By 2025, the Bitcoin market cap had grown to over ******** billion USD as the cryptocurrency kept growing. Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying the total number of Bitcoins in circulation by the Bitcoin price. The Bitcoin market capitalization increased from approximately *** billion U.S. dollars in 2013 to several times this amount since its surge in popularity. Dominance The Bitcoin market cap takes up a significant portion of the overall cryptocurrency market cap. This is referred to as "dominance". Within the crypto world, this so-called "dominance" ratio is one of the oldest and most investigated metrics available. It measures the coin's market cap relative to the overall crypto market — effectively showing how strong Bitcoin compared to all the other cryptocurrencies that are not BTC, called "altcoins". The Bitcoin dominance was above ** percent. Maximum supply and scarcity Bitcoin is unusual from other cryptocurrencies in that its maximum supply is getting closer. By 2025, well over ** million out of all 21 million possible Bitcoin had been created. Bitcoin's supply is expected to reach its maximum around the year 2140, likely making mining more energy-intensive.

Prices for BTCUSD Bitcoin US Dollar including live quotes, historical charts and news. BTCUSD Bitcoin US Dollar was last updated by Trading Economics this October 7 of 2025.

In March 2024 Bitcoin BTC reached a new all-time high with prices exceeding 73000 USD marking a milestone for the cryptocurrency market This surge was due to the approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds ETFs in the United States allowing investors to access Bitcoin without directly holding it This development increased Bitcoin’s credibility and brought fresh demand from institutional investors echoing previous price surges in 2021 when Tesla announced its 15 billion investment in Bitcoin and Coinbase was listed on the Nasdaq By the end of 2022 Bitcoin prices dropped sharply to 15000 USD following the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and its bankruptcy which caused a loss of confidence in the market By August 2024 Bitcoin rebounded to approximately 64178 USD but remained volatile due to inflation and interest rate hikes Unlike fiat currency like the US dollar Bitcoin’s supply is finite with 21 million coins as its maximum supply By September 2024 over 92 percent of Bitcoin had been mined Bitcoin’s value is tied to its scarcity and its mining process is regulated through halving events which cut the reward for mining every four years making it harder and more energy-intensive to mine The next halving event in 2024 will reduce the reward to 3125 BTC from its current 625 BTC The final Bitcoin is expected to be mined around 2140 The energy required to mine Bitcoin has led to criticisms about its environmental impact with estimates in 2021 suggesting that one Bitcoin transaction used as much energy as Argentina Bitcoin’s future price is difficult to predict due to the influence of large holders known as whales who own about 92 percent of all Bitcoin These whales can cause dramatic market swings by making large trades and many retail investors still dominate the market While institutional interest has grown it remains a small fraction compared to retail Bitcoin is vulnerable to external factors like regulatory changes and economic crises leading some to believe it is in a speculative bubble However others argue that Bitcoin is still in its early stages of adoption and will grow further as more institutions and governments recognize its potential as a hedge against inflation and a store of value 2024 has also seen the rise of Bitcoin Layer 2 technologies like the Lightning Network which improve scalability by enabling faster and cheaper transactions These innovations are crucial for Bitcoin’s wider adoption especially for day-to-day use and cross-border remittances At the same time central bank digital currencies CBDCs are gaining traction as several governments including China and the European Union have accelerated the development of their own state-controlled digital currencies while Bitcoin remains decentralized offering financial sovereignty for those who prefer independence from government control The rise of CBDCs is expected to increase interest in Bitcoin as a hedge against these centralized currencies Bitcoin’s journey in 2024 highlights its growing institutional acceptance alongside its inherent market volatility While the approval of Bitcoin ETFs has significantly boosted interest the market remains sensitive to events like exchange collapses and regulatory decisions With the limited supply of Bitcoin and improvements in its transaction efficiency it is expected to remain a key player in the financial world for years to come Whether Bitcoin is currently in a speculative bubble or on a sustainable path to greater adoption will ultimately be revealed over time.

Bitcoin dominance steadily declined in April 2024 to below ** percent, amid rumors of central banks halting or potentially lowering interest rates in the future. Within the crypto world, this so-called "dominance" ratio is one of the oldest and most investigated metrics available. It measures the coin's market cap relative to the overall crypto market — effectively showing how strong Bitcoin compared to all the other cryptocurrencies that are not BTC, called "altcoins". Why dominance matters is because market caps of any crypto can change relatively quickly, either due to sudden price changes or a change of recorded trading volume. Essentially, the figure somewhat resembles a trading sentiment, revealing whether Bitcoin investors are responding to certain events or whether Bitcoin is losing out on functions offered by, for example, stablecoins or NFT tokens. "Dominance" criticism: Ethereum and stablecoin The interpretation of the Bitcoin metric is not without its criticism. When first conceived, Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency to be created and had a substantial market share within all cryptocurrencies? The overall share of stablecoins, such as Tether, as well as Ethereum increasingly start to resemble that of Bitcoin, however. Some analysts argue against this comparison. For one, they point towards the large influence of trading activity between Bitcoin and Ethereum in the dominance metric. Second, they argue that stablecoins can be traded in for Bitcoin and Ethereum, essentially showing how much investors are willing to engage with "regular" cryptocurrency. A rally around Bitcoin in late 2023? By December 2023, the Bitcoin price reached roughly 41,000 U.S. dollars — the first time in 20 months such a value was reached. A weaker U.S. dollar, speculation on decreasing interest rates, and a potential Bitcoin ETF approval are believed to be at the heart of this price increase. Whether this will hold in 2024 is unclear: The monthly interest rate from the U.S. Fed is speculated to decrease in 2024, despite a vow of "higher for longer". In December 2023, the thought of decreasing interest rates and the potential of a Bitcoin ETF fuelled market sentiment towards riskier assets.

Bitcoin's circulating supply has grown steadily since its inception in 2009, reaching over 19.93 million coins by early October 2025. This gradual increase reflects the cryptocurrency's design, which put a limit of 21 million on the total number of bitcoins that can ever exist. This impacts the Bitcoin price somewhat, as its scarcity can lead to volatility on the market. Maximum supply and scarcity Bitcoin is unusual from other cryptocurrencies in that its maximum supply is getting closer. By October 2025, more than 90 percent of all possible Bitcoin had been created. That said, Bitcoin's circulating supply is expected to reach its maximum around the year 2140. Meanwhile, mining becomes exponentially more difficult and energy-intensive. Institutional investors In 2025, countries like the United States openly started discussing the possibility of buying bitcoins to hold in reserve. By the time of writing, it was unclear whether this would happen. Nevertheless, institutional investors displayed more interest in the cryptocurrency than before. Certain companies owned several thousands of Bitcoin tokens in 2025, for example. This and the limited number of Bitcoin may further fuel price volatility.

View daily updates and historical trends for Bitcoin Market Cap. Source: Blockchain.com. Track economic data with YCharts analytics.

Bitcoin's blockchain size was close to reaching 673.58 gigabytes in September 2025, as the database saw exponential growth by nearly one gigabyte every few days. The Bitcoin blockchain contains a continuously growing and tamper-evident list of all Bitcoin transactions and records since its initial release in January 2009. Bitcoin has a set limit of 21 million coins, the last of which will be mined around 2140, according to a forecast made in 2017. Bitcoin mining: A somewhat uncharted world Despite interest in the topic, there are few accurate figures on how big Bitcoin mining is on a country-by-country basis. Bitcoin's design philosophy is at the heart of this. Created out of protest against governments and central banks, Bitcoin's blockchain effectively hides both the country of origin and the destination country within a (mining) transaction. Research involving IP addresses placed the United States as the world's most Bitcoin mining country in 2022, but the source admits IP addresses can easily be manipulated using VPN. Note that mining figures are different from figures on Bitcoin trading: Africa and Latin America were more interested in buying and selling BTC than some of the world's developed economies. Bitcoin developments Bitcoin's trade volume slowed in the second quarter of 2023 after hitting a noticeable growth at the beginning of the year. The coin outperformed most of the market. Some attribute this to the announcement in June 2023 that BlackRock filed for a Bitcoin ETF. This iShares Bitcoin Trust was to use Coinbase Custody as its custodian. Regulators in the United States had not yet approved any applications for spot ETFs on Bitcoin.

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Cryptocurrency Market Size 2025-2029

The cryptocurrency market size is valued to increase USD 39.75 billion, at a CAGR of 16.7% from 2024 to 2029. Rising investment in digital assets will drive the cryptocurrency market.

Major Market Trends & Insights

North America dominated the market and accounted for a 48% growth during the forecast period.
By Type - Bitcoin segment was valued at USD 7.57 billion in 2023
By Component - Hardware segment accounted for the largest market revenue share in 2023

Market Size & Forecast

Market Opportunities: USD 313.81 billion
Market Future Opportunities: USD 39749.40 billion
CAGR from 2024 to 2029 : 16.7%

Market Summary

The market represents a dynamic and rapidly evolving ecosystem, driven by core technologies such as blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi), which have fueled the creation and adoption of various applications and service types. Notably, digital assets have gained increasing acceptance in the retail sector, with major companies like Microsoft, Starbucks, and Tesla integrating cryptocurrencies into their payment systems. However, the market is not without challenges, including the volatility of cryptocurrency values, which can impact investor confidence and regulatory uncertainty. According to Statista, the number of cryptocurrency users worldwide is projected to reach 223 million by 2022, underscoring the growing importance of this market.
Rising investment in digital assets and the potential for new use cases continue to present significant opportunities for innovation and growth.

What will be the Size of the Cryptocurrency Market during the forecast period?

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How is the Cryptocurrency Market Segmented ?

The cryptocurrency industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Type

  Bitcoin
  Ethereum
  Others
  Ripple
  Bitcoin Cash
  Cardano


Component

  Hardware
  Software


Process

  Mining
  Transaction
  Mining
  Transaction


End-Use

  Trading
  E-commerce and Retail
  Peer-to-Peer Payment
  Remittance


Geography

  North America

    US
    Canada


  Europe

    Germany
    Italy
    Switzerland
    The Netherlands
    UK


  APAC

    China
    Japan


  South America

    Brazil


  Rest of World (ROW)

By Type Insights

The bitcoin segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

Bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency with a market capitalization of over USD470 billion, is a decentralized digital currency that operates on a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, bypassing the need for central authorities. Bitcoin's popularity is driven by its use of blockchain technology, which ensures secure, transparent, and immutable transactions through digital signatures and cryptographic hashing. The Bitcoin network faces scalability challenges, requiring ongoing improvements to transaction throughput and mining difficulty to maintain network security. KYC procedures and AML regulations are crucial for regulatory compliance, with exchange protocols implementing strict identity verification processes. Bitcoin's value is influenced by cryptocurrency volatility, with mining pools and consensus mechanisms like Proof of Work and Proof of Stake contributing to the creation and distribution of new coins.

Wallet security is paramount, with hardware wallets and cold storage providing enhanced security compared to software wallets. Decentralized exchanges and smart contracts, enabled by the Ethereum blockchain and public key cryptography, offer privacy protocols and zero-knowledge proofs to ensure secure transactions. The market is continually evolving, with ongoing activities and patterns shaping the landscape. Approximately 8% of Americans engage in cryptocurrency trading, with stablecoins like Tether, USD Coin, Binance USD, and DAI playing a significant role in the market. Despite its volatility, Bitcoin's impact on finance and technology is undeniable.

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The Bitcoin segment was valued at USD 7.57 billion in 2019 and showed a gradual increase during the forecast period.

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Regional Analysis

North America is estimated to contribute 48% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period.Technavio's analysts have elaborately explained the regional trends and drivers that shape the market during the forecast period.

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The market in North America is experiencing significant growth, driven by the presence of numerous market participants and innovative technological advancements in the region. The burgeoning demand for digital

It is estimated that the cumulative market cap of cryptocurrencies increased in early 2023 after the downfall in November 2022 due to FTX. That value declined in the summer of 2023, however, as international uncertainty grew over a potential recession. Bitcoin's market cap comprised the majority of the overall market capitalization. What is market cap? Market capitalization is a financial measure typically used for publicly traded firms, computed by multiplying the share price by the number of outstanding shares. However, cryptocurrency analysts calculate it as the price of the virtual currencies times the number of coins in the market. This gives cryptocurrency investors an idea of the overall market size, and watching the evolution of the measure tells how much money is flowing in or out of each cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency as an investment The price of Bitcoin has been erratic, and most other cryptocurrencies follow its larger price swings. This volatility attracts investors who hope to buy when the price is low and sell at its peak, turning a profit. However, this does little for price stability. As such, few firms accept payment in cryptocurrencies. As of October 01, 2025, the cumulative market cap of cryptocurrencies reached a value of *******.

Prices for ETHBTC Ethereum Bitcoin including live quotes, historical charts and news. ETHBTC Ethereum Bitcoin was last updated by Trading Economics this October 7 of 2025.

The average price of one Bitcoin Cash reached its all-time high in 2017, although the price since then never came close to that position. As of October 6, 2025, one Bitcoin Cash token was worth 594.12 U.S. dollars, rather than the nearly 2,500 USD from the peak in 2017. Bitcoin Cash, abbreviated as BCH, is a variant of the much more known Bitcoin, or BTC, and is traded separately on online exchanges. That the two cryptocurrencies are different from each other already shows when looking at the price of a 'regular' Bitcoin: this was over 40,000 U.S. dollars during the same time frame.

Prices for BTCEUR Bitcoin Euro including live quotes, historical charts and news. BTCEUR Bitcoin Euro was last updated by Trading Economics this October 7 of 2025.

Prices for BTCTRY Bitcoin Turkish Lira including live quotes, historical charts and news. BTCTRY Bitcoin Turkish Lira was last updated by Trading Economics this October 7 of 2025.

View daily updates and historical trends for Bitcoin Supply. Source: Blockchain.com. Track economic data with YCharts analytics.

Bitcoin's circulating supply has grown steadily since its inception in 2009, reaching over **** million coins by late July 2025. This gradual increase reflects the cryptocurrency's design, which put a limit of ** million on the total number of bitcoins that can ever exist. This impacts the Bitcoin price somewhat, as its scarcity can lead to volatility on the market. Maximum supply and scarcity Bitcoin is unusual from other cryptocurrencies in that its maximum supply is getting closer. By July 2025, more than ** percent of all possible Bitcoin had been created. That said, Bitcoin's circulating supply is expected to reach its maximum around the year 2140. Meanwhile, mining becomes exponentially more difficult and energy-intensive. Institutional investors In 2025, countries like the United States openly started discussing the possibility of buying bitcoins to hold in reserve. By the time of writing, it was unclear whether this would happen. Nevertheless, institutional investors displayed more interest in the cryptocurrency than before. Certain companies owned several thousands of Bitcoin tokens in 2025, for example. This and the limited number of Bitcoin may further fuel price volatility.

Ethereum's price history suggests that that crypto was worth more in 2025 than during late 2021, although nowhere near the highest price recorded. Much like Bitcoin (BTC), the price of ETH went up in 2021 but for different reasons altogether: Ethereum, for instance, hit the news when a digital art piece was sold as the world's most expensive NFT for over 38,000 ETH - or 69.3 million U.S. dollars. Unlike Bitcoin, of which the price growth was fueled by the IPO of the U.S.'s biggest crypto trader, Coinbase, the rally on Ethereum came from technological developments that caused much excitement among traders. First, the so-called 'Berlin update' rolled out on the Ethereum network in April 2021, an update that would eventually lead to the Ethereum Merge in 2022 and reduced ETH gas prices - or reduced transaction fees. The collapse of FTX in late 2022, however, changed much for the cryptocurrency. As of August 27, 2025, Ethereum was worth 4,602.37 U.S. dollars - significantly less than the 4,400 U.S. dollars by the end of 2021.Ethereum's future and the DeFi industryPrice developments on Ethereum are difficult to predict but cannot be seen without the world of DeFi, or decentralized finance. This industry used technology to remove intermediaries between parties in a financial transaction. One example includes crypto wallets such as Coinbase Wallet that grew in popularity recently, with other examples including smart contractor Uniswap, Maker (responsible for stablecoin DAI), moneylender Dharma and market protocol Compound. Ethereum's future developments are tied with this industry: Unlike Bitcoin and Ripple, Ethereum is technically not a currency but an open-source software platform for blockchain applications, with Ether being the cryptocurrency that is used inside the Ethereum network. Essentially, Ethereum facilitates DeFi, meaning that if DeFi does well, so does Ethereum.NFTs: the most well-known application of EthereumNFTs or non-fungible tokens, grew nearly tenfold between 2018 and 2020, as can be seen in the market cap of NFTs worldwide. These digital blockchain assets can essentially function as a unique code connected to a digital file, allowing to distinguish the original file from any potential copies. This application is especially prominent in crypto art, although there are other applications: gaming, sports, and collectibles are other segments where NFT sales occur.

View daily updates and historical trends for Bitcoin Transactions Per Day. Source: Blockchain.com. Track economic data with YCharts analytics.

Figshare Dataset DescriptionTitle: The Economic Bomb Dataset: Bitcoin Volatility, Institutional Shorting, and ETF Outflows (2021–2024)Description:This dataset supports the research presented in The Economic Bomb: A Strategic Financial Warfare Tactic, which examines Bitcoin's volatility, institutional shorting, and the impact of ETF outflows on market behavior. Covering the period from January 2021 to December 2024, the dataset includes raw financial data, processed analytical outputs, and visualizations that illustrate volatility patterns, delayed market reactions, and potential price manipulation.The dataset is divided into the following components:Raw Data: Daily BTC price movements, ETF holdings and outflows, whale wallet transactions, and institutional shorting positions from Binance, Coinbase, Glassnode, and other sources.Processed Data: Calculated BTC returns, volatility measures, and sentiment scores from social media platforms such as Twitter, Reddit, Google News, and YouTube.Simulations: Monte Carlo simulations, Decker Sentiment-Short Interest Model (DSSIM), GARCH model forecasts, and VAR model analyses that quantify volatility clustering and delayed market responses.Visual Aids: Correlation matrices, heatmaps, and line charts that visualize key patterns, including volatility spikes following ETF outflows and whale wallet movements.This dataset is designed to support research into cryptocurrency volatility, institutional influence, and market manipulation. It is suitable for use in academic studies, financial modeling, and data-driven investment strategies. Detailed captions and preprocessing information are provided to ensure transparency and reproducibility.Keywords: Bitcoin Volatility, Institutional Shorting, ETF Outflows, Whale Wallet Movements, Cryptocurrency Market Manipulation, Monte Carlo Simulation, GARCH Model, VAR Model, Financial Data VisualizationLicense: CC BY 4.0 (Attribution required)DOI: 10.17632/xn9ws8x6j7.2Citation:Decker, Nicolin (2025), The Economic Bomb: A Strategic Financial Warfare Tactic, Mendeley Data, V2, DOI: 10.17632/xn9ws8x6j7.2, Available at SSRN: Link to SSRNContact: Nicolin Decker, Independent Researcher, Email: nicolindecker144@gmail.com

Bitcoin's transaction volume was at its highest in December 2023, when the network processed over ******* coins on the same day. Bitcoin generally has a higher transaction activity than other cryptocurrencies, except Ethereum. This cryptocurrency is often processed more than *********** times per day. Note that the transaction volume here refers to transactions registered within the Bitcoin blockchain. It should not be confused with Bitcoin's 24-hour trade volume, a metric associated with crypto exchanges. The more Bitcoin transactions, the more it is used in B2C payments? A Bitcoin transaction recorded in the blockchain can be any transaction, including B2C but also P2P. While it is possible to see in the blockchain which address sent Bitcoin to whom, details on who this person is and where they are from are typically missing. Bitcoin was designed to go against monetary authorities and prides itself on being anonymous. An important argument against Bitcoin replacing cash or cards in payments is that the cryptocurrency was not allowed for such a task: Bitcoin ranks among the slowest cryptocurrencies in terms of transaction speed. Are cryptocurrencies taking over payments? Cryptocurrency payments are set to grow at a CAGR of nearly ** percent between 2022 and 2029, although the market is relatively small. The forecast is according to a market estimate made in early 2023, based on various conditions and sources available at that time. Research across ** countries during the same time suggested that the market share of cryptocurrency in e-commerce transactions was "less than *** percent" in all surveyed countries, with predictions being this would not change in the future.