Bitcoin has been around for over a decade, and during that time, the cryptocurrency has seen a meteoric rise in value. This has led to a small group of individuals who have become some of the biggest bitcoin holders in the world. These individuals are known as “whales” and they hold a significant portion of the total bitcoins in circulation.
According to data from BitInfoCharts, the top 100 bitcoin addresses currently hold around 14.3% of the total bitcoin supply. These addresses are owned by individuals, exchanges, and companies that have accumulated large amounts of bitcoin over time.
One of the most well-known bitcoin holders is Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious founder of bitcoin. Nakamoto is believed to have mined around 1 million bitcoins in the early days of the cryptocurrency, which would be worth over $37 billion at current prices. However, Nakamoto’s identity remains unknown, and it is unclear if they still hold their bitcoin.
Another prominent bitcoin holder is the Winklevoss twins, Tyler and Cameron. The twins are best known for their legal battle with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, but they have also been early adopters of bitcoin. The Winklevoss twins reportedly own around 1% of the total bitcoin supply, which would be worth over $3.7 billion.
The third-largest bitcoin holder is believed to be an anonymous individual or group known as the “Pineapple Fund”. The Pineapple Fund donated over $55 million worth of bitcoin to various charities in 2017, but the group is still believed to hold a significant amount of bitcoin.
Other notable bitcoin holders include MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor, who has invested over $2 billion of his company’s funds into bitcoin, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has tweeted about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the past.
Exchanges and companies also hold a significant portion of the total bitcoin supply. The largest bitcoin exchange in the world, Binance, holds over 200,000 bitcoins in its cold storage wallets. Grayscale Investments, a digital asset investment firm, holds over 650,000 bitcoins in its Bitcoin Trust, which is worth over $24 billion.
While these individuals and companies hold a large portion of the total bitcoin supply, it is important to note that bitcoin is still a decentralized currency. No one person or group controls the bitcoin network, and anyone can participate in the network by buying, selling, or mining bitcoin.
In conclusion, the biggest bitcoin holders in the world are a small group of individuals, exchanges, and companies that have accumulated large amounts of bitcoin over time. While some of these individuals are well-known, others remain anonymous. However, it is important to remember that bitcoin is still a decentralized currency, and anyone can participate in the network.