Global crypto ownership has reached an unprecedented 742 million people even as the number of crypto millionaires has fallen sharply from last year’s peak, according to new data from Henley & Partners’ Crypto Wealth Report 2026.
The findings show a widening base of everyday crypto users alongside a contraction in ultra‑high‑net‑worth digital asset holders, reflecting how the 2025–2026 market cycle reshaped wealth distribution across the sector.
Findings of the Crypto Wealth Report
Henley & Partners reports that there are 135,694 crypto millionaires worldwide, each holding at least USD 1 million in digital assets.
This figure represents a near‑halving from the previous year’s estimate of 241,700, reflecting the impact of Bitcoin’s decline from its October 2025 all‑time high of USD 126,000 to around USD 77,500 by late August 2026.
Despite the drop in millionaire counts, global crypto ownership has expanded dramatically. 742 million individuals now hold digital assets, up from 590 million in the previous report. Of these, 371 million hold Bitcoin, underscoring the continued dominance of BTC as the most widely held digital asset.
The report also details the upper tiers of crypto wealth: 290 centi‑millionaires (USD 100 million or more) and 23 crypto billionaires, including nine whose wealth is primarily in Bitcoin.
The global crypto market is valued at USD 2.6 trillion, with Bitcoin accounting for USD 1.6 trillion of that total.
Henley & Partners emphasizes that while crypto wealth is highly mobile, the individuals who hold it are not. Residence, citizenship, regulatory clarity, and personal security remain central considerations for high‑net‑worth crypto holders seeking long‑term stability.
Why Crypto Millionaire Numbers Fell
The sharp decline in crypto millionaires is primarily attributed to market performance.
Bitcoin’s retreat from its 2025 peak reduced the value of large holdings, pushing many former millionaires below the USD 1 million threshold.
Henley notes that this downturn has been “the mildest of Bitcoin’s major winters,” with a 38% decline compared to previous cycles that saw drops of more than 75%.
The contraction also reflects broader market cooling across altcoins, many of which saw steeper declines than Bitcoin. As valuations fell, the number of individuals with seven‑figure crypto portfolios naturally decreased.
However, the decline in millionaire counts does not indicate a collapse in adoption. Instead, it indicates a redistribution of wealth as more users enter the ecosystem with smaller holdings, while large holders experience valuation compression.
Global Crypto Ownership on the Rise
The surge to 742 million crypto owners shows that adoption continues to deepen even during market downturns. Media sites note that this growth reflects increased accessibility, expanding use cases, and rising interest in digital assets across emerging markets.
Henley’s report reinforces this trend, noting that crypto wealth is increasingly generational. Younger investors—many of whom entered the market during the 2021–2025 bull cycles—continue to accumulate digital assets regardless of short‑term price movements.
The portability of digital wealth also plays a role: as Henley’s analysts explain, self‑custodied digital assets can move across borders instantly, making crypto attractive to globally mobile individuals seeking diversification, financial sovereignty, and alternative stores of value.
Inverse Relationship of the Trend
The simultaneous decline in millionaire counts and rise in global ownership reflects a maturing asset class.
Crypto is no longer defined solely by speculative wealth creation; it is increasingly embedded in everyday financial behavior.
The widening base of holders suggests that crypto is transitioning from a niche investment to a mainstream asset category, aligning with global trends in digital payments, remittances, and tokenized financial services.
Meanwhile, the contraction in ultra‑high‑net‑worth holders underscores the volatility inherent in digital assets. Large portfolios remain highly sensitive to market cycles, and the 2025–2026 correction demonstrated how quickly paper wealth can evaporate.
Yet the resilience of adoption indicates that crypto’s long‑term trajectory remains upward, driven by structural factors such as technological innovation, regulatory clarity in key jurisdictions, and increasing integration with traditional financial systems.
