Who Really Owns Bitcoin?

Ever wondered how many folks actually own Bitcoin? Let's break it down in plain language.

Right now, there are around 420 million people using cryptocurrencies worldwide. But get this: only about 1.5 million of them own more than just one Bitcoin. That's less than 1% of all users!

Now, let's talk about Bitcoin itself. There are only 21 million Bitcoins in total. Most of them—about 93%—have already been found and put into circulation. But here's the kicker: roughly 6 million Bitcoins are lost forever because people forgot their passwords or lost their digital wallets.

But wait, there's more. When we look at who actually has these Bitcoins, things get interesting. Nearly 2% of Bitcoin addresses hold almost all of the Bitcoins out there. That's a lot of wealth in just a few hands.

Now, let's talk about exchanges. These are places where people buy and sell Bitcoin. They hold about 1.89 million Bitcoins altogether. So, you'd think a lot of people own Bitcoin through these exchanges, right? Well, not exactly. After some math, we estimate that only about 472,500 people actually own more than one Bitcoin through exchanges.

But there's a twist. Some people own Bitcoin both directly and through exchanges. Plus, big companies and rich folks have their share, too. Even with all that, we can safely say that around 1.5 million people around the world own more than just one Bitcoin.

So, owning Bitcoin isn't as common as you might think. It's like being part of an exclusive club within the cryptocurrency world. Understanding who owns Bitcoin gives us a glimpse into how wealth is spread—or not spread—around in this digital age.