In late 2024, the cryptocurrency market witnessed a historic surge, with Bitcoin surpassing the $100,000 mark for the first time. This milestone triggered a wave of mainstream adoption, with a significant increase in Americans owning digital assets. This rapid growth in crypto ownership continued into 2025, fueled by a growing understanding of the technology and its potential benefits.
This report by NFTEvening dives into the reasons behind the cryptocurrency market’s explosive growth in 2025. We surveyed over 1000 US-based residents to explore the factors driving crypto adoption, analyze the changing investor sentiment, and examine the evolving landscape of the crypto space.
How many Americans own crypto in 2025?
In 2025, 70% of American adults will own cryptocurrency, which translates to approximately 183 million individuals. The ownership rate has significantly risen from 40% in 2024 to 70% in 2025, indicating a growing acceptance and interest in digital assets among the American population.
Who Uses Cryptocurrency?
Age
Cryptocurrency ownership spans across various age groups. In 2025, Gen Z (aged 18-27) leads with 42.3% ownership, with those below 18 represents only 0.3%. This is followed by Millennials (aged 28-43) at 37.4%. Gen X (aged 44-60) makes up 16.3%, while individuals above 60 years old account for 4.0% of owners.
Gender
In 2025, cryptocurrency ownership is slightly skewed towards males, with 58% of owners identifying as male. Females comprise 41.6% of cryptocurrency owners, and 0.4% preferred not to disclose their gender.
Race/Ethnicity
The racial and ethnic composition of cryptocurrency owners in 2025 is diverse. The majority are Black at 57.9%, followed by White individuals at 34.2%. Hispanics and Asians constitute 3.1% and 3.5%, respectively, while 1.3% preferred not to specify their race or ethnicity.
Cryptocurrency Ownership and Sentiment in 2025
Current Crypto Owners
In 2025, a staggering 96.7% of current cryptocurrency owners continue to hold onto their investments. This demonstrates a strong confidence in digital assets among existing investors.
Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency, with 78.4% ownership among crypto holders. Ethereum is the second most popular, with 40.7% ownership. Other widely owned cryptocurrencies include USDT at 38.9%, Dogecoin at 26.1%, and Solana at 15.9%.
| Cryptocurrency | Ownership Percentage |
| BTC | 78.4% |
| ETH | 40.7% |
| USDT | 38.9% |
| SOL | 15.9% |
| XRP | 11.8% |
| DOGE | 26.1% |
| USDC | 7.4% |
| ADA | 5.7% |
| BNB | 15.6% |
| LTC | 9.2% |
| Others | 5.5% |
Reasons for Cryptocurrency Adoption
The most common reason for investing in cryptocurrency is the potential for high profits, as mentioned by 78.3% of investors. Diversifying investment portfolios motivates 43.5% of investors, while 34% aim to protect against inflation. Achieving financial independence from government regulations is a goal for 27.4%.
Additionally, 37.2% believe in the future potential of blockchain technology, while a smaller percentage invest out of curiosity or fear of missing out (FOMO).
| Reasons for Buying Cryptocurrency | Percentage |
| Potential for high profits | 78.3% |
| Diversify investment portfolios | 43.5% |
| Protect my money from inflation | 34.0% |
| Financial independence from government regulations | 27.4% |
| Belief in the future of blockchain technology | 37.2% |
| Fear of missing out (FOMO) | 11.8% |
| For fun/curiosity | 13.5% |
| Other | 3.3% |
Non-Crypto Owners
The future of cryptocurrency looks promising, with 13.6% of non-owners planning to enter the market by the end of 2025. While 52.8% of non-owners considering buying cryptocurrency at some point in the future, 33.6% of non-owners indicate they have no plans to invest in cryptocurrency.
Concerns Preventing Cryptocurrency Adoption
Several factors deter non-owners from entering the cryptocurrency market. The top concern is insufficient knowledge, reported by 51.5% of respondents.
Fear of losing money affects 48.2%, and security risks such as hacking or scams are significant barriers for 39.2%. Other concerns include price volatility at 33.6% and a lack of government or banking protection at 26.6%.
| Barriers to Cryptocurrency Adoption | Percentage |
| Insufficient knowledge | 51.5% |
| Fear of losing money | 48.2% |
| Security risks (hacking, scams) | 39.2% |
| Price volatility | 33.6% |
| Lack of protection from government/banks | 26.6% |
| Difficulty of use/access | 14.0% |
| No need or interest in cryptocurrency | 18.9% |
| Other | 3.3% |
How did the Bitcoin storms above $100K affect crypto investors?
The surge of Bitcoin’s price to $100,000 has significantly influenced investor behavior. Among non-crypto owners, 43.5% stated that this milestone made them more interested in investing in cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin’s rise influenced the investment decisions of 67% of all investors. Among this group, 26% began investing in cryptocurrency for the first time because of this price surge.
Additionally, 29.2% of investors chose to increase their existing investments. However, some investors decided to cash in; 11.6% sold a portion of their Bitcoin holdings, and 0.4% sold all their Bitcoin. Still, 32.8% of investors reported that the price rise did not affect their investment choices.
Financial Gains from Bitcoin’s Rise
A large number of investors, 89.2%, have seen their profits increase because of the rise in Bitcoin. Among these investors, 62% have reported that their earnings grew by at least 50%. This shows that many people have made significant gains due to the increase in Bitcoin’s value.
When looking at how much their earnings grew, the results are varied. Around 37.68% of investors said their earnings increased by less than 50%. Another 28.46% of investors saw their earnings grow between 50% and 100%.
About 19.87% of investors experienced an earnings increase of 101% to 200%. Finally, 13.99% of investors reported a huge increase, with their earnings growing by more than 200%.
Investor Sentiment on the 2025 Crypto Market
Only 32.9% of investors believe that altcoins will outperform Bitcoin in 2025. The majority, 67.1%, do not think that altcoins will surpass Bitcoin in terms of performance during the upcoming year. This shows that most investors are still confident in Bitcoin’s dominance in the market.
Top Narratives Driving the Crypto Market in 2025
According to investor sentiment, the Bitcoin ETF is seen as the top narrative with 48.4% of investors anticipating it to have the most impact. Following closely are the Gaming & Metaverse sector with 36.6%, and Memecoins with 34.5%. These three areas are expected to drive the market’s growth and attention in this year.
Interestingly, AI ranked only 5th with 24.7%. Despite the growing interest in artificial intelligence, it seems that investors believe other narratives are more likely to push the crypto market forward in 2025.
Here is a breakdown of the main narratives investors believe will shape the crypto market in 2025:
Most investors believe certain factors will boost the crypto market in 2025. The majority, 72.5%, think that continued Bitcoin price surges will have a major positive impact.
Increased crypto adoption is also a key factor, with 57.7% of investors expecting it to drive growth. Additionally, 41.4% of investors believe that pro-crypto regulation under a potential Trump administration could help the market.
| Driving Factor | Percentage of Investors |
| Continuing Bitcoin Price Surges | 72.5% |
| Pro-crypto Regulation Under Trump Administration | 41.4% |
| More ETF Approvals | 34.8% |
| Increased Crypto Adoption | 57.7% |
| New Potential Cryptocurrencies | 29.6% |
Methodology
The findings in this report are based on a survey of 1,006 Americans conducted in December 2024. The survey analyzed how many people own cryptocurrency, their demographics, and the reasons behind their choices. The report uses clear numbers and patterns to explain how crypto has become more mainstream. Data collected by Security.org from 2023 and 2024 was also used to compare trends over time.
