The crypto market progression vs the traditional finance vs global wealth

Antonio Piretti
Sep 1
2 min read

Crypto Market vs Traditional Finance vs Global Wealth (2025)

Latest Market Size (as for August 2025)

Market	Estimated Value (USD)
Cryptocurrency (global)	≈ $3.78 trillion
Bitcoin alone	≈ $2.17 trillion
Global Stock Market	≈ $126 trillion
Global Bond Market	≈ $100 trillion
Gold (above-ground reserves)	≈ $18 trillion
Global Wealth (all assets)	≈ $470 trillion

Growth & Progression of the Crypto Market

In 2021, total crypto market cap: ~$2–2.9T
In 2024, it hovered around $3.2–3.5T
In 2025, it surged to ~$3.78T — marking a ~30–70% growth in just 4 years, despite high volatility and market cycles.

Bitcoin has been the main driver, now representing over 57% of the total crypto market with a $2.17T market cap—on par with the largest single asset categories in the world.

Crypto vs Traditional Finance

Stocks: The global stock market is ~$126T. Crypto is now about 3% of this size, up from less than 1% in 2020.
Bonds: At ~$100T, bonds remain much larger, but crypto is beginning to act as a complementary alternative asset class.
Gold: With ~$18T in market cap, gold is still ~5x larger than crypto, but crypto’s trajectory shows it is gradually emerging as a digital store of value.

Crypto vs Global Wealth

Total global wealth: ~$470T
Crypto’s share: ~0.8% of global wealth, up from nearly 0.1% a decade ago.

This indicates that digital assets have moved from a fringe niche to a significant wealth component for both retail and institutional investors.

Why This Growth Matters

Mainstream Integration: ETFs, institutional custody, and tokenized assets are bringing crypto into traditional portfolios.
Diversification: Crypto now offers a hedge against inflation, currency debasement, and systemic financial risks.
Policy Tailwinds: Recent U.S. policy changes (Trump administration’s pro-crypto stance) have boosted market confidence by providing regulatory clarity, discouraging hostile enforcement, and even creating a strategic Bitcoin reserve.
Innovation Beyond Speculation: From DeFi to real-world asset tokenization and stablecoin adoption, crypto is powering new layers of the financial system.