Crypto News: Crypto Adoption Seen Just One Growth Cycle Away, 5B Users Possible Within a Decade

Key Takeaways:Industry leaders say crypto adoption could surpass 5 billion users within 10 years, making it as common as credit cards.The next bull market cycle is viewed as the catalyst for mainstream acceptance.Analysts see retail speculation and blockchain usability as the two pathways to hitting the first 1 billion users.The cryptocurrency industry may be only one market cycle away from mainstream adoption, with over 5 billion users projected within the next decade, according to industry insiders.At the Waib Summit 2025 in Monaco, Thomas Prévot, head of operations in France at Crypto.com, said that crypto adoption is nearing a tipping point.“Within 10 years, we’ll reach 5 billion users,” Prévot told attendees. “We’re about one growth cycle away from full mainstream adoption. I'm not talking about 1 billion users. I'm talking about 5 billion.”Prévot compared this milestone to the widespread use of credit cards, suggesting crypto could soon be as ubiquitous in payments as traditional systems. However, he cautioned that such widespread adoption is unlikely until after the next down cycle and subsequent bull market recovery.From 659M Today to 1B+ in the Next CycleAccording to a December 2025 research report from Crypto.com, there are currently 659 million cryptocurrency holders worldwide. Reaching 1 billion users would mark a critical milestone for mainstream acceptance, positioning digital assets as an alternative global payment system.Popular Bitcoin analyst Willy Woo has suggested that such adoption could propel Bitcoin to an “ultimate price” of $700,000, based on just a 3% portfolio allocation across global investors.Two Pathways to Mainstream AdoptionIndustry experts outlined two main pathways to mass adoption:Retail speculation – Similar to the 2021 cycle, where market hype and retail investment triggered rapid expansion.Blockchain usability – Real-world use cases such as payments, remittances, and decentralized applications, which may take longer to drive consumer behavior changes.“Getting to a billion can happen in one of two ways,” said Roy van Krimpen, general manager for Western Europe at OKX. “We’ve seen the power of speculation, but true adoption requires usability.”Chintan Turakhia, senior director of engineering at Coinbase, added that user-friendly apps will be critical to attracting non-technical newcomers.