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Top Bitcoin Holders in 2025

Bitcoin remains the most valuable and well-known cryptocurrency in the world. Despite its reputation for decentralization, large holders — known as “whales“—including individuals, corporations, governments, and funds—control substantial amounts of BTC.

But who holds the most Bitcoin in 2025, and why does it matter?

Who Are Bitcoin Whales?

Bitcoin’s total supply is capped at 21 million coins. As of April 2025, about 19.6 million BTC were in circulation. Whales are entities—whether individuals, companies, or governments—that hold a disproportionately large amount of Bitcoin. Their influence on the market is significant due to their ability to drive or dampen price action through major trades.

Moreover, whales impact liquidity — the ability to buy or sell Bitcoin without significant price fluctuations. Deep-pocketed holders contribute to a more stable market through large buy and sell orders, although their actions can also cause short-term volatility.

Nikita Buzov, CEO and Founder of Solace, commented:

“Understanding the flow of liquidity and where it is positioned allows one to read sentiment, predict price movements, and anticipate imminent large-scale liquidations.”

Who Owns the Most Bitcoin in 2025?

According to the most recent data:

Satoshi Nakamoto

Still the largest known BTC holder, the anonymous Bitcoin creator is estimated to hold approximately 1.1 million BTC across more than 22,000 addresses—untouched since its creation.

BlackRock (iShares Bitcoin Trust – IBIT)

BlackRock now holds over 350,000 BTC through its ETF and is on track to overtake Satoshi as the largest BTC holder by late 2025.

MicroStrategy

Led by Bitcoin advocate Michael Saylor, MicroStrategy now holds around 461,000 BTC as of Q1 2025, at an average price of $63,610 per coin.

Binance

The world’s largest crypto exchange reportedly controls around 550,000 BTC across multiple wallets.

United States Government

The U.S. government holds approximately 213,246 BTC, largely acquired through asset seizures.

China and North Korea

China holds around 190,000 BTC, while North Korea — through cyber-hacking units such as the Lazarus Group — holds an estimated 13,580 BTC, reportedly used to fund state programs.

Grayscale and Fidelity

Grayscale’s GBTC trust holds roughly $20.6 billion in BTC, while Fidelity’s FBTC fund manages about $18.4 billion in assets.

5 Largest Individual Bitcoin Billionaires (2025)

  • Satoshi Nakamoto – 1.1M BTC (unmoved)
  • Michael Saylor – Over 17,000 BTC personally, plus 461,000 BTC via MicroStrategy
  • Brian Armstrong – CEO of Coinbase
  • Changpeng Zhao (CZ) – Former CEO of Binance
  • Tim Draper – Acquired 30,000 BTC via U.S. government auction

 

Biggest Celebrity Bitcoin Owners (Updated for 2025)

  • Elon Musk – Still holds Bitcoin as part of personal and Tesla holdings
  • Jack Dorsey – Continues to be a vocal Bitcoin maximalist
  • Mike Tyson – Early advocate, still involved in crypto ventures
  • Maisie Williams, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West – Publicly declared their BTC holdings

 

Top 10 Companies Holding the Most BTC (2025)

  1. MicroStrategy – 461,000 BTC
  2. Tesla – 9,720 BTC
  3. Robinhood – 136,755 BTC
  4. Marathon Digital Holdings
  5. Galaxy Digital Holdings
  6. Hut 8 Mining
  7. Coinbase (Treasury Holdings)
  8. Square (Block, Inc.)
  9. Voyager Digital
  10. Bit Digital Inc.

Top 5 Crypto Exchanges Holding BTC (2025)

  1. Binance – 550,000 BTC
  2. Bitfinex – 180,000 BTC
  3. OKX – 62,000 BTC
  4. Crypto.com – 24,000 BTC
  5. BitMEX – 13,000 BTC

Note: These figures may fluctuate as exchanges manage hot/cold wallets and custodial services.

Which Countries Hold the Most Bitcoin?

  • United States – Leading with over 213,000 BTC in government reserves
  • China – Estimated at 190,000 BTC
  • North Korea – Holds 13,580 BTC
  • El Salvador – Continues to purchase BTC for national reserves
  • Central African Republic – Maintains BTC as legal tender

In a significant shift, the U.S. has launched a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, similar to its strategic oil reserves, signalling Bitcoin’s rising importance as a national asset.

Why This Matters

Bitcoin’s supply is fixed. Knowing where large portions are held reveals necessary market behaviour, liquidity, and decentralization dynamics. Whether it’s institutional funds like BlackRock or nation-states like the U.S., consolidating BTC into fewer hands may contradict Bitcoin’s decentralized ideal — but it also signifies growing mainstream and governmental confidence.

Image Source: Adobe Stock

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used for legal, tax, investment or financial advice.

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A digital world map with Bitcoin symbols highlighting global adoption, various continents illuminated, symbolizing the widespread impact of cryptocurrency.

Global Bitcoin Ownership at 4%: Adoption Just Beginning

A recent Bitcoin analytics firm, River Financial, reports that Bitcoin ownership resides with less than 4% of the world population. The data suggests that Bitcoin possesses vast development potential and adoption rates throughout wealthy regions.

The report shows that Bitcoin adoption has only reached 3% of its theoretical full potential at the time of writing. It is just beginning since its current state is comparable to the early Internet adoption in 1990.

Bitcoin Adoption: Regional Disparities and the Potential for Growth

The study shows significant differences in Bitcoin possession quantity between different geographic areas, tending to be highest in North America, where ownership reaches 14% and with only 1% ownership in Africa.

The study does not specify Europe’s position directly, but data indicates a heavy adoption, especially with the new MiCA-friendly regulations. This pattern reflects a broader trend: Bitcoin adoption is higher in wealthier areas where financial literacy, digital infrastructure and access to Cryptocurrency platforms are more advanced.

Global Bitcoin adoption stands to gain momentum based on the report’s recommendations, which rely on institutional and government-backed initiatives. Bitcoin holds approximately 0.5% of worldwide assets alongside extremely low institutional investment.

Barriers to Adoption

Multiple obstacles prevent Bitcoin adoption, with a lack of knowledge and concerns about secure platform acquisition being the most significant issues. Sequentially, Bitcoin adoption continues to face resistance as some people do not understand its value, and others doubt its validity because of how volatile it is and the speculation around trading this asset class. Crypto adoption rates are slow in areas that do not provide adequate financial awareness.

However, this is changing. Expanding digital asset infrastructure and increased availability of trustworthy Bitcoin trading platforms will further drive its adoption. Bitcoin ETFs continue to rise while governments and regulators provide more clarity and movements, strengthening this trajectory.

“The biggest hurdle for Bitcoin is education. Once people understand its value proposition, adoption is inevitable.”Andreas Antonopoulos, Bitcoin advocate and author

Europe’s Role in the Bitcoin Adoption Curve

With substantial financial systems and a tech-savvy population, Europe is well-positioned to lead Bitcoin adoption. The recent push for regulatory frameworks, such as the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, aims to provide clarity and security for investors, thus creating a more stable environment for Bitcoin growth.

While Bitcoin adoption in Europe is still in its early stages, increasing institutional involvement and public awareness could push the region towards greater integration of digital assets into mainstream finance.

“With regulatory clarity, Europe has the chance to become a global leader in digital assets.”Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank

The Take Home

The report stipulates that with only 4% of the global population owning Bitcoin and institutions largely underinvested, Bitcoin is still in its infancy. However, the growth potential is immense. As crypto financial literacy advances, digital asset accessibility increases, and institutional investments rise, Bitcoin adoption will surely accelerate across the globe.

In Europe, the coming years are vital for determining whether the region will lead the next wave of financial innovation or watch from the sidelines as others drive Bitcoin’s mainstream adoption forward.

Image Source: Adobe Stock

Disclaimer: This article is purely for informational purposes. It is not offered or intended to be used for legal, tax, investment or financial advice.

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The Top Bitcoin Mining Software in 2024

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