Bitcoin Wallets Surge: 25% Increase in $100+ Holders

Bitcoin wallets holding at least $100 near all-time highs, according to data from Binance. The number of such wallets surged from 24 million in January 2024 to nearly 30 million in 2025, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 25%. This trend signals an influx of new participants into the market, indicating renewed interest and optimism for the cryptocurrency.

Historically, spikes in wallet counts holding $100 or more have occurred during bull runs, such as in late 2017 and 2021. The recent surge was driven by Bitcoin surpassing the $100,000 milestone in mid-2024. The approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs, led by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), played a pivotal role in institutional adoption. By the end of 2024, ETF holdings doubled to 1.25 million BTC, with IBIT amassing over $50 billion in assets.

The Bitcoin network’s security has reached unprecedented levels, with the hashrate surpassing 800 exahashes per second (EH/s) in January 2025, up 33% from 600 EH/s in the past year. According to Binance, Bitcoin’s hashrate has recently reached an all-time high, surpassing the combined computing power of tech giants such as Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. A higher hashrate makes the network more secure and harder to attack, showing strong miner activity and confidence in Bitcoin’s future.

Market sentiment remains strong, with 86% of Bitcoin in circulation “in profit,” according to CryptoQuant. Accumulator addresses — wallets consistently buying Bitcoin without selling — have reached a record pace of 495,000 BTC monthly. Ki Young Ju, CEO of CryptoQuant, noted a divergence in Bitcoin holder behavior, with retail investors with less than 1 BTC selling while others with 1 BTC or more buying. He believes the current cycle is in its “early distribution phase,” with new retail investors entering the market while institutional interest remains strong.