Crypto: The Adoption of Mobile Wallets Reaches a Historic High in 2024

The time for the great crypto adoption has come, and it is no longer a whisper, but a real roar. Between the increase in daily uses and the rapid rise of stablecoins, the signs are undeniable. One of the most telling markers? The explosion of mobile wallets, which have reached a historic milestone and are transforming passive holders into active users.

Crypto Adoption: Mobile Wallets Are Exploding

There was a time when owning bitcoin was like collecting rare stamps: you looked, you admired, but you didn’t dare touch. That time is over. According to the latest report from Coinbase, the number of active crypto wallets on mobile has reached an absolute record of 36 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.

This is a true rising tide, signifying that holders are no longer content to hoard BTC like squirrels in winter, but are now interacting with the blockchain ecosystem.

Daren Matsuoka, data scientist at a16z Crypto, also highlights that “mobile wallets play a key role in the transition from passive holders to active users“.

And for good reason, this massive adoption occurs in a context where access to DeFi applications and blockchain transactions is becoming as simple as ordering a pizza online.

Mobile wallet users are at an all-time high. This data from our State of Crypto Index was included in the @CoinbaseInsto and @glassnode Guide to Crypto Markets released today. pic.twitter.com/qXFNXTaJ9u

— Daren Matsuoka (@DarenMatsuoka) January 29, 2025

The numbers speak for themselves:

• 560 million crypto holders recorded worldwide in 2024;
• A tripling of the number of crypto holders expected by 2026;
• 36 million active users, a spectacular leap.

With such dynamics, the crypto landscape is no longer just a niche for geeks and sleepless traders, but a real market in full expansion.

Stablecoins: The New Game-Changer for Transactions

While bitcoin plays the diva at $100,000, another silent but formidable player is carving out a place: stablecoins. Long relegated to the role of an intermediary, they are now becoming the real “killer app” of cryptos.

Coinbase is not mistaken and highlights their meteoric rise in 2024, with an offering that jumped by 18%, nearing $200 billion.

Our Q1 Guide to Crypto Markets unpacks the trends that matter most to investors.

Here are 5 things we’re watching:

1. Stablecoins’ record $30T volume cements their role as crypto’s killer app.
↓ pic.twitter.com/JbftHpTNN0

— Coinbase Institutional 🛡️ (@CoinbaseInsto) January 29, 2025

But that’s not all. Trading volumes have exploded, reaching a historic peak of $30 trillion over the year, including $5 trillion in December, boosted by Bitcoin fever.

In November, the inflow of stablecoins into crypto exchanges even surpassed $9.7 billion, just before crossing the symbolic threshold of $100,000 for BTC.

Why this enthusiasm? Simply because stablecoins offer what banks still struggle to guarantee: speed, lower costs, and accessibility. Particularly in East Asia, where they are beginning to eat away at market shares of local currencies, victims of rampant inflation.

Maruf Yusupov, co-founder of Deenar, sums up the situation well:

“In most emerging markets, stablecoins are gradually replacing fiat currencies due to their lower cost and ease of use”.

A disruption that could eventually reshape the global monetary landscape.

Finally, for governments and financial institutions, the time for positioning is approaching. Fidelity has stated that as early as 2025, mass adoption will be inevitable. Between institutions and states, the race towards crypto already seems to be underway.