Americans Favor Bitcoin Over Gold, Survey Reveals

Bitcoin Overtakes Gold in US Ownership for First Time

For millennia, gold has been the undisputed champion of value storage. Now, a digital newcomer, Bitcoin, launched in January 2009, appears to have surpassed its traditional rival in the United States, with a new report indicating more Americans own Bitcoin than gold.

A July 2026 research report from River estimates that approximately 49.6 million American adults now own Bitcoin, representing 18.6% of the adult population. This figure contrasts with the 28.8 million adults, or 10.8%, who reported owning gold. The report marks what is believed to be the first time on record that Bitcoin ownership has exceeded that of gold.

The margin is significant, with River’s data suggesting that US Bitcoin owners outnumber gold owners by roughly 20.8 million people. River’s findings also indicate a substantial surge in Bitcoin adoption, with ownership among US adults climbing from 14.3% to 18.6% in approximately six months.

The report attributes this rapid growth to increased accessibility, citing the role of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mobile applications, and a variety of exchanges in making Bitcoin purchases more convenient. River also connects this trend to a broader cultural shift in how Americans perceive digital assets.

This pattern is not unique to River’s findings. Earlier surveys conducted by the Nakamoto Project, which gathered data from late 2024 to early 2025 and published its results by mid-2025, arrived at similar conclusions. Those surveys estimated between 48 and 50 million Bitcoin owners, compared to approximately 37 million gold owners. While the two studies differ on the exact number of gold owners, their Bitcoin estimates are closely aligned and both place Bitcoin ahead.

Broader US Exposure to Bitcoin

Beyond individual ownership, American exposure to Bitcoin extends to corporate treasuries and government holdings. It is estimated that Americans hold about 42% of the total global Bitcoin supply.

US public companies collectively possess approximately 1.24 million BTC, which, according to the research, accounts for about 93% of all corporate Bitcoin holdings worldwide. The US government, meanwhile, holds around 328,000 BTC, valued at over $26 billion. The majority of this government-held Bitcoin was acquired through asset seizures rather than direct purchases.

Divergent Survey Data and Methodological Debates

However, not all surveys present a consistent picture. A separate report from Gallup indicated that only 9% of US adults owned cryptocurrency as of June 2026, a decrease from 14% the previous year. This figure stands in stark contrast to River’s 18.6% Bitcoin ownership rate. Given that Bitcoin is a subset of cryptocurrency, its ownership rate would logically be expected to be lower than overall crypto ownership.

The most plausible explanation for this discrepancy lies in the differing methodologies of the surveys, including variations in questions asked and the samples surveyed. Some respondents may not consider holding Bitcoin through an ETF as “owning crypto.” The research suggests that the Gallup data may indicate Bitcoin’s growing dominance over other digital currencies, even as broader cryptocurrency ownership declines.

River’s data implies a potential shift in what Americans consider their primary “alternative asset.” This trend could, in turn, encourage institutional investors to increase their Bitcoin allocations as the digital currency gains wider acceptance as a legitimate asset class.

Concentration of Holdings and Market Influence

The concentration of Bitcoin holdings within the US, with Americans holding 42% of the global supply and US public companies accounting for 93% of corporate holdings, grants American policy decisions significant influence over the asset. Regulatory actions concerning ETFs, corporate accounting practices, or the management of seized Bitcoin could have substantial ripple effects across the market.

Future developments to monitor include whether the growth rate observed by River is sustained and if other polling organizations report similar figures. The six-month increase from 14.3% to 18.6% is particularly noteworthy. Furthermore, if Gallup’s lower cryptocurrency ownership numbers continue to diverge from Bitcoin-specific surveys, a debate over survey methodologies is likely to ensue.