Bitcoin has stabilized above $10,000 this week—a significant milestone for cryptocurrencies. Naturally, many wonder: How many people globally hold at least 1 BTC?
Bitcoin Distribution: Key Insights
Addresses Holding 1+ BTC
According to BitInfoCharts, only 2.18% of Bitcoin addresses (633,008 addresses) hold 1+ BTC, accounting for 1.68 million of the mined supply. However, one address ≠ one person, so we need deeper analysis.
Three Scenarios to Consider
- Ideal Case: One person owns a single wallet with ≥1 BTC.
- Fragmented Ownership: A person holds ≥1 BTC collectively across multiple addresses (e.g., 0.8 BTC in Wallet A + 0.2 BTC in Wallet B). These wallets individually show <1 BTC in distribution tables.
- Shared Wallets: Entities like companies may hold large sums (e.g., 10 BTC), but individual members own <1 BTC each.
Estimated Range
Factoring in these complexities, 500,000 to 1 million people likely hold ≥1 BTC.
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Adjusting for Lost Bitcoin
Chainalysis (2017) estimated 23% of circulating BTC was permanently lost. Assuming ~20% loss today:
- Actual individual holders: 400,000–800,000.
A Global Community Comparison
If all ≥1 BTC holders lived in one city, it would rival populations like:
- Seville, Spain (688,711)
- Palermo, Italy (676,118)
- Stuttgart, Germany (634,830)
FAQs
1. Why does address count not equal holder count?
Many users split holdings across wallets, while exchanges/entities pool funds into single addresses.
2. How accurate are these estimates?
They’re approximations—actual numbers could vary due to lost coins or undisclosed holdings.
3. What’s the trend in Bitcoin ownership concentration?
Over time, more individuals are accumulating ≥1 BTC as institutional adoption grows.
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Key Takeaways
- 2.18% of addresses hold 1+ BTC, but true holder counts are lower due to fragmentation.
- 400,000–800,000 individuals likely own ≥1 BTC after adjusting for losses.
- Ownership remains highly concentrated, mirroring mid-sized city populations globally.
Note: All data reflects public address analysis; private holdings may differ.