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- Bitcoin adoption has quietly surpassed both gold and the S&P 500, with roughly 5% of the global population now owning the asset according to analyst Willy Woo.
- India leads in absolute numbers of Bitcoin holders, with an estimated 68 million, while the U.S. has around 50 million owners representing a higher penetration rate of 14%.
- With Bitcoin trading above $80,000, the milestone underscores its shift from niche experiment to mainstream portfolio holding, raising questions about the future of money as adoption continues to grow.
The milestone signals Bitcoin‘s shift from niche asset to mainstream store of value.
Analyst Willy Woo has said that global Bitcoin adoption has quietly crossed a historic threshold, surpassing both gold and the S&P 500 in terms of the percentage of the world’s population that holds the asset.
Woo, known for his data-driven market commentary, sharedon X that roughly 5% of the global population now owns Bitcoin, compared with about 4% for the S&P 500 and 4.5% for gold.
The figures, he noted, are based on credible on-chain data and industry surveys mapped onto an S-curve adoption model.
Where adoption stands today
At current levels, Woo described Bitcoin as “no more than a financial asset.” But he warned that the trajectory matters more than the headline.
If adoption climbs toward 50%, he argued, it could signal a structural shift, what he termed the “separation of money and state.”
People responded to his post on X, saying equity exposure through pensions and retirement accounts means far more people indirectly own stocks than Bitcoin.
Woo countered that the comparison should focus on direct investment use, noting that Bitcoin also serves as a monetary hedge in countries facing capital controls or hyperinflation.
Which countries lead?
Woo’s follow-up postincluded a country-by-country breakdown. India tops the list in absolute numbers, with an estimated 68 millionBitcoin holders, or about 4.6% of its population.
The U.S. follows with around 50 million owners, representing a higher penetration rate of 14%. Vietnam leads globally in penetration at 17%, while China, despite its crypto ban, still counts an estimated 33 million holders.
Globally, Woo estimates between 370 million and 500 million people now hold Bitcoin, putting adoption in the 4.5%–6% range.
With Bitcoin trading above $80,000 today, as per Decibel, the milestone underscores how quickly the asset has moved from niche experiment to mainstream portfolio holding.
The real question, as Woo put it, is where the curve tops out, and what that means for the future of money.
This story was originally published byTheStreeton Sep 3, 2026, where it first appeared in theMARKETSsection. Add TheStreet as aPreferred
Source: currently.att.yahoo.com