Bitcoin ownership tops gold among 49.6 million US adults, report shows

Bitcoin has surpassed gold in US household adoption, with 49.6 million American adults now holding the cryptocurrency, a Nakamoto Project report shows.

Bitcoin ownership among US adults surpassed gold for the first time, with 49.6 million holders versus 28.8 million for gold, a report from The Nakamoto Project shows. The 49.6 million Bitcoin holders represent 18.6% of the US adult population, compared with 10.8% for gold, according to the report compiled by financial services firm River.

"Bitcoin's 16-year history has overtaken gold's 5,000-year legacy in adoption among American adults," the report said. The milestone comes as prediction markets price a 76.5% probability of Bitcoin reaching $67,500 in July, while the likelihood of hitting $82,500 stands at just 1%, according to Vera prediction-market data.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs logged $75.7 million in net inflows last week, their second consecutive positive week, CoinGlass data shows. The two-week recovery of $273.1 million covers just 3.3% of the $8.2 billion that exited over the prior eight weeks, indicating institutional flows remain cautious despite the adoption milestone.

Ownership Shift and Market Implications

The shift in asset preference could reinforce Bitcoin's standing as a store of value and potentially drive further demand from both retail and institutional investors. Gold has surged to $5,300 per ounce, while Bitcoin has declined about 10% over the past year, yet the cryptocurrency has still attracted more US holders than the precious metal — a dynamic that challenges gold's long-held status as the preferred inflation hedge among American households.

Market participants are watching for regulatory developments that could provide additional tailwinds. Progress on the CLARITY Act and the Digital Asset Market Structure bill in the Senate is injecting optimism into the narrative, though the legislative timeline remains subject to procedural risk.

Key Levels and Catalysts

Bitcoin faces immediate resistance at $67,500 to $68,000, with a sustained move above that level potentially opening a path toward $71,500, according to technical analysis. The 50-day simple and exponential moving averages are converging in the $66,000 to $67,000 zone, which needs to be convincingly reclaimed for a credible advance.

On the downside, the 20-day exponential moving average at $63,000 serves as the first support level, with $60,000 and the 200-week moving average at $59,000 acting as structural floors. A drop below $65,900 could lead to a retest of $61,500 and $60,000, with $59,000 marking the boundary between a bull-market correction and a structural breakdown.

The July 29 Federal Open Market Committee meeting represents the next major macro catalyst. Rate guidance from the Fed, combined with ETF flow trends, will likely determine whether Bitcoin can hold above $66,000 or retest lower support levels in the weeks ahead.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.