In recent years, cryptocurrencies have proven to be a new, yet strong asset class. Certain cryptocurrency types continue to see extraordinary returns. With more stakeholders from different sectors now gaining interest in its potential, cryptocurrency is predicted to maintain its footing in terms of market growth.
When one says or reads cryptocurrency, Bitcoin surely comes to mind first. However, there’s more to this new and growing asset than meets the eye, and this type of cryptocurrency is just one of the types to keep an eye on. To help you further understand the reach, growth, and potential of cryptocurrencies, we’ve collated these cryptocurrency statistics for you.
Cryptocurrency Statistics Table of Contents
General Cryptocurrency Market Statistics
To many, cryptocurrency seems quite cryptic. However, with digital-only banking that involves cryptocurrencies looming as one of the biggest fintech trends of today, it would be in your best interest to become more familiar with it. If you want to begin your journey into this worldwide currency, check out these general cryptocurrency market statistics.
- The value of the global cryptocurrency market in 2019 was approximately $792.53 million. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 30%, reaching about $5,190.62 million by 2026. (Facts & Factors, 2021)
- Meanwhile, a more conservative estimate placed the global cryptocurrency market size at $754 million in 2019. It is forecast to grow to $1,758 million by 2027, at a CAGR of 11.2%. (Fortune Business Insights, 2020)
- In general, the value of global cryptocurrency markets increased by almost 900% in the period March 2020 to February 2021. (Knoema, 2021)
- Moreover, the total volume of transactions moved directly between cryptocurrency exchanges in 2019 was estimated to be about $51.6 billion. (Crystal, 2021)
- However, the following year, this increased by about 78%. The recorded total volume of transactions in 2020 was almost $91.8 billion. (Crystal, 2021)
- Meanwhile, the blockchain technology market, which is a system closely linked to the proliferation of cryptocurrencies, is expected to reach $39.7 billion by 2025. (Markets and Markets, 2020)
- Furthermore, 60% of the total blockchain technology’s value is concentrated in the financial sector. (Markets and Markets, 2020)
Cryptocurrency Market Breakdown
- Region-wise, Europe led the cryptocurrency industry in 2019, recording around $400 million in transactions. (Facts & Factors, 2021)
- Moreover, in terms of cryptocurrency type, Bitcoin led the pack. It took more than 40% of the market pie or around $300 million in 2019. Other major types that held significant market shares are Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, and Dashcoin. (Facts & Factors, 2021)
- On the other hand, if we look at the end-user analysis, the cryptocurrency market is primarily divided into banking, real estate, stock market, and virtual currency. The stock market and virtual currency sectors led the market with over $500 million in transactions in 2019. (Facts & Factors, 2021)
- Furthermore, on the basis of components, the hardware segment took the biggest share, which is about 70%. (Facts & Factors, 2021)
- Finally, in terms of processes, the mining segment (65%) dominated the global cryptocurrency market in 2019. The remaining 35% is composed of transactions. (Facts & Factors, 2021)
Cryptocurrency Statistics by Country and Region
- The North American cryptocurrency market stood at $250.9 million in 2019. According to experts, the rising popularity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the US greatly contributes to the market’s growth in the region. (Fortune Business Insights, 2020)
- In 2020, the G20 countries with the most recorded cryptocurrency exchanges were the UK (57 exchanges), Singapore, (37 exchanges), the US (31 exchanges), and Hong Kong (27 exchanges). (Crystal, 2021)
- Moreover, Mexico (5 exchanges), Argentina (4 exchanges), Indonesia (3 exchanges), and Russia (2 exchanges) recorded the fewest exchanges. (Crystal, 2021)
- Interestingly, about 16% of all exchanges either do not indicate countries of registration or information is not made available publicly. (Crystal, 2021)
- In all, while G20 countries contributed 38% of all exchanges in 2020, the African country Seychelles transferred around 43% of the total volume of funds. Most of these exchanges were related to Binance and Huobi. (Crystal, 2021)
- In 2013, G20 countries accounted for 91% of all cryptocurrency exchanges. Surprisingly, the volume of G20 transactions decreased to 38% in 2020. (Crystal, 2021)
Source: Crystal
China Leads Mining
- Moreover, China takes 65% of the entire global Bitcoin hash rate, the measure of the power of the computers linked to the Bitcoin network responsible for Bitcoin mining. (Bitcoin.com, 2020)
- Of this, the autonomous Xinjiang region produces the majority of the hash rate. It accounts for 35.76% of the total global hash rate. Meanwhile, Sichuan province records the second-largest concentration (9.66%). (Bitcoin.com, 2020)
- Furthermore, inner Mongolia (8.07%), Yunnan (5.42%), and Beijing (1.73%) also significantly contribute to the national hash rate total. (Bitcoin.com, 2020)
- Interestingly, China’s hash power trumps that of the US nine-fold. The US only accounts for 7.24% of the global hash power. On the other hand, Russia contributes 6.9%, while Kazakhstan’s share is 6.17%. Malaysia and Iran take the 5th and 6th biggest share, with 4.33% and 3.82%, respectively. The rest of the world produces the remaining 6% of the global hash rate. (Bitcoin.com, 2020).
Data on Cryptocurrencies of Today
Bitcoin is possibly the most popular cryptocurrency today, but did you know there are thousands of cryptocurrency types worldwide? You might be surprised to know that as of the latest data, there are at least 10 important cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. In this section, we list down the most significant data on cryptocurrencies today.
- According to data collected by CoinMarketCap as of January 2021, the total number of cryptocurrencies worldwide is 7,812. Together, they make up a market capitalization of $324.716 billion. Meanwhile, Coinlore gives a different count of 6,241 total global cryptocurrencies. For those asking how many cryptocurrencies or crypto coins are there, the answer is indefinite. However, a safe bet would be more or less 5,000. (E-Crypto News, 2021)
- Furthermore, almost 100 cryptocurrencies have a market capitalization of at least $100 million. (E-Crypto News, 2021)
- On the other hand, more than 5,000 cryptocurrencies in existence have a market capitalization of less than $10 million. (E-Crypto News, 2021)
- In 2020, all cryptocurrencies combined had a market capitalization of $758.06 billion. (CoinMarketCap, 2021)
Cryptocurrency Rankings
- Among the cryptocurrencies that currently exist, Bitcoin had the biggest share (66%) of market capitalization in 2020. Ethereum (ETH) distantly follows at 8%. (TradingView, 2020)
- However, 24-hour numbers show different rankings. As of March 29, 2021, the biggest cryptocurrency in the world based on 24-hour volume is Tether (USDT), with a 24-hour volume of $75.92 billion. Bitcoin (BTC) sits on the second spot with a volume of $53.86 billion, followed by Ethereum (ETH) with $20.11 billion. (CoinMarketCap, 2021)
- Furthermore, Binance recorded the biggest cryptocurrency exchange based on 24-hour volume ($28.85 billion). HBTC follows with $14.44 billion and Hydax Exchange with $12.19 billion. (CoinMarketCap, 2021)
- Moreover, the number of daily transactions also shows a different leader. As of March 28, 2021, Stellar (XLM) had the most transactions (3,515,886), followed by Ethereum (ETH) with 1,211,918 transactions, Ripple (XRP) with 1,017,870 transactions, and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) with 371,197 transactions. (Coin Metrics, 2021)
- Meanwhile, when it comes to cryptocurrency prices, rankings are led by the Bitcoin family. As of March 29, 2021, the five most expensive virtual currencies are Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) with a value of $58,122.85, Bitcoin (BTC) with a value of $58,046.64, Bitcoin BEP2 (BTCB) with a value of $57,865.59, yearn.finance (YFI) with a value of $33,972.50, and Maker (MKR) with a value of $2,105.05. (CoinMarketCap, 2021)
Source: CoinMarketCap
Bitcoin Statistics
- How many Bitcoins are in circulation worldwide? The figures for this popular cryptocurrency have increased greatly since its inception in late 2009. As of March 2021, there are an estimated 18.67 million Bitcoins in circulation. (Blockchain, 2021)
- The years 2019 to 2020 proved fruitful for Bitcoin recovery as it strengthened to above $15,000. (Investopedia, 2020)
- As of March 30, 2021, a Bitcoin is equivalent to $57,627.68. (CoinDesk, 2021)
- In case you missed it, Bitcoin surpassed the $60,000 mark after Tesla invested $1.5 billion in the cryptocurrency. (CNBC, 2021)
- An analyst estimates that Tesla made around $1 billion in profit from its Bitcoin investment. (CNBC, 2021).
- Moreover, Bitcoin’s market capitalization reached an all-time high in February 2021—at $1,072.26 billion—around the same time when Tesla invested. (CoinMarketCap, 2021)
- Notably, prior to February 2021, Bitcoin’s price increased at least five times, from $10,000 to more than $50,000. (Knoema, 2021)
- Furthermore, the number of daily Bitcoin transactions averages between 200,000 to 300,000. For instance, in the month of March 2021, the highest number of transactions recorded was 34,661, while the lowest was 240,660. (Coin Metrics, 2021)
- It seems that Bitcoin is most popular in the US. As of December 2020, the country recorded a BTC trading volume of $1,523.60 million. Russia, on the other hand, had about $421 million worth of transactions. (Statista, 2021)
- Moreover, as of January 2021, there are nearly 14,000 Bitcoin ATMs all around the world. The US is home to a total of 11,386 Bitcoin ATMs. (Coin ATM Radar, 2021)
- Interestingly, Bitcoin mining accounts for around 1% of the world’s energy consumption. (The Balance, 2020)
- In 2020, the Bitcoin network consumed around 120 gigawatts of energy per second. (The Balance, 2020)
- Furthermore, it takes 10 minutes to mine a Bitcoin. Regardless of how huge a mining network is and how much power miners consume, it will always take them 10 minutes. (The Balance, 2020)
Data on Other Popular Cryptocurrencies
- As of March 30, 2021, Ethereum’s (ETH) value is equivalent to $1,809.07. (Coindesk, 2021)
- Moreover, Ethereum’s (ETH) market capitalization is at $222.14 billion as of February 21, 2021. (CoinMarketCap, 2021)
- Meanwhile, Litecoin’s (LTC) price as of March 29, 2021, is $184.17. (CoinGecko, 2021)
- Additionally, Litecoin’s (LTC) market capitalization as of February 15, 2021, is $14.3 billion. (CoinGecko, 2021)
- On the other hand, Dogecoin, which drastically grew in January 2021 because of the comments that Tesla CEO Elon Musk made, is valued at $5.35 as of March 29, 2021. (Coindesk, 2021)
Cryptocurrency Users Statistics
Cryptocurrency adoption has progressed in the past several years, but usage varies from economy to economy. If you’re wondering who uses cryptocurrency and what they are using it for, check out these cryptocurrency users statistics.
- As of Q3 2020, there are an estimated 101 million identity-verified cryptocurrency users worldwide. (Cambridge Judge Business School, 2020)
- Surprisingly, even though cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin seem to be more popular in the US, Nigeria sets the record for the most number of people who indicated that they used or owned cryptocurrencies at 31.9%. Vietnam (21.1%), Philippines (19.8%), South Africa (17.8%), and Thailand (17.6%) follow. (Statista, 2021)
- Moreover, the majority of global cryptocurrency services providers are in the retail sector: 82% in Latin America and the Caribbean; 75% in the Asia Pacific; 75% in the Middle East and Africa; 70% in North America; and 63% in Europe. (Cambridge Judge Business School, 2020)
- Interestingly, 66% of US consumers say they have not invested in cryptocurrency and are interested in doing so. Meanwhile, 18% have not even heard of it. Only 7% say they’re planning to invest. (CivicScience, 2021)
- Furthermore, 5% of US consumers who invested in cryptocurrency report that they like it while 4% who invested did not like their experience. (CivicScience, 2021)
- As one might expect, more men (19%) use cryptocurrency than women (10%) in the US. (Finder.com, 2019)
- Moreover, 85% of Bitcoin traders and 88% of Ethereum traders are male. (Markets Insider, 2021)
- Furthermore, 55% of 18- to 34-year-olds in the US are more likely to purchase Bitcoin in the next five years. Meanwhile, 46% of adults aged 35 to 44 years are willing to invest and 36% of 45 to 54-year-olds express interest. (Blockchain Capital, 2020)
Source: Statista
Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Wallets Usage
- Furthermore, based on the latest number of blockchain wallet users data, there are about 70.44 million blockchain wallet users worldwide. (Blockchain, 2021)
- In addition, 33% of organizations worldwide use blockchain technology primarily for managing digital currencies. (Deloitte, 2020)
- As of December 2020, the 10 largest cryptocurrency wallet apps generated a total of 5,634,548 downloads worldwide. (Airnow, 2021)
- Meanwhile, in the US, the cryptocurrency wallet Coinbase records the most number of daily active users (DAU). As of January 2021, Coinbase has an average of 639,885 DAU. (Airnow, 2021)
Crypto Crime Statistics
Cryptocurrency opponents often claim that crypto is widely used in crimes such as money laundering and other financial crimes, among graver offenses. However, could cryptocurrency be really that nefarious? These crypto crime statistics could help us understand better.
- Cryptojacking is named in the latest cybercrime trends as a leading cyber threat, almost the same level as the proliferation of ransomware. The value of global cryptocurrency theft in 2020 was $513 million, showing a significant increase from 2019’s $370.7 million. (CipherTrace, 2021)
- In total, cybercrimes involving cryptocurrencies—including crypto thefts, fraud, and hacks—totaled $1.9 billion in 2020. (CipherTrace, 2021)
- A study revealed that two groups of hackers were responsible for about 60% of all recorded crypto thefts worth more than $1 billion. (Insights, 2019)
- Meanwhile, a report states that 50 to 80% of initial coin offerings (ICOs) were initially designed and created as fraudulent, as most of the organizers thought their projects could not be realized. (Satis Group, 2018)
- Moreover, massive exit scams dominated cryptocurrency crime statistics in the last few years. In 2019, for instance, the Ponzi scheme disguised as PlusToken netted $2.9 billion. In 2020, WoToken defrauded investors out of $1.1 billion. (CipherTrace, 2021)
- In all, major fraud made up 73% of the cryptocurrency crime total in 2020. (CipherTrace, 2021)
- Meanwhile, 50% of all cryptocurrency thefts in 2020, which amounts to $129 million, were hacks and frauds related to decentralized finance (DeFi). (CipherTrace, 2021)
- Furthermore, around $41.2 million worth of BTC exchanges done in the US were sent directly to criminals in 2020. (CipherTrace, 2021)
- In relation to that, $3.5 billion were sent to criminally-associated BTC addresses in 2020. (CipherTrace, 2021)
Hope for Cryptocurrencies
- Interestingly, even though cryptocurrency is vulnerable to be used in crimes such as money laundering, only 1.1% of all cryptocurrency transactions are illicit. (CoinTelegraph, 2020)
- As such, less than 0.5% of Bitcoin’s yearly transactions are illicit. (CipherTrace, 2021)
- Moreover, crypto crime dropped from $4.5 billion in 2019 down to $1.9 billion in 2020. This is attributed to the fact that the number of legitimate cryptocurrencies continues to rise. (CipherTrace, 2021)
- Additionally, it is good to note that the average value acquired by crypto criminals in 2020 was 160% lower than in 2019. (CipherTrace, 2021)
- Another positive outcome is how the cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin was able to recover more than 80% of stolen funds from a $281-million-hack in 2020. (CipherTrace, 2021)
Is Cryptocurrency Plateauing Soon?
Given these cryptocurrency statistics and facts, the answer to this question seems clear: cryptocurrency is far from plateauing. It is, in fact, on its way toward continuous growth. Although cybercrimes, including cryptojacking, fraud, and money laundering threaten to mar its reputation, developments in technology and regulation help keep it afloat. For one, advancements in blockchain technology will continue to make it easier to track cryptocurrency transactions. This will result in a reduced likelihood of cryptocurrencies being used illegally or stolen. Furthermore, tighter regulations, including but not limited to cryptocurrency taxation, may discourage illicit transactions.
Nevertheless, cryptocurrencies and their growth are not stopping anytime soon. As more huge personalities take an interest in them and more businesses accept cryptocurrencies as payment for products and services, more consumers may also adopt them in the near future. As such, it will be wise to watch cryptocurrency and fintech statistics and trends to see which path this virtual currency will eventually take.
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