Who Are the Largest Bitcoin Holders Today? (2026)

Bitcoin continues to be the most widely held cryptocurrency. An estimated 371 million people worldwide held Bitcoin as of August 2026, according to Henley & Partners’ Crypto Wealth Report 2026. The report estimates that 742 million people hold digital assets overall. As of August 31, 2026, Bitcoin represented approximately $1.6 trillion of the $2.6 trillion global crypto market.

But who has the most Bitcoin? The answer depends on how “holder” is defined. Bitcoin is held by individuals, companies, governments, funds, and cryptocurrency exchanges. Some wallets hold Bitcoin on behalf of thousands or millions of customers, so the Bitcoin associated with an exchange or fund isn’t necessarily owned by that entity.

Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, remains the largest known individual holder, with an estimated 1.1 million BTC. Among public companies, Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) is by far the largest corporate holder, with 846,000 BTC as of September 20, 2026.

Who Owns the Most Bitcoin Right Now?

There is no single authoritative ranking of every Bitcoin holder because blockchain addresses don’t identify their owners. Still, researchers can attribute many large holdings to known individuals, companies, governments, funds, and exchanges.

Satoshi Nakamoto is believed to be the largest owner of Bitcoin, having mined about 1.1 million BTC during Bitcoin’s early years. Those coins are spread across thousands of addresses and have remained untouched for more than 15 years.

Among companies, Strategy is the largest publicly disclosed corporate holder. The company officially reached 846,000 BTC following its latest acquisition disclosed in a September 21, 2026 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing.

Governments are also significant holders. The U.S. government is estimated to hold 328,372 BTC. In March 2025, the U.S. established a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to hold forfeited government Bitcoin rather than sell it.

It’s important to distinguish these holdings from exchange and exchange-traded fund (ETF) balances. A cryptocurrency exchange may control wallets containing hundreds of thousands of Bitcoin, but much of that Bitcoin is held on behalf of customers. In addition, a spot Bitcoin ETF holds Bitcoin on behalf of its fund shareholders.

The following table summarizes some of the largest identifiable Bitcoin holdings as of September 2026. Keep in mind that this list may not reflect all of the current largest Bitcoin holders, given the pseudonymous nature of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Holder	Category	BTC Held	% of 21M Supply
Satoshi Nakamoto	Individual	~1.1 million	~5.46%
Strategy	Public company	846,000	4.03%
U.S. government	Government	328,372 BTC	1.56%
China government	Government	190,000 BTC	0.90%
Metaplanet	Public company	43,000	0.20%
MARA Holdings	Public company/miner	35,577	0.17%

Note: Data for companies and governments was accessed from BitcoinTreasuries.net on September 24, 2026.

Largest Individual Bitcoin Holders

Bitcoin “whales” are generally defined as individuals or entities known to have large amounts of Bitcoin, although there is no universal threshold for the term. Because Bitcoin addresses are pseudonymous, the identities of many large holders aren’t publicly known. A few individuals, however, have publicly disclosed or become associated with substantial Bitcoin holdings.

Satoshi Nakamoto

Bitcoin held: About 1.1 million BTC

Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, is believed to be the largest individual Bitcoin holder. Blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence estimates that Nakamoto’s holdings total more than 1.1 million BTC spread across roughly 22,000 addresses. The coins are associated with Bitcoin mined during the network’s early years and have remained untouched for more than 15 years.

Because Nakamoto’s identity remains unknown, the holdings cannot be definitively attributed to a named person. The estimate is based on blockchain analysis, including the mining pattern known as the Patoshi Pattern.

The Winklevoss Twins

Bitcoin held: Potentially around 70,000 BTC

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, famous for their lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg over the creation of Facebook, are reportedly among the most prominent individual holders of Bitcoin in the world.

The twins are estimated to hold approximately 70,000 BTC. However, because cryptocurrency wallets are pseudonymous and the brothers do not publicly publish their exact private portfolio balance, this number has not been confirmed.

The twins are also the founders of the cryptocurrency exchange Gemini.

Tim Draper

Bitcoin held: At least 29,656 BTC from the 2014 U.S. Marshals auction

Venture capitalist Tim Draper became one of the most prominent early Bitcoin holders after winning a 2014 U.S. Marshals Service auction of 29,656 BTC seized from the Silk Road marketplace.

Draper has said he continues to hold the Bitcoin from that purchase. Draper also won another 2,000 BTC in a later 2014 government auction, although the total amount of his current personal holdings has not been independently verified.

Michael Saylor

Bitcoin held: 17,732 BTC publicly disclosed personally

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy, disclosed in 2020 that he personally owned 17,732 BTC purchased for about $175 million. In August 2026, Saylor said he had never sold his personal Bitcoin. However, his current total has not been independently verified and may not reflect his actual current balance.

Note that Saylor’s personal holdings are separate from Strategy’s corporate Bitcoin. Strategy is a separate legal entity.

Large Companies Holding Bitcoin

Public companies have become some of the largest identifiable Bitcoin holders. Some use Bitcoin as a treasury asset, while Bitcoin mining companies accumulate coins through their mining operations and may also purchase or sell Bitcoin.

Because companies report their holdings on different schedules, the figures below reflect the latest publicly available disclosures and aren’t necessarily measured on the same date.

Strategy

Bitcoin held: 846,000 BTC

Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, began buying Bitcoin in August 2020 and built its corporate treasury around the cryptocurrency. The company has continued to acquire Bitcoin through various capital-raising and financing activities.

As of September 2026, Strategy held approximately 846,000 BTC, making it by far the largest publicly traded corporate Bitcoin holder.

Twenty One Capital (XXI)

Bitcoin held: 43,514 BTC

Twenty One Capital launched in 2025 as a Bitcoin-focused company. Its initial Bitcoin holdings included about 31,500 BTC contributed by Tether and Bitfinex as part of the company’s formation, with the company launching with approximately 43,500 BTC.

As of September 2026, Twenty One Capital held approximately 43,514 BTC. Its business model is centered on accumulating and managing Bitcoin rather than generating a large Bitcoin balance through mining.

Metaplanet

Bitcoin held: 43,000 BTC

Japanese company Metaplanet adopted its Bitcoin treasury strategy in April 2024 and made its first Bitcoin purchase on April 23, 2024.

The company continued accumulating Bitcoin and held about 43,000 BTC as of September 2026. Metaplanet’s holdings primarily come from purchases made as part of its corporate treasury strategy rather than Bitcoin mining.

MARA Holdings

Bitcoin held: 35,577 BTC

MARA is one of the world’s largest Bitcoin mining companies. Unlike companies that acquire Bitcoin primarily by purchasing it, MARA has accumulated much of its Bitcoin through mining, while also managing its holdings through sales, lending, and other transactions.

MARA began selling some of its mined Bitcoin to fund operations in 2025 after historically keeping the Bitcoin it produced. As of September 2026, MARA held approximately 35,577 BTC.

Strive

Bitcoin held: 26,355 BTC

Strive became a publicly traded Bitcoin treasury company in September 2025. It started with about 69 BTC acquired from its founding investors and then made additional purchases using capital raised through financing.

Strive has since expanded its holdings through the acquisition of Semler Scientific and additional Bitcoin purchases. As of September 2026, the company held approximately 26,355 BTC.

Bullish

Bitcoin held: 22,000 BTC

Bullish is a digital-asset infrastructure company that also holds Bitcoin on its corporate balance sheet. The company’s Bitcoin holdings are corporate assets rather than Bitcoin mined by the company. As of September 2026, Bullish held approximately 22,000 BTC.

Notable Private Companies With Large Bitcoin Holdings

SpaceX’s large Bitcoin holdings caught the financial world’s attention. The company disclosed 18,712 BTC in its 2026 IPO filings, with a reported cost basis of about $661 million.

Another notable private company is Tether. Tether has reported more than 100,000 BTC held by the company, with Bitcoin forming part of its broader reserve and corporate asset strategy. Its Bitcoin holdings should not be confused with Bitcoin held by customers using Tether products.

Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company (BSTR) holds an estimated 25,000 BTC. It was on track to hold 30,021 BTC by merging with Cantro Equity Partners but that deal was terminated in August 2026.

Governments and Countries Holding Bitcoin

Governments can acquire Bitcoin through asset forfeitures, direct purchases, mining, or other means. Estimates vary because governments do not always provide continuously updated public disclosures.

Current tracking data identifies the United States, China, the United Kingdom, El Salvador, the United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, and other governments as Bitcoin holders.

United States

Bitcoin held: About 328,372 BTC

The U.S. government’s Bitcoin holdings are primarily the result of standard legal asset forfeitures. These assets were obtained by federal law enforcement during investigations into major cybercrimes and financial fraud, including the shutdowns of the Silk Road marketplace and the recovery of stolen funds from the Bitfinex hack.

In March 2025, the federal government established a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The executive order directed the Treasury to maintain seized and forfeited Bitcoin in a digital asset stockpile rather than liquidating it, subject to specified legal requirements.

Current tracking data puts U.S. government holdings at about 328,372 BTC.

China

Bitcoin held: About 190,000 BTC

China is estimated to hold about 190,000 BTC, according to current Bitcoin treasury tracking data. These holdings are generally associated with law enforcement actions rather than a publicly announced Bitcoin purchasing program.

United Kingdom

Bitcoin held: About 61,245 BTC

The UK is estimated to hold about 61,245 BTC. Much of the Bitcoin is associated with law enforcement actions, including a major seizure connected to a Chinese investment fraud case.

The exact legal ownership and management of seized Bitcoin can differ from the way blockchain-tracking services classify government-controlled wallets, so these figures should be viewed as estimates rather than an official government balance sheet.

El Salvador

Bitcoin held: About 7,783 BTC

El Salvador is unusual among governments because its Bitcoin holdings have primarily come from a deliberate government Bitcoin program rather than criminal seizures.

The country adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021 and began purchasing Bitcoin that year. Its government continues to hold thousands of BTC; current tracking data puts the balance at about 7,783 BTC.

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Bitcoin held: About 6,420 BTC

The UAE is estimated to hold about 6,420 BTC. The government has largely built its sovereign Bitcoin reserve through state-backed, large-scale mining operations, rather than law enforcement asset seizures.

Bhutan

Bitcoin held: About 518 BTC

Bhutan has accumulated Bitcoin through government-backed mining operations powered in part by the country’s abundant hydroelectric resources. Current tracking data estimates Bhutan’s government holdings at approximately 518 BTC.

This is significantly lower than its peak of about 13,000 BTC in 2024 due to a sustained selling program begun in late 2024.

Why Bitcoin Ownership Is Hard to Measure

It’s difficult to determine exactly who owns the most Bitcoin because the Bitcoin blockchain records balances by address, not by individual or legal entity. One person can control multiple addresses, while a single address can hold Bitcoin for thousands or millions of customers. This makes it impossible to equate the number of addresses with the number of owners.

Lost Bitcoin creates another complication. Coins can remain visible on the blockchain even when their owners can no longer access them. And because transactions can move among multiple addresses, blockchain data alone doesn’t always reveal whether several addresses belong to the same person or organization.

As a result, rankings of the largest Bitcoin holders should generally be viewed as estimates based on blockchain analysis, company disclosures, government records, and other public information.

Recommended: How Many Bitcoins Are There?

Lost, Dormant, and Unattributed Bitcoin

Some Bitcoin remains on the blockchain but may be permanently inaccessible. Analysts estimate that somewhere between 2.3 million and 3.7 million Bitcoins are permanently lost, potentially representing as much as 18% of Bitcoin’s fixed maximum supply of 21 million coins.

Bitcoin can become inaccessible when an owner loses a private key or recovery information, destroys or loses a device containing wallet credentials, or dies without leaving a way for heirs to access the assets.

Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated 1.1 million BTC is one of the largest examples of long-dormant Bitcoin. Those coins have remained untouched since the early days of the network, although dormant does not necessarily mean permanently lost.

James Howells

Bitcoin potentially inaccessible: About 8,000 BTC

James Howells is a Welsh computer engineer who says he accidentally discarded a hard drive containing the private keys to approximately 8,000 BTC in 2013. His efforts to recover the drive from a landfill in Newport, Wales, were unsuccessful, and a UK court rejected his legal action seeking access to the site.

The Bitcoin remains visible on the blockchain, but Howells cannot currently access it.

Stefan Thomas

Bitcoin potentially inaccessible: 7,002 BTC

Programmer Stefan Thomas has long been associated with a wallet containing 7,002 BTC. The private keys are stored on an encrypted USB flash drive, and Thomas lost the password needed to access it. As of July 2026, reports indicated that he had two password attempts remaining before the device would permanently lock its contents.

Like other dormant holdings, these coins shouldn’t automatically be classified as permanently lost. They remain associated with an existing wallet, and access could theoretically be restored if the correct credentials are recovered.

The Takeaway

Satoshi Nakamoto is believed to own the most Bitcoin of any individual, with an estimated 1.1 million BTC. Strategy is the largest publicly disclosed corporate holder, while governments such as the U.S and China also hold substantial amounts. Exchanges and funds may have even larger Bitcoin balances associated with their wallets, but those assets can be held on behalf of customers or shareholders rather than owned by the companies themselves. Because Bitcoin holdings can change as coins are acquired, sold, transferred, or reclassified, the ranking can change over time.

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FAQ

Does Satoshi Nakamoto still own bitcoin?

There is no way to confirm whether Satoshi Nakamoto still controls the estimated 1.1 million BTC associated with the pseudonymous Bitcoin creator. The coins have remained untouched since the early days of Bitcoin, and no one has publicly demonstrated control over the associated private keys. Because Nakamoto’s identity is unknown, it’s also impossible to verify whether the person or people behind the name are still alive or have access to the coins. The holdings are therefore generally described as dormant rather than definitively lost.

How much Bitcoin does the U.S. government own?

The U.S. government is estimated to control about 328,372 BTC. Most of these holdings came from Bitcoin forfeited in criminal and civil cases. In March 2025, the federal government established a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to hold forfeited government Bitcoin rather than sell it, subject to applicable legal requirements. The government’s exact balance can change as assets are acquired, transferred, or otherwise gotten rid of.

Do exchanges own the Bitcoin they hold?

Not necessarily. When an exchange holds Bitcoin in wallets for customers, the exchange may control the wallets while customers retain beneficial ownership of their assets. This is different from Bitcoin the exchange holds for its own corporate account. That’s why blockchain estimates showing hundreds of thousands of BTC in exchange-controlled wallets shouldn’t automatically be interpreted as the exchange owning all of that Bitcoin. The same distinction applies to custodians that hold Bitcoin on behalf of institutions or other customers.

How many bitcoins are lost forever?

There is no precise number because the Bitcoin blockchain can’t identify coins that are permanently inaccessible. Estimates vary, but research suggests that roughly 2.3 million to 3.7 million BTC have been lost. Coins may become inaccessible when owners lose private keys or recovery information, or when someone dies without leaving a way for heirs to access the wallet. Dormant Bitcoin isn’t necessarily lost, since the owner may still have access to the private keys.

Can one person or company own most of the Bitcoin supply?

A person or company could theoretically control a large share of Bitcoin, but Bitcoin’s supply is capped at 21 million BTC. Satoshi Nakamoto is estimated to control about 1.1 million BTC, or roughly 5.5% of the maximum supply. Strategy is the largest publicly disclosed corporate holder, with 846,000 BTC as of September 2026. However, no individual or company is known to control anything close to a majority of the Bitcoin supply.

How can I check the largest Bitcoin wallets myself?

You can use public blockchain explorers and blockchain analytics platforms to examine Bitcoin addresses and transactions. Sites such as Arkham Intelligence and BitInfoCharts provide lists of large Bitcoin addresses and information about their balances. Keep in mind that a wallet address doesn’t necessarily represent one person or company. Exchanges, custodians, and funds can control addresses containing Bitcoin belonging to many customers. Address labels are also based on attribution and may change as researchers identify new information.

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