As of January 2025, there are approximately 19.9 million bitcoins in circulation, which is about 95% of the maximum 21 million that will ever exist. Around 900 new bitcoins are created daily through mining, with 1.1 million coins still left to be mined until roughly 2140. Some bitcoins have been permanently lost due to misplaced private keys and deceased owners, making the actual usable supply lower than the reported circulation. The story of Bitcoin’s carefully controlled supply reveals fascinating details about digital scarcity.
Quick Overview
- Currently, there are approximately 19,939,875 bitcoins in circulation as of January 2025.
- About 95% of all possible bitcoins have been mined, with only 1.1 million bitcoins remaining to be created.
- Around 900 new bitcoins enter circulation daily through mining, with 144 blocks mined every 24 hours.
- The total bitcoin supply is capped at 21 million coins, with the last bitcoin expected to be mined in 2140.
- Millions of bitcoins are permanently lost due to lost private keys, reducing the actual number of usable coins in circulation.
Ever wondered how many bitcoins exist? As of January 2025, there are approximately 19,939,875 bitcoins (BTC) in circulation, which represents about 95% of the total bitcoins that will ever exist. The circulating supply grows steadily, with around 900 new bitcoins being added each day through a process called mining.
Bitcoin’s unique design includes a hard cap of 21 million coins, making it a scarce digital asset. This limit is built directly into Bitcoin’s code and can’t be changed without massive agreement from the Bitcoin network. Unlike traditional fiat currencies, Bitcoin’s supply limit helps protect against inflationary pressures. Miners are currently working to produce the remaining 1.1 million bitcoins, but it’ll take more than a century to mine them all. The last bitcoin isn’t expected to be mined until around the year 2140.
The creation of new bitcoins follows a strict schedule. Miners process transactions in blocks, and every 10 minutes, a new block is added to the blockchain. Currently, miners receive 6.25 BTC as a reward for each block they successfully mine, with 144 blocks being mined each day. However, this reward gets cut in half every four years in an event called “halving,” which helps control the rate at which new bitcoins enter circulation. The next significant halving event is expected to occur in 2024, which will further reduce the rate of new bitcoin creation.
What’s particularly interesting about Bitcoin’s circulation is that not all existing bitcoins are actually available for use. Many bitcoins have been permanently lost over the years. Some people have lost their private keys, which are needed to access their bitcoins, while others have passed away without leaving anyone access to their coins.
There’s also the mysterious case of Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, who’s believed to own around 1 million bitcoins that haven’t moved since the early days of Bitcoin. The exact number of lost bitcoins is impossible to determine, but experts estimate it’s in the millions.
These lost coins effectively reduce the actual supply of usable bitcoins, making the cryptocurrency even scarcer than the circulating supply suggests. Anyone can verify the current number of bitcoins in circulation by checking blockchain explorers, which provide real-time data about Bitcoin’s network.
As mining continues and the reward for mining new blocks decreases over time, the rate of new bitcoin creation will keep slowing down until it eventually reaches zero, when all 21 million bitcoins have been mined.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Lost Bitcoin Wallets Ever Be Recovered?
Lost bitcoin wallets can sometimes be recovered, but it depends on what’s actually lost.
If someone has their seed phrase or backup files, they can usually restore access. However, if the private keys or recovery phrases are completely gone, those bitcoins are likely lost forever.
It’s estimated that 3-4 million bitcoins are permanently lost due to forgotten passwords, damaged hardware, or misplaced recovery information.
What Happens to Bitcoin’s Value When All Coins Are Mined?
When all bitcoins are mined (around year 2140), experts think the value could go up since no new coins will be created.
It’s like having a limited number of rare baseball cards – they become more valuable because you can’t make more.
However, no one knows for sure what will happen.
The price will still depend on how many people want to buy and use Bitcoin at that time.
How Do Bitcoin Transaction Fees Change as Supply Decreases?
As Bitcoin’s supply decreases, transaction fees typically go up.
That’s because miners receive less Bitcoin as block rewards, so they rely more on fees to make money.
When the network gets busy, fees rise even higher since users compete to get their transactions processed first.
Currently, the average fee is about $3.27, but this can spike during congested periods.
The daily total for transaction fees is over $731,000.
Which Country Holds the Largest Amount of Bitcoin?
Based on available data, the United States holds the largest amount of Bitcoin among governments, with an estimated 207,189 BTC worth about $21.9 billion.
That’s nearly 1% of all Bitcoin.
China comes in second with 194,000 BTC, valued at around $20.5 billion.
While some private companies like MicroStrategy own significant amounts, when looking at government holdings, the US maintains the top position, mostly acquiring its Bitcoin through law enforcement seizures.
How Many Bitcoin Addresses Contain More Than 1,000 BTC?
According to recent data from January 2025, there are 1,969 Bitcoin addresses that hold between 1,000-10,000 BTC.
These addresses collectively contain 4,627,706 BTC, which is about 23.36% of all Bitcoin in circulation.
There’s also a smaller group of 92 addresses that hold between 10,000-100,000 BTC each, and just 4 addresses contain between 100,000-1,000,000 BTC.
The number of these large addresses tends to fluctuate as holders move their funds.
