More than 67 million Americans now own cryptocurrency, according to the National Cryptocurrency Association’s 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report, offering one of the clearest indications yet that digital assets have moved beyond a niche group of early adopters.
The figure, developed with The Harris Poll, represents roughly one in four U.S. adults and is up by 12 million from the NCA’s 2025 estimate. The report was released in May, but gained fresh political attention this week after Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse cited it following a White House meeting with President Donald Trump, SEC Chair Paul Atkins, CFTC Chair Michael Selig and crypto industry executives.
Great to be back at the White House today alongside @realDonaldTrump, @SECPaulSAtkins, @ChairmanSelig and leaders across the crypto industry.
The big picture has never been clearer: 67 million Americans hold crypto today (that’s nearly 1 in 4!). Crypto isn’t a fringe industry.… pic.twitter.com/fsyX1ZwG2a
— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) August 20, 2026
What the NCA report reveals about the U.S. Crypto adoption
The more significant finding is not the number of owners, but how they say they use crypto. The NCA found that 87% of surveyed holders were actively using digital assets in 2026, up from 80% a year earlier. About 41% said they send crypto to friends or family, while 40% use it to shop or pay for goods and services.
The profile of the average holder is also changing. Women accounted for 42% of recent adopters, compared with 34% among earlier holders. The report also found participation across income groups and industries, challenging the perception that crypto ownership is concentrated among young, wealthy technology workers.
However, the methodology needs to remain central to the story. Harris Poll surveyed 10,000 people who already identified as cryptocurrency holders between February 12 and March 3, then weighted the responses and extrapolated the results nationally. The study therefore tells us considerably more about existing crypto users than about Americans who remain outside the market.
How does the NCA figure compare with other U.S. data?
The NCA’s estimate becomes more useful when compared with research measuring the wider American population. A June 2026 Pew Research Centre survey found that 19% of US adults had ever invested in, traded or used cryptocurrency, below the NCA’s estimate that roughly 25% of Americans currently own digital assets.
The difference is largely methodological. The NCA and Harris Poll surveyed 10,000 people who identified as current crypto holders before weighting the responses and extrapolating the results nationally. Pew, meanwhile, surveyed 8,512 US adults from a panel designed to represent the wider population.
That distinction matters when interpreting the 67 million figure. It is an estimate of the current crypto-owning population, rather than evidence that one in four Americans has actively used cryptocurrency. Pew’s findings also show that adoption remains uneven across demographic and political groups, suggesting that crypto has achieved significant reach without becoming universally adopted. The comparison strengthens the NCA report rather than undermining it.
What happens next for US crypto regulation?
Garlinghouse’s comments come as Washington faces a more direct test of crypto’s political influence. The Senate is scheduled to hold a procedural vote on the CLARITY Act on September 15, although the legislation faces resistance over ethics concerns and other unresolved issues.
Meanwhile, the SEC has proposed Regulation Crypto Assets, including tailored exemptions for certain crypto investment contract offerings.
The September Senate vote will therefore provide a clearer test of whether a growing crypto user base can translate into legislative momentum.
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