Key Highlights
- The number of people holding cryptocurrencies worldwide reached 741 million in 2025, up 12.4% from 2024.
- Bitcoin remains the most popular crypto with 365 million holders, while Ethereum grew faster to 175 million holders.
- The growth was supported by U.S. government actions, corporate adoption, and clearer regulations for institutions.
The total number of cryptocurrency holders worldwide reached 741 million in 2025, led by Bitcoin and Ethereum, marking a 12.4% increase from roughly 659 million in 2024.
According to Crypto.com’s latest Crypto Market Sizing Report, people who own Bitcoin have increased from 337 million in 2024 to about 365 million in 2025, an 8.3% increase. This makes nearly half of all crypto holders worldwide.
Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, grew by 22.6% to about 175 million users, which is around 24% of the total. This growth reflects consistent upgrades to its ecosystem, especially advancements in its smart contracts, which continue to draw in traders and developers.
At the time of this writing, Bitcoin is trading around $68,058, down 0.83% in the last 24 hours, while Ethereum trades for $1,981, up a modest 0.37% over the same period, according to CoinMarketCap.
According to the report, this increase was driven by a couple of recent events that had happened in the last year, including a change in crypto policy, corporate firms joining the space, and new ways to use crypto beyond just trading.
U.S. government policy boosts adoption
In the United States, the government took steps that helped boost confidence in cryptocurrencies by creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a Digital Asset Stockpile, which made cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and other digital assets recognized as real financial tools. Both were established via executive order by President Donald Trump in March 2025.
At the same time, many public companies began adding crypto to their cash holdings, while the tokenization of real-world assets, such as property, art, and commodities, became more common, especially in the second half of the year.
For instance, Strategy, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder with over 714,644 BTC, added even more Bitcoin, around 1142 BTC, worth $90 million, to its holdings. Meanwhile, Metaplanet, another Bitcoin-holding firm based in Japan, holds around $3.78 billion worth.
Harvard Management Company, an investment firm of Harvard University, holds about 5.35 million shares in the Bitcoin ETF, a product that gives investors exposure to the cryptocurrency without them needing to hold it directly.
According to a previous report, its shares are worth about $265 million, with an additional 3.9 million shares in Ethereum worth about $86.8 million. Together, the university owns about $352.6 million in crypto assets.
Institutions join the market
Institutions also became a more regular part of the market. While retail investors still make up most of the new holders, regulatory clarity has helped larger investors like banks and investment managers enter the space with more confidence.
Crypto.com reported that in 2025, it secured several key licenses, including MiCA and MiFID approvals in Europe and a full set of CFTC derivatives licenses in the United States. These steps have lowered barriers for institutional involvement and increased confidence in the market.
Looking ahead, Crypto.com suggests continued growth in 2026. With 741 million owners, cryptocurrency now represents about 9% of the global population.
Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek said, “This past year for our industry was defined by significant regulatory progress globally and the solidifying of our industry in the world’s largest crypto economy, the United States. Looking ahead to 2026, we are optimistic that crypto adoption at both a retail and institutional level will continue growing at pace.”
In short, the market is maturing, with adoption spreading evenly across regions and use cases rather than being tied to short-term speculation.
Also Read: Trump’s Truth Social Seeks SEC Approval for Crypto ETFs
