The number of people worldwide who own cryptocurrency climbed to 741 million in 2025, representing a 12.4% jump from the 659 million recorded the previous year, according to Crypto.com’s newly released annual Crypto Market Sizing Report.
The findings underscore a year of accelerating mainstream adoption, driven largely by a friendlier regulatory environment in the United States and deepening institutional participation in digital assets.
Bitcoin and Ethereum Lead the Charge
Bitcoin remained the dominant asset by ownership, with holders rising 8.3% year-over-year to reach 365 million — roughly half of all global crypto owners. But Ethereum was the standout performer in terms of growth rate, with its user base expanding 22.6% from 142 million to 175 million over the same period, now accounting for nearly a quarter of all crypto holders worldwide.
The growth coincided with several landmark policy developments in the U.S. The establishment of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate Digital Asset Stockpile positioned Bitcoin as a recognized strategic asset at the federal level — a move that sent a powerful signal to both retail investors and institutions.
Institutional Tailwinds Strengthen
Beyond government action, 2025 saw significant momentum on the corporate side. Public companies increasingly built digital asset treasuries, while real-world asset (RWA) tokenization gained meaningful traction through the second half of the year. Together, these trends helped pull institutional capital deeper into the crypto ecosystem and reinforced the narrative that digital assets are becoming a permanent fixture in global finance.
Regulatory Progress Worldwide
The report arrives at a moment of broad regulatory maturation across major markets. Crypto.com itself secured a string of notable licenses during the year, including a MiCA license in Europe, a MiFID license for traditional investment services on the continent, and a full suite of CFTC derivatives licenses in the U.S. — making it the first major crypto platform to achieve that milestone.
The platform also expanded aggressively into adjacent verticals, rolling out stock and ETF trading, a credit card program, a high-yield banking feature, and a revamped rewards program. Its push into prediction markets deepened through partnerships with DraftKings, Truth Social, Fanatics Markets, and others.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek struck an optimistic tone about the trajectory ahead, pointing to regulatory clarity and growing participation at both the retail and institutional levels as key drivers for the year to come.
Still, the 12.4% growth rate — while healthy — marks a more measured pace compared to the explosive surges seen during prior bull cycles. That may reflect a market maturing past its speculative roots and settling into a steadier adoption curve, one increasingly shaped by real utility, regulatory guardrails, and traditional finance integration rather than pure hype.
The full Crypto Market Sizing Report, which draws on a blend of on-chain data and estimation models, is available on Crypto.com’s research portal.
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With over half a decade of experience commentating on the cryptocurrency market and even more as a trader and investor, Jay has developed a robust knowledge base that enables him to dive deep into the inner workings of crypto platforms and the broader market to deliver unique, user-focused insight.
Jay's work has spanned public relations firms, crypto projects, affiliate sites, and news outlets.
