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 June 25, 2025, the cumulative market cap of cryptocurrencies reached a value of ******.

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.

A league table of the 120 cryptocurrencies with the highest market cap reveals how diverse each crypto is and potentially how much risk is involved when investing in one. Bitcoin (BTC), for instance, had a so-called "high cap" - a market cap worth more than ** billion U.S. dollars - indicating this crypto project has a certain track record or, at the very least, is considered a major player in the cryptocurrency space. This is different in Decentralize Finance (DeFi), where Bitcoin is only a relatively new player. A concentrated market The number of existing cryptocurrencies is several thousands, even if most have a limited significance. Indeed, Bitcoin and Ethereum account for nearly ** percent of the entire crypto market capitalization. As crypto is relatively easy to create, the range of projects varies significantly - from improving payments to solving real-world issues, but also meme coins and more speculative investments. Crypto is not considered a payment method While often talked about as an investment vehicle, cryptocurrencies have not yet established a clear use case in day-to-day life. Central bankers found that usefulness of crypto in domestic payments or remittances to be negligible. A forecast for the world's main online payment methods took a similar stance: It predicts that cryptocurrency would only take up *** percent of total transaction value by 2027.

The market cap of the top 10 stablecoin initially multiplied over time, reaching a combined value of over ****** billion USD in September 2025. Note this value does not include TerraUSD (UST), the algorithmic stablecoin tied to the LUNA crypto which declined severely in May 2022. Up to then, estimates reveal that the market cap had more than tripled within five months - likely following growing interest worldwide in cryptocurrencies, after sudden price spikes in a coin like Dogecoin (DOGE). Stability above all, or what does a stablecoin do? Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies - like the commonly known Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) - but their value is determined differently. Whilst the price of Bitcoin mainly follows supply - how many coins are being mined or are available to purchase - and demand - how many investors want to buy the coin - stablecoins are synthetically connected to the price of an altogether different asset. Tether's USDT, for instance, is connected to the price development of the U.S. dollar (USD): if the U.S. dollar falls in the FX market, so does the USDT. Compare this to the "regular" price history of a cryptocurrency like Ripple (XRP) and stablecoins reveal themselves to be a relatively less volatile digital currency to either use or invest in than their counterparts in the free market. A test ground for digital payments This stability of these particular cryptocurrencies is important for two areas in digital payments that do not prefer volatility. For instance, these coins are a popular choice within the world of Decentralized Finance or DeFi - an online financial market without the supervision of central bank that relies on cryptocurrencies for payments and loans. Because of that reliance, it is a market that can rapidly change in size due to price fluctuations or changing transaction fees of certain cryptocurrencies - something that is less likely to occur when using stablecoins. Additionally, stablecoins are considered the inspiration for so-called CBDC or Central Bank Digital Currencies - such as China's e-CNY currency or the "digital euro" that is being researched in the EU-27. In terms of how advanced countries worldwide are into researching their own cryptocurrency, China ranked third in 2020, behind Cambodia, and The Bahamas.

The market cap of Solana, a cryptocurrency connected with Decentralized Finance or DeFi, grew by *** percent in the summer of 2021. Originally launched only in **********, the rapid growth in 2021 made the digital coin one of the biggest in the world in terms of market capitalization. The altcoin's move into the spotlight coincided with the growing interest in NFTs and especially DeFi, as Solana is one of the biggest blockchains in this world. It is seen as a direct competitor to Ethereum, in that it can power decentralized applications, but in a more efficient way. Solana is said, for instance, to reach transaction speeds that are similar to a VISA transaction whilst using far less energy than Bitcoin miners.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global Digital Coin Market size was USD XX million in 2024 and will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.20% from 2024 to 2031.

North America held the major market of more than 40% of the global revenue with a market size of USD XX million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4% from 2024 to 2031.
Europe accounted for a share of over 30% of the global market size of USD XX million.
Asia Pacific held the market of around 23% of the global revenue with a market size of USD XX million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2% from 2024 to 2031.
The Latin America market will account for more than 5% of global revenue and have a market size of USD XX million in 2024. It will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.6% from 2024 to 2031.
The Middle East and Africa held the major markets, accounting for around 2% of the global revenue. The market was USD XX million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.9% from 2024 to 2031.
The Trading and Investment held the highest Digital Coin Market revenue share in 2024.

Market Dynamics of Digital Coin Market

Key Drivers for Digital Coin Market

Financial Inclusion to Increase the Demand Globally:

Financial inclusion is poised to drive increased demand for cryptocurrencies on a global scale, fundamentally transforming the traditional financial landscape. Cryptocurrencies offer a unique opportunity to extend financial services to underserved and unbanked populations, providing them with access to secure and low-cost digital payment solutions, savings accounts, and investment opportunities.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) to Propel Market Growth:

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is poised to be a key driver propelling the growth of the cryptocurrency market. DeFi represents a revolutionary paradigm shift in traditional finance, offering a wide range of financial services and products built on blockchain technology and smart contracts. By eliminating intermediaries and facilitating peer-to-peer transactions, DeFi platforms enable users to access lending, borrowing, trading, and yield-generating opportunities in a permissionless and transparent manner.

Key Market Restraint of the Digital Coin Market

Regulatory Uncertainty to Limit the Sales:

Regulatory uncertainty represents a significant constraint that can limit sales and overall market growth within the cryptocurrency industry. The lack of clear and consistent regulatory frameworks across different jurisdictions creates uncertainty for businesses, investors, and consumers, leading to hesitancy in adopting and transacting with cryptocurrencies.

Volatility and Market Speculation: Extreme fluctuations in the prices of digital currencies can discourage average consumers and conventional investors. Such volatility diminishes the utility of digital coins as reliable payment methods and introduces additional risk to long-term adoption strategies.

Key Trends for Digital Coin Market

Integration into Conventional Finance and E-Commerce: Digital currencies are progressively being incorporated into mainstream banking, financial technology applications, and retail platforms. Ranging from payment processing systems to savings applications, this interoperability is broadening practical applications and enhancing consumer confidence.

Advancement of Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Cryptocurrencies: The sector is transitioning towards environmentally friendly blockchain solutions, with currencies utilizing Proof-of-Stake or energy-efficient consensus mechanisms becoming more popular. Environmental issues are influencing advancements in sustainable cryptocurrency technologies.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Digital Coin Market

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a mixed impact on the digital coin market. Initially, the uncertainty and market volatility caused by the pandemic led to a sharp decline in cryptocurrency prices as investors sought to liquidate assets and mitigate risk. However, as the crisis unfolded, the digital coin market demonstrated resilience and adaptability. The shift towards remote work and digitalization accelerated the adoption of cryptocurrencies as digital payment methods and stores of value. Moreover, the economic stimulus measures implemented by governments worldwide, coupled with c...

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.

Prices for BTCUSD Bitcoin US Dollar including live quotes, historical charts and news. BTCUSD Bitcoin US Dollar was last updated by Trading Economics this September 16 of 2025.

The market capitalization of stablecoin Tether in November 2021 was roughly ************* U.S. dollars higher than it was *** month before. In 2021, Tether ranks as *** of the biggest cryptocurrencies in the world and is regarded as the most well-known "stablecoin", or cryptocurrency that is connected to the price development of another, real-world asset. This particular segment made up roughly half of the overall value locked in Decentralized Finance or DeFi.

Somewhat resembling developments of Dogecoin in early 2021, the market cap of Shiba Inu (SHIB) more than tripled in only a few weeks. This rapid growth especially occurred since September 2021, with the cryptocurrency breaking the ** billion U.S. dollar barrier multiple in the following month. Whilst no exact reason was given why the memecoin grew so fast during this time, the digital currency did become available on Coinbase, one of the world's most well-known crypto exchanges, on September 17. This move, and the fact that consumers in the U.S. and the UK overall tend to invest in crypto for fun or as a potential growth investment, might explain the popularity of the dog-themed coin. Indeed, Shiba Inu ranked as the number ** cryptocurrency in the world based on market cap in late October 2021 - closely behind DeFi-affilated like Uniswap (UNI) and Terra (LUNA).

The dominance of Solana (SOL) almost tripled between July and August 2021, and continued to grow in the following months. 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 - for instance, it shows how strong Bitcoin is compared to all the other cryptocurrencies that are not BTC, called "altcoins". In the case of Solana, the dominance somewhat reveals how often it is used for smart contracts and whether it is a popular blockchain for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications.

Bitcoin is edging closer to reaching its finite, maximum supply, pushing its price up and making it harder to mine. As a rule of thumb, the fewer coins available to the general audience, the higher the value of the cryptocurrency becomes. No more mining is possible when a cryptocurrency reaches its maximum supply. The market price then reflects supply and demand. Bitcoin has a set limit of 21 million coins, the last of which is to be mined around the year 2140 according to a 2017 forecast - with the assumption that the rate of Bitcoin mining halves every 4 years. Why are there so many differences in crypto supply? Cryptocurrency developers can determine whether a coin should have a fixed limit, depending on the blockchain it utilizes or monetary strategies. Ethereum has no maximum supply, meaning miners can create and indefinitely extract this cryptocurrency. This is called an inflationary cryptocurrency, one that continuously inflates the supply. The idea is that the number of tokens in circulation keeps outpacing demand, decreasing overall value. Some coins limit the release of their (indefinite) supply or even destroy (burn) tokens. Such deflationary events took place with LUNA in 2022. The appeal of low-supply cryptocurrency for investors Crypto investors tend to be on the lookout for crypto with limited supply, ideally with low levels. After a token reaches maximum supply, the argument goes, the coin's supply becomes static - miners can no longer create new coins. The demand should continue to grow. A maximum cap, they hope, guarantees value gains. Not many such coins exist. DeFi platform AAVE is an example of a cryptocurrency with a max supply smaller than *** million. Additionally, First Digital USD (FDUSD) currently has a supply of 1296.33 million, but it also has an unlimited supply.

The dominance of Ethereum (ETH) increased over the course of 2021 - after an initial decline - but was not as high as it was back in 2017. Within the crypto world, this so-called "dominance" ratio is one of the oldest and most investigated metrices available. It measures the coin's market cap relative to the overall crypto market - for instance, it shows how strong Bitcoin is compared to all the other cryptocurrencies that are not BTC, called "altcoins". In the case of Ethereum, the dominance somewhat reveals how often it is used for smart contracts and whether it is a popular blockchain for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications.

Crypto trader Binance ranked among the largest cryptocurrency exchangers in the world in 2024, with trading volume that was about four times as high as Bybit or OKX. It should be noted that these figures are separate from platforms Binance.US, Binance TR, or Binance.KR. The platform from the Cayman Islands faced investigations from the U.S. SEC, which came to a head in November 2023. Binance did not rank as the most used cryptocurrency exchanges used by consumers in the United States. Binance's settlement with the U.S. In November 2023, Binance agreed to pay a four billion U.S. dollar settlement with United States agencies — one of the biggest corporate fines in U.S. history. The U.S. Department of Justice investigated the platform for years for failure to prevent money laundering and growing crypto theft. The company's founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to the charges, agreeing to step down. Zhao would remain as the company's majority shareholder. The U.S. Treasury announced Binance will be subject to five years of monitoring and “significant compliance undertakings, including to ensure Binance’s complete exit from the United States.” Mixed signals from crypto companies The Binance settlement occurred in a month when overall crypto trading volume recorded its highest numbers for all of 2023. One of the main causes is the sudden popularity of FTT, a token released by FTX — the company founded by Sam Bankman-Fried. The developments surrounding Binance caused investors to move away from Binance's stablecoin BNB to the stablecoin from FTX. Earlier in November 2023, however, Coinbase saw its shares fall after announcing its quarterly performance figures.

The Bitcoin (BTC) price again reached an all-time high in 2025, as values exceeded over 115,970.58 USD on September 14, 2025. Price hikes in early 2025 were connected to the approval of Bitcoin ETFs in the United States, while previous hikes in 2021 were due to events involving Tesla and Coinbase, respectively. Tesla's announcement in March 2021 that it had acquired 1.5 billion U.S. dollars' worth of the digital coin, for example, as well as the IPO of the U.S.'s biggest crypto exchange, fueled mass interest. The market was noticeably different by the end of 2022, however, after another crypto exchange, FTX, filed for bankruptcy.Is the world running out of Bitcoin?Unlike fiat currency like the U.S. dollar - as the Federal Reserve can simply decide to print more banknotes - Bitcoin's supply is finite: BTC has a maximum supply embedded in its design, of which roughly 89 percent had been reached in April 2021. It is believed that Bitcoin will run out by 2040, despite more powerful mining equipment. This is because mining becomes exponentially more difficult and power-hungry every four years, a part of Bitcoin's original design. Because of this, a Bitcoin mining transaction could equal the energy consumption of a small country in 2021.Bitcoin's price outlook: a potential bubble?Cryptocurrencies have few metrics available that allow for forecasting, if only because it is rumored that only a few cryptocurrency holders own a large portion of the available supply. These large holders - referred to as 'whales'-are' said to make up two percent of anonymous ownership accounts, while owning roughly 92 percent of BTC. On top of this, most people who use cryptocurrency-related services worldwide are retail clients rather than institutional investors. This means outlooks on whether Bitcoin prices will fall or grow are difficult to measure, as movements from one large whale are already having a significant impact on this market.

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.

Crypto 24h trading volume declined as 2023 progressed, with figures being ********* lower than in 2022. The decline follows Binance - one of the biggest crypto exchanges in the world - received lawsuits in the United States. Observations are also that the crypto market was quiet after April, citing a lack of a "strong overarching narrative". This contrasts with 2021 and 2022 when cryptocurrency dominated the news and many people sought fortune in the digital currency. 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. Changes in Ethereum staking in 2023 Ethereum's trade volume changed in 2023 due to the rollout of the Shapella (Shanghai and Cappella) upgrade. The update allowed investors to withdraw (unstake) Ethereum deposited into the network. Staking can be somewhat compared to depositing money at a bank, where one would submit money to be held and gains interest as time goes by. Lido has the highest staking pool (a platform that allows for staking) in Ethereum, higher than major crypto exchanges Coinbase and Kraken. As of August 21, 2025, the 24h trading volume stands at ******.

USDS - the replacement to Ethereum stablecoin DAI - spearheaded the market size of so-called algorithmic stablecoins since its launch in December 2024. The proof of concept behind this relatively new group of stablecoins, algorithmic stablecoins, is important for blockchains in Decentralized Finance or DeFi, as it would nearly guarantee a stable digital coin - as the algorithm would try to keep the price at close to 1 as much as possible - and that is not affected by market sentiment. As of August 22, 2025, USDS has a value of 7811.8, reflecting its ongoing adaptation in the market. Algorithmic stablecoins were much smaller in size compared to the top cryptocurrencies in the world.

When it comes to the most well-known cryptocurrencies in the United States, Bitcoin leads the charts by a long margin. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization worldwide (as of December 2022) is known among 74 percent of online respondents in the U.S., followed by Dogecoin with a brand awareness of 42 percent. Third place on this list is jointly shared between Ethereum and USD Coin, both of which are recognized by 38 percent of online respondents.

For this study, brand awareness was surveyed employing the concept of aided brand recognition, showing respondents both the brand's logo and the written brand name.

Interested in more detailed results covering all brands of this ranking and many more? Explore GCS Brand Profiles. These statistics show results of the GCS Brand Profiler.