Jul 11, 2023
100+ Cryptocurrency Statistics Investors Should Know in 2023
A lot has changed in the world of cryptocurrency since its inception in 2009. Once viewed with uncertainty and skepticism, crypto has quickly become a wildly popular investment among a wide variety of investors.
As a novel and disruptive technology, cryptocurrency has prompted a new approach to how currencies work in the modern economy. As a 100% virtual currency, it’s seen by many as the most convenient era of exchange in history.
To round out your understanding of cryptocurrency, here’s what you’ll find in this article:
- Noteworthy cryptocurrency statistics
- Cryptocurrency market statistics
- Cryptocurrency user statistics and demographics
- Cryptocurrency statistics by country
- Cryptocurrency tax statistics
- Cryptocurrency environmental impact statistics
- Cryptocurrency price statistics
- FAQs about cryptocurrency statistics
Read along to learn the top cryptocurrency statistics of 2023.
Noteworthy cryptocurrency statistics
Despite volatility over the last year, the statistics below make it clear that consumers are committed to crypto. Bitcoin is by and large the most popular cryptocurrency, with 75% of crypto owners reporting they own Bitcoin as of June 2022.
In assessing the current state of the crypto market, it’s important to remember that it’s still a new and speculative investment. As informative as these statistics are, no one really knows what to expect in the future. As an investor, the best approach to crypto investing is allocating a small amount of your portfolio to crypto. When it comes to long-term investing goals, prioritizing more traditional assets like index funds or ETFs can keep your portfolio balanced and poised for success.
To that end, here are some noteworthy cryptocurrency facts to be aware of.
- The global market capitalization for all cryptocurrencies is $1.22 trillion in July 2023. (CoinGecko x Statista)
- There are over 420 million crypto users worldwide in 2023. (TripleA)
- There are around 26,000 cryptocurrencies as of July 2023. (Coinmarketcap)
- 268,971 Bitcoin transactions took place daily in September 2022. (YCharts)
- Bitcoin’s total market capitalization is $568 billion as of July 2023. (YCharts)
- The global blockchain technology market is expected to surpass $469.49 billion by 2030. (Grand View Research)
- 68% of U.S. crypto owners own over $1,000 in crypto assets in 2022. (TripleA)
- There were 264,360 daily transactions of Bitcoin as of July 2022. (Coin Metrics)
- The average daily cryptocurrency trading volume was $103 billion in September 2022. (CoinGecko)
- Bitcoin dominates 39.45% of the total cryptocurrency market capitalization. (CoinMarketCap)
- Between 2012 and 2021, the price of Bitcoin increased by more than 540,000%. (TripleA)
Below, we outline some more specific facts about cryptocurrency.
Cryptocurrency market statistics
While consumer interest in the crypto market remains high, the market has suffered significant fluctuations over the last nine months. Amid surging inflation, a volatile stock market, and hiked interest rates, Bitcoin and Ethereum are still recouping their losses after falling from all-time highs in November 2021.
While volatility is to be expected in a still-evolving industry like crypto, it’s impacted more by the state of the economy at large than by a declining interest in the crypto ecosystem.
While current Bitcoin prices are far from the highs seen in November, Bitcoin has still steadily risen in value over the years. And with other leading virtual currencies like Tether, Ethereum, and Litecoin making a mark on the market, crypto ownership shows no signs of slowing down.
Given the 15% rate of adoption among U.S. consumers has stayed the same since June 2021, we can see cryptocurrency ownership and purchasing intent have held steady. With 1 in 6 U.S. households owning cryptocurrency in June 2022, crypto is likely here to stay.
- The size of the Bitcoin blockchain has steadily risen in the last decade, reaching 406 GB in size in July 2022. (Blockchain)
- For the first time ever, the Ethereum market capitalization surpassed $250 billion in April 2021—half of what it was in August 2020. (CoinMarketCap x Statista)
- Ethereum had a market capitalization of $224 billion in July 2023, the second highest after Bitcoin. (CoinGecko)
- Ethereum had a global market capitalization dominance of 19.62% in July 2023 2023. (TradingView)
- As of July 2023, the three largest cryptocurrency exchanges are Binance, Coinbase, and OKX. (CoinGecko)
- The 711 crypto exchanges had a total daily trading volume of $36.3 billion in July 2023. (CoinGecko)
- Decentralized finance (DeFi) had a market capitalization of roughly $49 billion in July 2023. (CoinGecko)
- In Q2 2023, Bitcoin’s market dominance rose to 49.72%, an increase from its dominance of 42% at the beginning of 2023. (CoinGecko)
- As of September 2022, Bitcoin’s market dominance has fallen slightly to 40.72%. (TradingView)
- In Q2 2023, Ethereum’s market dominance maintained roughly the same dominance seen in Q1 2023. (CoinGecko)
- As of July 2023, Ethereum’s market dominance has risen since Q2 to 20.24%. (TradingView)
- Tether had a market dominance of 7.36% in July 2023. (TradingView)
- The top 10 centralized crypto exchanges saw $1.42 trillion in trading volume in Q2 2023. (CoinGecko)
- The market share for crypto exchange Binance shrank to 52% in Q2 2023, totaling $500 billion. (CoinGecko)
- Bitcoin and Ethereum made up over half of the entire crypto market in 2021. (TradingView)
- By the end of 2021, Ethereum was traded over 1.1 million times a day. (Coin Metrics)
- The total market capitalization for all types of crypto excluding Bitcoin was $612 billion in July 2023. (CoinMarketCap)
- The daily average trading volume for all types of crypto excluding Bitcoin was roughly $32.5 billion in September 2022. (CoinMarketCap)
- Bitcoin reached roughly 89% of its maximum supply in April 2021. (Statista)
- There were 19 million Bitcoin tokens in circulation in August 2022. (Messari x Statista)
- The blockchain market value reached $11.14 billion in 2022. (Fortune Business Insight)
- As of June 2023, 85 million unique Blockchain.com wallets (that is, the vehicle used to buy and store Bitcoin) have been created. (Blockchain)
- There are 36,246 crypto ATMs in the world. (Coin ATM Radar)
Now that you have a grasp on the size of the crypto market, you might be wondering how many people use cryptocurrency and how many people are invested in crypto. We cover these cryptocurrency demographics and more in the section below.
Cryptocurrency user statistics and demographics
Data on cryptocurrency demographics shows that crypto is largely owned by younger Americans. To that end, you might’ve heard of the “crypto bro” stereotype, and while it’s true that crypto owners tend to be younger, white, and male, crypto owners come from all walks of life. In fact, they’re a more ethnically diverse group compared to the general population.
- In 2022, just 28% of crypto owners in the U.S. are women, while 72% are men. (Morning Consult)
- The average crypto owner is most likely to be wealthier and younger than the average U.S. adult. (Morning Consult)
- In 2022, 80% of all crypto investments are owned by millennials and Gen X. (Finder)
- 44.3% of all crypto investors are millennials. (Finder)
- 28.6% of all crypto investors are Gen X. (Finder)
- 17.8% of all crypto investors are Gen Z. (Finder)
- In May 2022, 44.4% of cryptocurrency owners said they expected their personal finances to improve over the next 12 months, compared with only 27.1% of all U.S. adults and 29.5% of high-income adults. (Morning Consult)
- American crypto owners own $1,003 in crypto on average. (Finder)
- The average crypto owner has an annual income of $25,000. (Finder)
- 44% of U.S. cryptocurrency owners have an annual income of $100,000 or more. (TripleA)
- Of Americans with an annual income of less than $50,000, just 18.6% own cryptocurrency. (TripleA)
- 82% of U.S. cryptocurrency owners are between the ages of 18 and 44. (TripleA)
- Just 9% of Americans age 55 and older own cryptocurrency, making them the least likely age group to own crypto. (Finder)
- 66% of U.S. cryptocurrency owners hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. (TripleA)
- 22% of U.S. cryptocurrency owners are still in high school. (TripleA)
- 81% of U.S. adults report they’ve heard of cryptocurrencies in 2022, a significant increase from 69% who said the same in 2020. (TripleA)
- In the United States, men are 2.8 times more likely to own crypto than women. (Finder)
- 58% of crypto owners are white. (Morning Consult)
- 23% of crypto owners are Hispanic. (Morning Consult)
- 41% of crypto owners identify as nonwhite. (Morning Consult)
Now that we’ve covered who invests in cryptocurrency, let’s take a look at cryptocurrency volume by country.
Cryptocurrency statistics by country
While the United States sees significantly more crypto activity than nearly every other country, more countries across the globe are diving into cryptocurrency or seeing existing adoption increase. For many developing countries, cryptocurrency is a chance to increase financial inclusion and accessibility among unbanked populations.
For citizens in countries with limited access to financial services, cryptocurrency can be an important investing and payment tool in lieu of any other good options. Crypto is increasingly pushed as a way to give more people access to the financial system because participants don’t need bank accounts, just a digital wallet, to engage in transactions.
While the widespread adoption of crypto in such countries is still in its infancy, as is the establishment of regulations required to make it possible, it represents a monumental opportunity. Along with fighting corrupt financial systems and strengthening social trust through a more transparent system, crypto offers the chance for unbanked populations to save money and conduct daily transactions—a basic right in the way of financial security and inclusion.
- An estimated 46 million people currently own cryptocurrency in the U.S.—13.7% of America’s population. (TripleA)
- El Salvador became the first country to make Bitcoin legal tender in September 2021. (NBER)
- In April 2022, the Central African Republic became the second nation in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender. (CoinDesk)
- Roughly 27 million people in India currently own cryptocurrency. (TripleA)
- Roughly 26 million people in Pakistan currently own cryptocurrency. (TripleA)
- Roughly 22 million people in Nigeria currently own cryptocurrency. (TripleA)
- Roughly 20 million people in Vietnam currently own cryptocurrency. (TripleA)
- 60% of cryptocurrency owners in Australia own Bitcoin in 2022. (Finder)
- Cryptocurrency owners in Australia are the most likely to own Ethereum in 2022. (Finder)
- Bitcoin made up 27% of crypto transaction values in the United Kingdom in June 2021, while Ethereum and Wrapped Ether (WETH) made up 40%. (Chainalysis)
- Bitcoin made up 28% of crypto transaction values in Germany in June 2021, while Ethereum and WETH made up 36%. (Chainalysis)
- Bitcoin made up 20% of crypto transaction values in France in June 2021, while Ethereum and WETH made up 45%. (Chainalysis)
Cryptocurrency tax statistics
A major characteristic of the cryptocurrency market is the widespread shift away from traditional financial institutions. This has given way to global tax transparency concerns that tax administrations must navigate as the crypto market continues to grow. With cryptocurrency tax regulations taking shape, it’s more important than ever that crypto investors understand just how their holdings are taxed.
While understanding the tax implications of cryptocurrencies is still in its early stages, the IRS has made clear the need for a sound crypto tax policy. Much of this is seen in the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in the U.S. in November 2021, giving the IRS and U.S. Treasury power to establish tax reporting rules for cryptocurrency transactions starting in 2023.
In 2014, the IRS declared that cryptocurrency is considered “property” for federal income tax purposes. That means crypto is taxed the same as other capital assets such as stocks, bonds, or property on their capital gains (for a deeper dive into cryptocurrency vs. stocks, read our guide here). Here’s an overview of what counts as a taxable event for cryptocurrencies:
Taxable event | Non-taxable event |
Selling crypto for cash | Donating crypto to a tax-exempt charity or nonprofit |
Paying for goods or services | Buying crypto and holding it |
Buying one crypto asset with another crypto (e.g., using Bitcoin to buy Ethereum) | Transferring crypto between wallets |
Mining crypto or receiving mined crypto | Gifting crypto (for gifts up to $16,000) |
Being paid in crypto or via AirDrop | |
Receiving crypto rewards |
One consideration for crypto investors is the length of time you hold your assets. Your capital gains and losses will either be considered short term (the sale of assets held for less than a year) or long-term (the sale of assets held for over a year). Generally, tax rates for long-term capital gains are less than those of short-term gains. Because of this, investors can minimize crypto taxes by holding crypto for longer periods of time.
That’s just one example of understanding how cryptocurrencies are taxed, but there are more considerations to be aware of. Review information and FAQs on the IRS website for a more thorough breakdown of what you need to know.
- The IIJA passed in November 2021 defines “digital assets” for the first time in the Internal Revenue Code. (PwC)
- The IIJA legislation related to digital asset gross proceeds reporting is effective for all crypto transactions occurring in 2023. (PwC)
- The IIJA legislation amended the definition of digital assets to now include “cash,” requiring businesses to report any digital asset receipt that exceeds $10,000 in digital asset value. (Deloitte)
- Closing the crypto tax reporting gap could result in an estimated $28 billion in tax revenues over the next decade. (The Joint Committee on Taxation x Deloitte)
- Had they applied national tax rules to just one of the main cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, the European Union (EU) could have captured tax revenues equivalent to $986 million in 2020. (European Commission, Joint Research Center)
- Roughly 40 million Americans say the main reason they own crypto is to use it as a form of investment. (Finder)
- Roughly 15.5 million Americans say using crypto as a form of payment is the main reason they own crypto, making it the second most common reason after investing. (Finder)
- About 10.1 million Americans say the main reason they own crypto is to hedge against price volatility in traditional assets. (Finder)
- In 2014, just seven countries had official cryptocurrency tax guidance in place, compared to 29 in 2022. (PwC)
- 86% of countries included in a PwC analysis have tax guidance on the calculation of gains and losses on the buying and selling of crypto assets for individuals. (PwC)
- As of 2021, no territories have issued formal guidance on the taxation of borrowing and lending in DeFi protocols. (PwC)
- While cryptocurrency was first launched in 2009, it wasn’t until 2014 that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) published income tax guidance for investing and trading cryptocurrency. (PwC)
The deployment of crypto tax regulations might be in its early stages, but developments are expected to continue as the market continues to evolve.
Cryptocurrency environmental impact statistics
The technology that makes cryptocurrency possible requires a considerable amount of electricity—thus, the explosive growth of cryptocurrency has also led to an increasingly large environmental footprint.
Nearly all cryptocurrency electricity usage is driven by crypto mining. This is foundational to how digital currencies are created—the blockchain relies on users to validate transactions and update the blockchain with new blocks of information.
The more blocks of verified transactions that are processed or “hashed,” the more Bitcoin is mined. “Hash” or hashrate is the total computational power used each second to mine and process blockchains. To protect against bad actors from manipulating this information, these blockchains are purposely difficult and costly to verify.
While less energy-intensive blockchain validation methods are being explored, widespread solutions to the environmental impact of cryptocurrency are still largely absent.
- On March 9, 2022, President Biden signed Executive Order 14067 “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets,” in line with U.S. climate change objectives. (The White House)
- In the United States, crypto-related activity produces an estimated 25 to 50 Mt C02 per year—comparable to emissions from diesel fuel used in U.S. railroads. (The White House)
- The United States’ share of global Bitcoin mining rose from 3.5% in 2020 to 38% in 2022. (The White House)
- The U.S. is home to the world’s largest Bitcoin mining industry, accounting for close to 38% of the global Bitcoin network hashrate in 2022. (Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index)
- Annual crypto-related electricity usage across the globe grew by over 67% between July 2021 and July 2022. (The White House)
- Bitcoin accounts for an estimated 60–77% of total global crypto-related electricity consumption as of August 2022. (The White House)
- Ethereum accounts for an estimated 20–39% of total global crypto-related electricity consumption as of August 2022. (The White House)
- In September 2022, the total Bitcoin hashrate (that is, the number of terahashes per second performed on the Bitcoin network) was 232 million TH/s. (Blockchain)
- The top Bitcoin mining pools globally all come from China, five of which make up over half of cryptocurrency’s total hash. (Statista)
- As of September 2022, Bitcoin’s annual energy consumption stands at an estimated 129.08 TWh per year. (Bitcoin Energy Consumption x Digiconomist)
- Bitcoin has an annual carbon footprint of 72.00 Mt C02—comparable to the carbon footprint of Greece. (Bitcoin Energy Consumption x Digiconomist)
- Bitcoin has an annual electrical energy footprint of 129.08 TWh—comparable to the power consumption of Norway. (Bitcoin Energy Consumption x Digiconomist)
- Bitcoin has an annual electronic waste footprint of 38.06 kt—comparable to the small IT equipment waste of the Netherlands. (Bitcoin Energy Consumption x Digiconomist)
- As of September 2022, Ethereum’s annual energy consumption stands at an estimated 80.06 TWh per year. (Bitcoin Energy Consumption x Digiconomist)
- Ethereum has an annual carbon footprint of 44.65 Mt C02—comparable to the carbon footprint of Hong Kong. (Bitcoin Energy Consumption x Digiconomist)
- Ethereum has an annual electrical energy footprint of 80.06 TWh—comparable to the power consumption of Chile. (Bitcoin Energy Consumption x Digiconomist)
Cryptocurrency price statistics
Bitcoin began 2022 nearly twice as valuable as it was in 2021, following a year when cryptocurrency saw an explosion of mainstream interest. Those gains were short-lived, however—by July 2022, Bitcoin’s price plummeted from $47,780 to the $20,000 range.
Even as Bitcoin’s price has struggled to say above $20,000 since late June, people’s interest in the crypto market remains high—51% of Americans who own cryptocurrency bought it in the last 12 months. As mainstream adoption of crypto continues to emerge, more everyday investors are wondering how cryptocurrency could fit into their portfolio.
If you’re on the fence due to the price swings seen over the last year, keep in mind that price volatility is a trademark characteristic of crypto. It’s not uncommon for prices to drop by 15% or more in a single day—in fact, they often do. That’s why some advisors recommend allocating 5% or less of your portfolio to cryptocurrencies.
If you’re considering investing in crypto, be sure to do so in a way that aligns with your long-term investments. That means ensuring you have a balanced portfolio that includes traditional assets like index funds or ETFs, and never investing more into crypto than you’re willing to lose. Overall, avoid fretting over short-term swings and instead employ a “set it and forget it” strategy—the best approach to any long-term investment goal.
- As of June 2022, Bitcoin had fallen to $22,123—67% below its all-time high of $67,510 reached in November 2021. (Morning Consult)
- The average market price (that is, how much you can sell one Bitcoin for) across all major Bitcoin exchanges was $22,000 in September 2022. (Blockchain)
- As of July 2023, Bitcoin ranked as one of the most expensive cryptocurrencies across all types. (CoinGecko)
- The average market price for Ethereum was $1,614.32 in September 2022. (CoinGecko)
- The value of Ethereum has grown significantly over the years, from $0.03 when it launched in 2015 to its peak price of $4,800 in late 2021. (NextAdvisor x Time)
- The average market price for Tether was $1,614.32 in September 2022. (CoinGecko)
- The daily price of Bitcoin surpassed $65,000 in November 2021, reaching an all-time high. (CoinGecko)
- As of September 2022, the daily price of Bitcoin sits at close to $20,700, a significant decline compared to November 2021. (CoinGecko)
- The average Bitcoin transaction cost $79.78 in September 2022. (YCharts)
The explosion of popularity in cryptocurrency is impossible to ignore in 2023. Despite market volatility, environmental impact issues, and increasing regulatory oversight, consumers around the world are undoubtedly committed to crypto, and any doubts about the relevance and maturity of the industry no longer stand. That said, the industry is still in its early stages, and you’re not alone if you’re still on the fence about investing in it.
Cryptocurrency is notoriously volatile, but it can be a worthwhile investment if approached with a long-term strategy. While there are no guarantees on returns, holding your investments for the long term is one of the best ways to safeguard them. If you want exposure to the crypto market, double-check your current financial standing and ensure your portfolio is properly diversified.
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FAQs about cryptocurrency statistics
Still have questions about cryptocurrency statistics? We have answers.
How many people own cryptocurrency in 2023?
There are over 420 million crypto users worldwide in 2023.
What crypto has the most users?
Bitcoin is the cryptocurrency with the most users. At a market capitalization of $520 billion, Bitcoin dominates 40% of the crypto market share.
Which country owns the most crypto?
While the United States dominates the global crypto market in terms of market capitalization, United Arab Emirates is the country with the highest ownership—27% of the population owns cryptocurrency.
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