According to a River study published in July 2026, 49.6 million American adults, or 18.6% of the adult population, own Bitcoin, compared with 28.8 million, or 10.8%, who own gold. The estimate marks the first recorded time Bitcoin ownership has surpassed gold ownership, with a gap of 20.8 million people. River attributes the increase, from 14.3% to 18.6% in roughly six months, to easier access through exchange-traded funds, mobile apps and trading platforms. Nakamoto Project surveys produced similar Bitcoin estimates but differed on gold ownership, while Gallup reported substantially lower cryptocurrency ownership. US public companies hold an estimated 1.24 million BTC, representing 93% of global corporate holdings, while the US government holds about 328,000 BTC, mostly acquired through asset seizures.
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