According to Triple A's newly released report, The State of Global Cryptocurrency Ownership in 2024, the number of people holding or using digital currencies worldwide has reached 562 million, up from 420 million in 2023. This represents 6.8% of the global population, signaling that digital assets are steadily entering mainstream consciousness. The report, compiled by the fintech company that enables businesses to process digital currency payments and payouts, provides a detailed breakdown of ownership trends across every continent.
Asia Dominates with 326.8 Million Owners
Asia remains the undisputed leader in crypto adoption. The region saw its user base grow from 268.2 million in 2023 to 326.8 million in 2024, a 21.8% increase. The report attributes this growth to a combination of favorable regulatory moves, widespread mobile payment infrastructure, and a tech-savvy population increasingly comfortable with digital assets. North America came in second in terms of absolute growth, rising from 52.1 million to 72.2 million — a 38.6% surge that reflects the region's deep capital markets and strong institutional interest, particularly after the approval of Bitcoin ETFs in early 2024.
South America and Oceania More Than Double
South America recorded the highest percentage increase among continents. Ownership leaped from 25.5 million to 55.2 million, an astonishing 116.5% rise. Analysts point to high inflation and unstable fiat currencies in countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela as key drivers of cryptocurrency adoption as a store of value and medium of exchange. Europe also demonstrated robust growth, climbing from 30.7 million to 49.2 million (up 60.3%), fueled by the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework providing legal clarity. Africa posted a more modest increase from 40.1 million to 43.5 million (8.5%), likely due to infrastructure challenges, yet the continent's crypto ecosystem continues to expand through peer-to-peer trading and remittance use cases. Oceania's numbers more than doubled from 1.4 million to 3.0 million (up 114.3%), driven by growing retail interest in Australia and New Zealand.
CEO Commentary and Market Implications
Eric Barbier, founder and CEO of Triple A, stated in the report's foreword: “Today, 562 million people across the globe own some or various forms of digital currencies, up from 420 million in 2023. In other words, 6.8% of the entire world population own and use digital currencies.” He emphasized that these figures underscore a structural shift in the global financial ecosystem. The report concludes that overall adoption is on the rise with “significant growth observed across all continents,” and that the expanding user base highlights the growing role of digital currencies in everyday finance. Looking ahead, the combination of clearer regulation, more user-friendly applications, and increasing institutional involvement is expected to propel the number of crypto owners toward the billion mark in the coming years.