Men dominate crypto ownership, making up 61% of global users (342.8M people), while women account for 39% (219.2M people)

Key Takeaways

  • Men hold the majority share in crypto adoption (61%), indicating that the industry is still male-dominated despite growing female participation.
  • Over 219M women own crypto globally, showing that female adoption is increasing but still lags behind male ownership.
  • With 6.8% of the world’s population involved in crypto, adoption is growing, but there is still massive untapped potential, especially among women.
  • Bridging the gender gap could drive the next wave of crypto adoption, and greater financial inclusion and education could encourage more women to enter the space.

As of 2024, 6.8% of the global population (562M people) own cryptocurrency, but ownership remains unevenly distributed by gender. Men make up 61% of crypto holders (342.8M), while women account for 39% (219.2M ). While female adoption is growing, crypto remains a male-dominated space, reflecting trends seen in other tech and finance sectors. However, with increasing awareness, financial inclusion efforts, and educational initiatives, narrowing the gender gap could be a major driver for future crypto adoption worldwide.

Source:

Triple-A

Period:

2024
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Over 60% of Nigerians use crypto for savings and long-term investing
  • Wealth-building dominates motivation: 45.4% cite “active wealth building” as their primary motive, and an additional 21.8% cite “long-term financial security”.
  • Payments and utility are minor drivers: Only 3.3% report “daily utility” and 2.2% “digital commerce” as their chief motive for using crypto.
  • Hedging and cross-border flows matter: 8.7% use crypto for currency hedging, and 4.1% for cross-border payments, showing a dual role of investment plus international value flows.
  • Nigerian retail users treat crypto like a conventional financial instrument rather than only as a means of payment or speculation.
Over 65% of surveyed Nigerian crypto users transact below ₦50,000; less than 3% move above ₦1 million
  • Nearly two-thirds (67%) of all crypto transactions in Nigeria are below ₦50,000, reflecting widespread use among everyday retail users.
  • The ₦15,000–₦25,000 band (28.2%) is the single largest group, showing consistent, small-scale engagement rather than high-value speculation.
  • Around 25% of users transact between ₦50,000 and ₦250,000, suggesting a growing middle class of more confident, mid-level investors.
  • Less than 3% of users transact above ₦1 million, confirming that Nigeria’s crypto market remains primarily retail-driven, not institutional or high-net-worth.
67.2% of active crypto users use cryptocurrency primarily for investment
  • A majority (67.2%) of Nigerian crypto users (17.7 million people) use digital assets mainly for investment and long-term financial growth.
  • Overall, 26.34 million Nigerians—over one in eight adults—actively use or hold cryptocurrency, giving the country the highest adoption rate globally.
  • About 18.4% (4.8 million) use crypto for everyday needs such as remittances, payments, and inflation protection.
  • 14.4% (3.8 million) identify as active traders, providing liquidity and earning income through market participation.
From $6B in 2016, Bitcoin's market capitalisation witnessed exponential growth (337 times), achieving over $2.0T in Jan 2025
  • Bitcoin’s market cap grew from $6B in 2016 to $2T in 2025 — a 337x increase.
  • In 2021, Bitcoin’s market value peaked at $1.1T before reaching $1.2T in 2022.
  • Bitcoin experienced a sharp drop to around $525B in 2023.
  • Its recovery was strong in 2024, with the market cap rising again to $1.4T.
  • Despite periodic dips, the long-term chart shows a consistent upward growth trend.
South America experienced the highest crypto ownership growth at 116.5%, more than 2x in one year
  • South America led in growth, surging by 116.5%, signaling rapid adoption in emerging markets.
  • Europe and Oceania also saw explosive growth, with 60.3% and 114.3% increases, respectively.
  • Asia remained dominant, with the highest number of owners, growing to 326.8M in 2024.
  • Africa showed the slowest growth (8.5%), suggesting possible barriers like regulation or adoption hurdles.
Only 4.4% of surveyed Nigerian crypto holders have over $1,000 as their crypto balance
  • The majority of Nigerian crypto holders (70.6%) have balances below $100
  • Only 4.4% of Nigerians hold over $1,000 in their crypto wallets, indicating low high-value ownership
  • Wallets with balances between $100 and $500 account for 19.4%, showing moderate adoption
  • The data highlights that most Nigerians engage with crypto at a low-value level, possibly due to financial limitations or speculative testing
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