Crypto millionaire count surges 40% to nearly 250,000 amid 'historic' bitcoin wealth boom, report estimates

A new crypto wealth report from residence by investment firm Henley & Partners, in collaboration with global wealth intelligence company New World Wealth, estimates that the industry has now minted 36 billionaires and 241,700 millionaires, totaling over $3.3 trillion in market value — up 45% year-over-year.

The report, which takes a deep dive into the world of crypto assets, private wealth, and investment migration trends, also claims that of the 36 billionaires created in crypto — up 29% year-over-year — 17 come from bitcoin wealth following a 55% annual growth rate in what it describes as a "historic" wealth boom.

Approximately 60% of the 241,700 crypto millionaires come from bitcoin, and 450 are centimillionaires — holding $100 million or more. The total number of crypto millionaires has grown 40% year-over-year, driven by a 70% boost in bitcoin millionaires alone.

"This significant growth coincides with a watershed year for institutional adoption, highlighted by the first-ever cryptocurrencies launched by a sitting U.S. President and First Lady," Henley & Partners said in a statement .

However, to put this into perspective, 241,700 crypto millionaires represent just 0.4% of the estimated 60 million total millionaires globally, according to the latest UBS global wealth report .

The methodology behind the figures involves New World Wealth tracking the movements and spending habits of over 150,000 high-net-worth individuals, combined with onchain data and public information from crypto exchanges for wealth modeling as of June. Henley & Partners did not disclose any names of individuals on its database.

The study also estimates the total number of users owning crypto worldwide to be 590 million — around 7.4% of the approximate 8 billion global population and up 5% year-over-year. Bitcoin holders are estimated at 295 million of this figure — up 7% year-over-year.

JAN3 CEO Samson Mow said the philosophical implications of this shift are immense, underscoring the clash between traditional and digital money systems.

"Over any long-time horizon, fiat currency has one destiny: infinity. Bitcoin, on the contrary, has the opposite: 21 million," he noted . This contrast between infinite expansion and fixed supply, Mow argues, is "the defining paradox of our age" as governments confront a form of wealth beyond their monetary control.

Singapore, Hong Kong, and US lead crypto adoption metrics

The study also presents a " Crypto Adoption Index ," ranking countries based on public and infrastructure adoption, innovation, tax, and regulatory factors. Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United States top the list overall, indicating these nations have created the most conducive environments for crypto growth.

The U.S. ranks first for public adoption, Hong Kong for infrastructure, and Singapore for innovation. Australia and Singapore jointly top the list for the best regulatory environment, while Monaco and the UAE lead in terms of tax friendliness, according to the report.

Singapore, Hong Kong, and the U.S. also top Henley & Partners' rankings for the best investment migration programs —  allowing wealthy digital asset investors to obtain alternative residence permits and citizenship in these countries.

The rapid rise of this new crypto-wealth class is compelling governments, tax authorities, and wealth managers to confront an uncharted new reality, according to Henley & Partners Group Head of Private Clients Dominic Volek.

"While roughly $14.4 trillion worth of wealth crossed national borders in 2024, the entire architecture of modern finance assumes that money has a home address — but cryptocurrency doesn't," he said. "For millennia, storing wealth meant anchoring it to a place. Even with digital banking, you needed a residential address and tax ID just to open an account. Today, cryptocurrency has made geography optional — with nothing more than 12 memorized words, an individual can secure a billion dollars in bitcoin, instantly accessible from Zurich or Zhengzhou alike."