Between 40 and 70 million people use crypto wallets every month: do you have one yet?

A recent report from a16z reveals that around 70 million people use crypto wallets each month and that stablecoins and public blockchains are transforming global finance.

According to the report "State of Crypto 2025: Stablecoins, institutional adoption, and AI" Published by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), between 40 and 70 million people are actively using crypto wallets each month. This data reflects a fundamental shift in the crypto world, as what was once seen as an emerging technology or a tool only for speculators is now cemented as an essential part of the global financial infrastructure.

The study, authored by Daren Matsuoka, Robert Hackett, Jeremy Zhang, Stephanie Zinn, and Eddy Lazzarin, offers a comprehensive snapshot of the current crypto ecosystem. It covers everything from the rise of stablecoins to growing institutional participation, while also taking into account advances in blockchain infrastructure. 

Overall, this report describes an industry that has moved beyond its experimental stage and is positioning itself as a serious alternative to traditional financial systems.

Crypto wallets are becoming more widespread in emerging and developed markets.

The use of crypto wallets has grown steadily in recent years. A16z estimates that around 70 million people use them monthly to make transactions, store digital assets, or interact with decentralized applicationsThis growth has been driven by the expansion of blockchain infrastructure, reduced transaction costs, and improved user experience.

In countries like Argentina, India, Nigeria y ColombiaIn Argentina, the use of crypto wallets has skyrocketed. In the case of Argentina, the report highlights a 16-fold increase in mobile wallet use over the past three years, amid a monetary crisis that has weakened confidence in the country's fiat currency. In these markets, cryptocurrencies offer a path to digital dollars, international payments, and savings without intermediaries.

On the other hand, in more developed economies, such as Australia y South Korea, the use of digital wallets is more linked to signals and token speculationA16z notes that token-related web traffic largely comes from these countries, suggesting a difference in usage patterns across regions. In other words, while in some places wallets are tools for financial inclusion, in others they function as investment platforms.

El report It also reveals that There are 716 million people who own cryptocurrencies, although not all of them actively transact. This gap between passive holding and active use could represent an opportunity for developers and companies in the sector, who could convert these holders into repeat users through more accessible and useful products.

Stablecoins surpass Visa in transaction volume

Another of the most striking data from the report published by a16z is the volume of transactions processed with stablecoins. In the last twelve months, these dollar-backed digital currencies They have moved 46 billion dollars, a figure that far exceeds Visa's volume and is close to the ACH system, which connects the entire US banking system. Adjusted to eliminate artificial activity such as bots, the volume is still staggering, close to $9 trillion, more than five times that of PayPal.

According to the report, contrary to popular belief, this massive stablecoin trading volume is not linked to speculative trading. Rather, A16z highlights that stablecoin usage has been largely independent of trading volume in crypto markets, indicating a more functional adoption of these assets. Stablecoins have become a fast, cheap, and global way to send money. For example, in September, $1,25 trillion in adjusted transactions were processed, marking a new monthly record.

The total stablecoin supply also reached an all-time high, surpassing $300.000 billion. Tether and USDC dominate the market, accounting for 87% of the total value, while Ethereum and Tron are the primary networks used for these transactions, although new blockchains and issuers are gaining ground.

In addition, stablecoins are having a macroeconomic impact. More than 1% of all US dollars now exist as stablecoins on public blockchains. These digital currencies have become the seventeenth largest holder of US Treasury bonds., with more than $150.000 billion in reserves. The report highlights that, in a context where foreign central banks are reducing their exposure to US debt, stablecoins are strengthening demand for dollar-denominated assets.

Public blockchains process more transactions than Stripe and Nasdaq

In its report, a16z also highlights the rapid evolution of blockchain infrastructure. In 2020, public networks could barely process 25 transactions per second, while today they exceed 3.400 transactions per second, a figure comparable to Stripe's capacity on high-traffic days or the volume of completed transactions on Nasdaq. According to the firm, this improvement has been possible thanks to advances in scalability, cost reduction, and new network architectures.

For example, Solana, which stands out as a blockchain of high scalability, has established itself as one of the most efficient networks in the industry, with applications generating $3.000 billion in revenue last year. Ethereum, for its part, has migrated much of its economic activity to second layer solutions (Layer 2) such as Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism. These L2s have reduced transaction costs from $24 in 2021 to less than a cent in 2025.

The bridges between chains have also improved. Protocols like LayerZero allow assets to be moved between different blockchains, while Hyperliquid, which dominates the crypto derivatives market, has processed $74.000 billion in volume through its canonical bridge.

Finally, the report stresses that the privacy is returning to the center of the crypto ecosystem debate. a16z mentions the growth of Zcash, Railgun, and new initiatives like the private stablecoin USAD, developed by Paxos and Aleo. Even the US government has lifted sanctions on Tornado Cash, suggesting a new era of innovation in financial privacy.

The crypto world is already part of the global financial system.

The a16z report concludes that the crypto industry has moved beyond its adolescent phase. With over $4 trillion in market capitalization, accelerated institutional adoption, and an infrastructure ready to scale, the ecosystem is poised to fully integrate into the global financial system.

Top-tier companies such as JPMorgan, Mastercard, Fidelity and PayPal have already incorporated cryptocurrency-based products into their customer offerings. To date, more than $175.000 billion has been invested in financial products linked to Bitcoin and Ethereum, reflecting the growing confidence in these digital assets. At the same time, stablecoins are gaining ground as an efficient and accessible alternative for payments, driving the democratization of access to a digital dollar.

In terms of regulation, jurisdictions such as the United States and Europe have taken important steps to strengthen the ecosystem. With the approval of laws such as the GENIUS Act and MiCA Law, respectively, the legal framework for digital assets has become clearer and more robust. The firm emphasizes that this legal clarity not only improves the confidence of developers and entrepreneurs, but also enables new products to enter the market with greater legal certainty, consolidating the environment for innovation and sustainable growth.

In this context, crypto wallets are not just a tool for experts, but a gateway to the new digital financial system. With some 70 million people already using them every month, it's clear that these solutions are transforming how money is managed, facilitating transactions, savings, and access to financial products without the barriers of traditional banking.

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