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Americans hold 42% of all bitcoins in circulation. That’s the figure revealed by River in a recent study, and frankly, it’s massive. Of the 20.05 million bitcoins already on the market, almost half are in the United States — including individuals, companies, and the government.
There are 950,000 bitcoins left to mine. Out of a total of 21 million. Needless to say, the bulk of the pie is already distributed, and Americans have taken the largest slice.
49 Million Americans Own Bitcoin
The number of American adults with bitcoin: 49.6 million. That’s 18.6% of the adult population in the country. For comparison, only 10.8% of Americans own gold. Bitcoin thus surpasses gold in terms of individual adoption in the United States — not insignificant for an asset that’s barely fifteen years old. And it says something about how quickly saving behaviors are changing, at least on the American side.
As for publicly traded companies, the figures are even more striking. U.S. listed companies hold 1.24 million bitcoins. That’s 92.7% of all bitcoins held by publicly traded companies worldwide. Not 92.7% of American companies — 92.7% of the global total. Other countries, combined, scrape the remaining 7.3%.
Strategy, led by Michael Saylor, dominates this segment. Over 840,000 bitcoins in its vaults. Alone, Strategy represents a massive share of this 1.24 million. Saylor has never hidden his strategy: accumulate, hold, don’t sell. And it works, at least in terms of accumulated volume.
The U.S. Government, a Surprise Holder
Less known to the general public, but just as significant: the U.S. government holds 328,372 bitcoins. These coins mainly come from judicial seizures — trafficking, hacks, various criminal cases. Not voluntary purchases, therefore, but the result is there.
This figure represents almost three times the total bitcoins held by all other governments combined. China follows in second place with over 190,000 bitcoins — also mostly from seizures. But the gap with Washington remains clear.
This creates a somewhat bizarre situation. The American state, often perceived as hostile or wary of bitcoin, is actually one of the largest institutional holders on the planet. Not really by ideological choice, but by judicial accumulation. The question of what Washington does with this stock — sell, keep, create a strategic reserve — remains open.
Donald Trump has mentioned the idea of making the United States “the bitcoin capital of the world.” If the government keeps its 328,372 bitcoins instead of liquidating them, it further strengthens the concentration already documented by River.
Mining: 37.5% of Global Power
The United States not only dominates holding. It also dominates production. The country concentrates 37.5% of the global computing power dedicated to bitcoin mining. Russia is at 16.4%. China at 11.7%. The gap is significant.
Two factors explain this: the relatively low cost of electricity in several American states and a political environment rather favorable to the sector in recent years. More than 50 mining companies are based on American soil. And the global ecosystem exceeds 150 companies specializing in bitcoin — infrastructure, services, custody, trading.
This makes the United States a hub difficult to bypass for anyone operating in the industry. Not just in terms of capital, but in terms of physical infrastructure, talent, and legal framework.
And the 950,000 bitcoins still to be mined? With 37.5% of the hashrate, American miners will likely capture a disproportionate share. The concentration is not fixed — it is also built on coins that do not yet exist.
All this raises a question that Satoshi Nakamoto probably did not anticipate: what happens when the currency supposed to be decentralized and stateless ends up 42% in a single country? No simple answer. But River has just put the numbers on the table.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many bitcoins do Americans hold exactly?
According to the River study, Americans — individuals, companies, and government combined — control 42% of the 20.05 million bitcoins in circulation, with 49.6 million American adults personally owning bitcoin.
Which American company holds the most bitcoins?
Strategy, led by Michael Saylor, is the leading American company holder with over 840,000 bitcoins, out of a total of 1.24 million bitcoins held by all publicly traded American companies.
Why does the U.S. government hold so many bitcoins?
The U.S. government’s 328,372 bitcoins mainly come from judicial seizures related to criminal cases, not direct purchases — making it nonetheless the largest governmental holder worldwide, ahead of China and its 190,000 bitcoins.
