27 Worldwide crypto adoption statistics and facts in 2025

Cryptocurrency has come a long way in a fairly short time. The crypto world started with just seven currencies, and today is a house of more than 9,000 active cryptocurrencies. 

Digital assets have become extremely popular. People slowly realize that buying, selling, and investing in crypto is lucrative. As a result, more and more people are becoming confident and interested in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether. 

So, what does the cryptocurrency adoption rate look like? How does the crypto adoption rate index differ from one country to another, and how does age impact the Bitcoin adoption rate?

That’s what our research team at Invezz has been closely monitoring and following to provide the latest crypto adoption worldwide statistics. 

Key takeaways

• The number of crypto users in 2023 was 575 million.
• Nigeria and Turkey have the highest cryptocurrency adoption rates.
• More Asians feel cryptocurrency exceeded their expectations than Europeans.
• 10% of investors have lost money due to a drop in cryptocurrency value.
• In March 2024, the global market cap of cryptocurrency was $2.75 trillion.
• Bitcoin is the most traded cryptocurrency.
• 88% of Americans have heard about cryptocurrency. 
• 6.55% of Indians own a cryptocurrency. 
• 94% of crypto buyers are between 18-40 years.
• Women are more skeptical of investing in, using, or trading cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency worldwide adoption statistics

1. In 2024, Bitcoin made 49.83% of the total value of the cryptocurrency market. 

In March, the global market cap of cryptocurrency was $2.75 trillion, of which Bitcoin (BTC) had a market cap of approximately $1.4 trillion. This represents a significant decline from 2021 when Bitcoin enjoyed a market share of more than 60% of the total cryptocurrency market. 

Source: Coingecko

2. The number of cryptoasset users in November 2023 was 575 million, up from 106 million in 2021. 

The crypto adoption curve for global users increased by approximately 190 percent between 2018 and 2020. The percentage further increased in 2023. Since 2021, adoption has grown widely because companies like Mastercard and Telsa have announced their interest in cryptocurrency. 

Analysts believe that crypto users will likely reach one billion in 2024. 

Source: Statista, Coin Telegraph

3. 88% of Americans have heard about cryptocurrency. 

Because of the increasing popularity of cryptocurrency, close to 88% of Americans have heard about this digital currency at some point or the other. 

Source: Pew Research Center

Existing cryptocurrency owners want to invest in Ether, Bitcoin, Cardano, and Dogecoin. These statistics indicate a sense of optimism among current crypto investors about the near future of digital currencies. Despite the inherent volatility and risks associated with the market, investors are positive about their digital asset holdings’ growth or value appreciation.

Source: Security.org

5. 41% of Asians feel cryptocurrency exceeded their expectations. 

When you compare the user’s presumptions worldwide, 41% of Asians feel cryptocurrency exceeded their expectations, while 35% feel their expectations are not met. Asians are leading the way in grassroots crypto adoption. Conversely, the statistics are different in European nations. 41% of investors said cryptocurrency met their expectations somewhat, while just 26% said cryptocurrencies fulfilled their hopes.

Source: Kaspersky

6. The global cryptocurrency ownership increased by 34% to reach 580 million in 2023. 

In 2023, 580 million people bought different cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin ownership increased by 33%, whereas the Ethereum crypto ownership rate increased by 39%. The primary reason behind BTC’s adoption growth is the ongoing development of the bitcoin exchange-traded fund. This has allowed the minting of non-fungible and fungible tokens on the Bitcoin network.

Source: The Block

7. Bitcoin crossed an all-time high of $70,000. 

Yet again, Bitcoin proved its dominance when it crossed an all-time high of $70,000 in March 2024. 

This monumental mark shows the rapid adoption of Bitcoin and the recognition of the currency as a legitimate asset class. Additionally, this remarkable increase in transaction volume reflects the strong confidence of cryptocurrency users in Bitcoin’s acceptance as a hedge against inflation.

Source: Reuters

8. 75% of Americans who have heard about cryptocurrencies don’t feel confident in their safety and reliability. 

Surprisingly, only 2% of adults are extremely confident in cryptocurrency trading, and 4% are very confident. What’s more baffling is that 39% of adults who have heard about them are not confident. An additional 36% are not very confident in the reliability and safety of cryptocurrencies. 

Women are more skeptical of investing in, using, or trading cryptocurrency. 

Source: Pew Research Center

9. Only 17% of US adults have traded, invested, or used cryptocurrency. 

Younger men are more likely to use cryptocurrency than men 50 and older and women of any age. 41% of men between 18 to 29 years have transacted in cryptocurrency, while only 16% of women of the same age group have previously transacted using cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency use varies by race, ethnicity, and income level. For example, 24% of Asians and 21% of Blacks or Hispanics have invested in or used a cryptocurrency, compared with 14% of White adults.

About 22% of adults in the upper-income group and 19% in the middle-income group have used cryptocurrency transactions in some form, compared with 13% in the lower-income group.

Source: Pew Research Center

Worldwide cryptocurrency adoption statistics by gender 

10. 53% of men invest in cryptocurrencies compared to 47% of women. 

Gender continues to be of great interest in the world of digital assets. Men are 1.14 times more likely to own cryptocurrency than their female counterparts. 

This indicates a gender gap in the cryptocurrency industry, where men dominate. The gender gap persists because women lack knowledge. 77% of men know about cryptocurrencies compared to 55% of women.

Source: Finder, Science Direct

11. More women consider crypto to be a good investment than men.

29% of women consider cryptocurrency a good investment compared to 25%.

Source: Finder

Crypto adoption statistics by age

12. 94% of crypto buyers are between 18-40 years. 

The crypto adoption curve is uphill among younger adults. There’s a direct correlation between the age and probability of purchasing or investing in cryptocurrencies. Older adults are less likely to purchase digital assets. 

Source: Stilt

13. Gen X spends roughly $9,611 on crypto compared to $6,120 by Gen Z. 

Though Gen Z’s enjoys the highest cryptocurrency adoption rate, they hesitate to invest heavily in them. Gen X outclasses even the Millenials in terms of total investment in cryptocurrencies. 

These baffling statistics reveal that older adults with access to large credit lines have more spending power and disposable income to invest in Bitcoin and other digital currencies.

Source: Stilt

14. 48% of Gen Z think crypto is a good investment. 

Research from different sources reveals the same thing: Crypto is a game for a young audience. For 48% of Gen Z, crypto is a good investment, compared to 5% of Boomers. 

Source: Finder

Cryptocurrency adoption worldwide by country

15. Nigeria and Turkey have the highest cryptocurrency ownership among emerging markets, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

Nigeria and Turkey have a global adoption rate of 47% and rank first in global crypto ownership. UAE and Nigeria have a cryptocurrency adoption rate of 31% and 29% respectively. 

Brazil comes next with a cryptocurrency ownership of 28%.

Source: Statista

16. India ranked first in the global crypto adoption rate in 2023.

According to the global crypto adoption index, India ranks first in grassroots crypto adoption, even after facing tough regulatory standards imposed by the Indian government. Nigeria ranks second, followed by Vietnam, the United States, and Ukraine.

Source: Chainalysis

17. India has 93.5 million crypto users, while China has just 53 million active crypto owners.

6.55% of the Indian population owns cryptocurrency in some form, whereas only 4.15% of China’s population owns a digital currency. Despite the Indian government’s inclination to ban crypto ownership and trading, the population has shown keen interest in these currencies.

Source: Insider Monkey

18. Brazil is the friendliest country in terms of cryptocurrency use in the global crypto adoption index.

11.99% of Brazil’s population owns crypto. The primary reason for its widespread adoption is the ease of rules and regulations regarding the use and trading of cryptocurrency. 

Source: Insider Monkey

Cryptocurrency adoption rate and public perception

19. Over one-third of existing owners hold cryptocurrency because of their interest in technology.

A whopping 57% of investors see cryptocurrency as an asset in their portfolio of investments and as a means to diversify their investment portfolio. Such people invest in blockchain technology solely for the benefits they believe it holds. They rely on decentralization, security, and transparency.

Source: Security.org

20. 22% of investors invested in different digital assets because someone else recommended them. 

This statistic underscores the role of social influence and word-of-mouth on investment decisions within the cryptocurrency market. Recommendations can come from friends, family, influencers, or financial advisors. Existing crypto owners will influence exchange trade volume, use centralized exchanges, and contribute to on-chain data.

Interestingly, 15% invest in crypto because they think it’s cool, while 13% use it to purchase online and protect their money from inflation.

Source: Security.org

21. 31% invest in crypto because they feel it is the future of investment.

The statistics indicate that investors are strongly convinced of the potential of digital assets and related technologies. It shows the investor’s position or optimism toward cryptocurrencies as the future of an asset class. Because of that, crypto investors adopt a tactical mindset and use a long-term strategy, relying less on short-term speculation.

Cryptocurrency investors who are optimistic about its future will likely remain invested throughout high market volatility, forming a stable user base on crypto exchanges.

Barriers to the cryptocurrency adoption rate

22. 32% of people feel that crypto is a scam.

One of the biggest barriers to crypto adoption is that 32% of people considered it a scam in October 2023. 30% are not interested in investing because they lack spare money. Another 28% of investors hesitate because they feel cryptocurrency is too volatile. 

Interestingly, 24% want to invest in other asset classes. These statistics reveal that digital currencies may have to wait a little longer to become mainstream.

Source: Finder

23. 10% of customers have lost money due to a drop in cryptocurrency value. 

Due to current market volatility, 10% of customers have witnessed a drop in cryptocurrency value. What’s more surprising is that concerns about losing money because of market volatility extend to those who don’t invest in cryptocurrency. 

61% of those who don’t invest in these digital assets refuse to invest in crypto because they fear losing money. 

Source: Kaspersky

24. 14% of customers don’t invest in cryptocurrencies because of a lack of tangible assets backing crypto. 

Cryptocurrencies are digital and rely on blockchain technology for their value and security. The lack of a physical asset can make some individual and institutional investors wary, as their investment lacks tangible form or backing. Concerns about the lack of tangible assets backing cryptocurrencies show that companies need to educate, build trust, and innovate how they present and manage their digital assets.

Source: Kaspersky

Bitcoin adoption statistics

25. 83.2% of American crypto owners own Bitcoins. Ether (ETH) comes second. 

The Bitcoin adoption curve for Americans is the highest. 48.7% of American crypto owners had Ether in 2023, 24.7% owned Litecoin (LTC), and 19.7% had Dogecoin(DOGE). The preference for Bitcoin over other cryptocurrencies indicates a general sentiment among investors who look for stability within the inherently volatile crypto market. Bitcoin’s relatively stable position and perceived lower risk than other digital currencies are a few reasons it attracts more conservative crypto investors.

Source: Statista

26. For 54% of Americans, Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency they bought. 

According to the survey, Bitcoin is the most popular entry point for most cryptocurrency owners. 12% bought Dogecoin, while 11% bought Ether as their first digital currency. 

Source: Finder

27. 63% of investors who have never owned crypto feel that digital currencies should have more government oversight. 

Most non-investors feel that a regulated Bitcoin ETF will increase their trust and make them more confident about investing. One primary reason for the desire for more government oversight is that Bitcoin and other digital currencies are prone to security issues and fraud. Stories of hacks, scams, and lost investments have made potential investors wary. Greater government oversight is a way to protect investors and users from these risks.

Source: Security.org

Wrap up

Over the past few years, crypto as an asset has gained popularity and is a topic of interest owing to the power of earning. Despite headwinds and challenges, the cryptocurrency has shown resilience and is currently well-positioned for mass adoption. The statistics above prove that there’s a growing trend in terms of acceptance and usage when it comes to crypto adoption worldwide.