Bitcoin has stabilized above $10,000 this week—a significant milestone for any cryptocurrency. Naturally, this leads many to wonder: How many people globally hold at least 1 BTC?
Only ~2% of Addresses Hold >1 BTC
We’ll start by analyzing Bitcoin distribution using address data from BitInfoCharts.
- 633,008 addresses hold ≥1 BTC (total: 1.68 million mined BTC).
- This represents 2.18% of all addresses.
However, one address ≠ one person. Deeper analysis is needed to estimate real ownership.
Scenarios to Consider:
- Simple Case: One person owns one wallet with ≥1 BTC (ideal for calculation).
- Complex Case: A single person spreads holdings across multiple addresses (e.g., 0.8 BTC in Wallet A + 0.2 BTC in Wallet B). These addresses individually show <1 BTC, skewing distribution tables.
- Shared Ownership: A 10 BTC wallet might belong to a company/group where no single member holds ≥1 BTC.
Given these variables, we estimate 500,000 to 1 million individuals hold ≥1 BTC.
What About Lost Bitcoin?
Chainalysis (2017) reported 23% of circulating BTC was permanently lost. Adjusting for this:
- 400,000–800,000 individuals likely own ≥1 BTC today.
If all these holders lived in one city, it would rival populations like:
- Seville, Spain (~688,000)
- Palermo, Italy (~676,000)
- Stuttgart, Germany (~634,000)
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FAQs
Q: Can I own fractions of a Bitcoin?
A: Absolutely! Bitcoin is divisible to 8 decimal places (0.00000001 BTC = 1 "Satoshi").
Q: How does lost Bitcoin affect supply?
A: Lost BTC reduces circulating supply, potentially increasing scarcity and value over time.
Q: Is holding 1 BTC enough to be "wealthy"?
A: It depends on Bitcoin’s future adoption and price. Historically, long-term holders have benefited from price appreciation.
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Note: This analysis excludes institutional holdings and focuses on individual ownership estimates. Market conditions and adoption rates may shift these numbers over time.
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