation of Bitcoin and altcoins, a reference to any other alternative cryptocurrency. The largest of these is Ethereum, a cryptocurrency released in 2015 that as of May 16, 2024, recorded a market share of nearly $350 billion.
Other types of currencies in this space include decentralized finance (known as DeFi), which relies on a blockchain digital ledger like crypto, and stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency tied to the value of centralized currency, such as the U.S. dollar or Euro.
FAQ
What is the market cap of all cryptocurrencies?
While the market cap is constantly changing, as shares of individual digital currencies change in value, the total market cap has been upward of $2 trillion for most of 2024.
How many people own cryptocurrency?
As of November 2023, there are 575 million cryptocurrency users worldwide. In the U.S., 1 in 10 adults owned or used a form of crypto in 2022.
How many cryptocurrencies are there?
There are more than 21,000 cryptocurrencies available on the market.
Is cryptocurrency safe?
Though the use of cryptography and blockchain technology are designed to make cryptocurrencies nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend, scams involving cryptocurrency are widespread. In 2023, Americans reported losing nearly $4 billion to cryptocurrency-related investment fraud. Cryptocurrency investments are also known for being volatile and unpredictable, with prices for individual coins sometimes fluctuating by thousands of dollars over a matter of days.
References
- “Today’s Cryptocurrency Prices.” Crypto.com. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- “Number of identity-verified cryptoasset users from 2016 to November 2023.” Statista. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- “Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2022.” Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- “Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Report 2023.” Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internet Crime Complaint Center. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- Daly, L. “What is the Overall Cryptocurrency Market Cap?” The Motley Fool. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- “Global Cryptocurrency Market Cap Charts.” CoinGecko. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- Coughlin, S. “A Look at the Cryptocurrency Collapse of 2022: Part 1.” Bressler. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- “2023 Year Review & 2024 Year Ahead.” Crypto.com. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- “Cryptocurrency Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component, By Hardware, By Software, By Process (Mining, Transaction), By Type, By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030.” Grand View Research. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- Mishra, P., & Godbole, O. “Bitcoin Jumps Over $71K as UK's FCA Lets Institutional Investors Create Crypto ETNs.” CoinDesk. Evaluated May 15, 2024.Link Here
- “Types of Cryptocurrency.” Corporate Finance Institute. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
- “Exercise Caution with Crypto Asset Securities: Investor Alert.” U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Evaluated May 16, 2024.Link Here
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