Have you ever wondered who owns the most Bitcoin? The largest Bitcoin holders in the world certainly have a significant amount of wealth in the cryptocurrency space. After all, while there are countless alternative coins out there, Bitcoin remains to be the most valuable choice.
Read on to learn about the biggest Bitcoin holders, and how much wealth the largest Bitcoin wallets store.
Who Owns the Most Bitcoin?
Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonym for the creator of Bitcoin, is widely considered to have the most Bitcoin wealth. Though Nakamoto has not officially revealed the amount of Bitcoin he holds, estimates predict he has a wallet containing around 1.1 million BTC. This would add up to around $25 billion at the time of writing.
(BitInfoCharts)
Exploring the Largest Holders of Bitcoin
The top Bitcoin holders are distributed among individuals, anonymous wallets, public companies, and organizations. As the price of Bitcoin changes, the list of people who are the most Bitcoin rich continues to change.
There are 4 addresses that hold enough Bitcoin to make their owners billionaires.
Aside from the coins owned by Satoshi Nakamoto, the most Bitcoin owned is distributed between just four wallets. Though it’s uncertain who these billionaires are, estimates suggest they hold around 663,306 Bitcoins in total - or rather, 3.42% of all Bitcoin.
There is also a wide range of public and private companies, as well as institutional groups who have become Bitcoin owners. According to the available stats, some of the largest owners of Bitcoin in the business landscape include the Digital Currency Group and Tesla.
(BitInfoCharts)
There are 18 crypto billionaires as of 2023.
There is a limited amount of information on the Bitcoin wealth distribution among anonymous holders. That being said, the latest data on the number of crypto billionaires came from 2021, with 19 of them at the time.
Most names on the list include owners and CEOs of popular cryptocurrency exchanges, the best-known being Mark Zuckerberg’s nemeses Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who hold $4 billion each.
However, Sam Bankman-Fried was also on that list back in 2021, but due to his criminal activities, the man lost his billionaire status in November of 2022.
(Business Today)
Changpeng Zhao is considered to be the person with the most Bitcoin, whose identity is known.
Figuring out the highest Bitcoin holder is virtually impossible since anonymity is integral to cryptocurrency itself. That being said, we can make some educated guesses, taking into account the individual's net worth, and their role in the cryptosphere.
With a net worth of $65 billion, the founder and CEO of Binance is widely regarded to be the highest Bitcoin holder after Satoshi Nakamoto, and by a wide margin. The next name on the list was Sam Bankman-Fried, with a (now non-existent) net worth of $24 billion.
(Business Today)
Tesla had $1.5 billion in Bitcoin in 2021 (and now owns $184 million).
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, is also considered to be one of the largest holders of Bitcoin. In February 2021, he announced that his company had purchased $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin. Musk also announced Tesla would be accepting Bitcoin as payment as well.
And then, in 2022, the company decided to offload most of its Bitcoin wealth holdings, getting down to a total of $184 million worth of Bitcoin.
(GOBankingRates, BBC)
23 Publicly traded companies own Bitcoin.
An insight into Bitcoin ownership distribution by Coin Gecko reveals there are around 23 publicly traded companies that own BTC today. These companies include Square Inc., Coinbase, Tesla, and many others. The title of the most Bitcoins owned by a publicly traded company belongs to MicroStrategy Inc.
All 23 of the publicly traded companies with crypto wealth own a combined total of around $4,778,467,603 in Bitcoin, according to today’s BTC values.
(Coin Gecko)
The United States has the largest number of Bitcoin holders - 46 million.
When it comes to Bitcoin ownership by country, the United States is in first place, with 46 million holders. Then, in second place, is India, with 27 million, followed by Pakistan, with 26 million.
Because Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies aren’t as well-regulated as fiat currencies, it’s difficult to determine exactly who the largest holders of Bitcoin are. Also, keep in mind that the above numbers include people who don't own whole Bitcoin, only pieces.
(Triple A)
Joining the Bitcoin Millionaire Club
As Bitcoin adoption continues to grow, the number of millionaires from cryptocurrency continues to skyrocket. Not only are there many Bitcoin-rich individuals in the world, but there are also numerous holders of other altcoins to consider too. As cryptocurrencies continue to gain popularity, there’s no doubt we’ll see more people joining the Bitcoin millionaires list.
Sources:
Here Are More Bitcoin Guides
As a seasoned cryptocurrency enthusiast with an in-depth understanding of the Bitcoin space, I can confidently delve into the concepts mentioned in the article, providing you with comprehensive insights.
Firstly, let's address the primary question: Who owns the most Bitcoin?
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Satoshi Nakamoto:
- Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, is believed to be the individual with the highest Bitcoin wealth.
- Estimates suggest Nakamoto holds approximately 1.1 million BTC, valued at around $25 billion.
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Top Bitcoin Holders:
- Apart from Nakamoto, the largest Bitcoin holdings are spread across individuals, anonymous wallets, public companies, and organizations.
- Four addresses are identified to hold enough Bitcoin to make their owners billionaires, collectively owning around 663,306 Bitcoins, equivalent to 3.42% of all Bitcoin.
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Crypto Billionaires:
- As of 2023, there are 18 crypto billionaires.
- Limited information is available on the distribution among anonymous holders, but in 2021, there were 19 crypto billionaires, including figures like Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, each holding $4 billion.
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Changpeng Zhao (CZ):
- Changpeng Zhao, the founder and CEO of Binance, is considered to be a major Bitcoin holder.
- With a net worth of $65 billion, CZ is believed to be the highest Bitcoin holder after Satoshi Nakamoto.
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Elon Musk and Tesla:
- Elon Musk, founder of Tesla, is also recognized as one of the largest Bitcoin holders.
- In February 2021, Tesla purchased $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin and later reduced its holdings to $184 million in 2022.
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Publicly Traded Companies:
- Around 23 publicly traded companies own Bitcoin, including Square Inc., Coinbase, and MicroStrategy Inc.
- These companies collectively own approximately $4.78 billion in Bitcoin.
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Bitcoin Ownership by Country:
- The United States leads in Bitcoin ownership by country, with 46 million holders.
- India and Pakistan follow with 27 million and 26 million holders, respectively.
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Bitcoin Millionaires:
- The increasing adoption of Bitcoin has led to a growing number of cryptocurrency millionaires.
- As the popularity of cryptocurrencies rises, more individuals are expected to join the ranks of Bitcoin millionaires.
It's crucial to note that the information presented is sourced from reputable platforms such as BitInfoCharts, Business Today, Coin Gecko, GOBankingRates, and Triple A. As the cryptocurrency landscape evolves, the distribution of Bitcoin wealth and the list of top holders may continue to change.
