Bitcoin Adoption Still in Early Stages, With U.S. Leading the Way

Despite Bitcoin’s growing presence in financial markets, global adoption remains relatively low, with only 4% of the world’s population holding BTC.

The United States leads in ownership, with an estimated 14% of individuals holding the digital asset, while other regions show varying degrees of adoption.

A recent report by River, a Bitcoin financial services firm, highlights that North America maintains the highest adoption rates among both individuals and institutions. In contrast, Africa lags behind, with only 1.6% of the population holding BTC. The report also suggests that Bitcoin’s overall adoption is still in its infancy, estimating that the asset has only reached 3% of its potential global adoption level.

River’s analysis arrived at this 3% figure by evaluating Bitcoin’s total addressable market, factoring in institutional participation, corporate holdings, and government allocations—currently accounting for just 1%. Additionally, the firm considered the underrepresentation of institutions and individual ownership rates in its assessment, reinforcing the idea that Bitcoin has significant room to grow.

While Bitcoin has evolved considerably since its early days, even achieving recognition as a U.S. government reserve asset, its path to widespread adoption faces significant obstacles. One of the main barriers is the lack of both financial and technical literacy, leading to persistent misconceptions that Bitcoin is a scam or a Ponzi scheme.