The United States has overtaken several major economies to become the second-largest market for cryptocurrency adoption, according to the latest Chainalysis 2025 Global Adoption Index.

The ranking highlights how regulatory momentum and the rapid uptake of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have accelerated mainstream access to crypto in the US.

India, however, retained the top spot for the third year running, cementing its role as the world’s biggest market for digital assets.

The report, published on Wednesday, also revealed that the Asia-Pacific region is now the fastest-growing hub for crypto, while Eastern Europe showed the highest adoption on a per-capita basis.

The US rose from fourth in last year’s Chainalysis report to second place, with much of the growth tied to regulatory clarity and institutional products.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded $54.5 billion in inflows since their launch in January 2024, according to Farside Investors.

The bulk of these investments occurred between June and July 2025, highlighting how traditional financial institutions and retail investors are embracing crypto through regulated channels.

The momentum did not stop with Bitcoin. Investment advisers and hedge funds began accumulating Ether ETFs in the second quarter of 2025.

Data reported by Bloomberg showed advisers purchasing $1.3 billion in spot Ether ETFs, while hedge funds added $687 million.

These developments demonstrate how clearer rules in the US have given large corporates and institutional players confidence to engage with digital assets without the same reputational and compliance concerns as before.

India maintained its position as the world’s largest crypto adopter, ranking first across all four Chainalysis subindexes.

A tech-savvy population and widespread use of crypto for remittances played a significant role in its dominance.

The report noted that grassroots adoption continues in markets where digital assets provide practical solutions, such as payments, remittances, and savings in inflation-prone economies.

As a result, the Asia-Pacific region saw crypto value received increase by 69% year-on-year to $2.36 trillion, led by India, Pakistan, and Vietnam.

The Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand also secured spots in the top 20.

This growth underscores how APAC’s diverse markets are using crypto to address both individual and institutional financial needs.

Latin America also showed resilience, posting a 10% increase in growth, with Brazil and Argentina ranked among the top 20.

While overall value places India and the US at the top, Eastern Europe emerged as a leader when adjusted for population size.

Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia took the top three positions for per-capita adoption, with several others in the region, including Latvia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Estonia, and Belarus, also ranking in the top 20.

Economic instability, low trust in banking systems, and high levels of technical literacy have made crypto an attractive option across Eastern Europe.

For many, digital assets represent a way to preserve wealth, bypass banking restrictions, and facilitate cross-border transactions.

The Chainalysis findings also highlighted Bitcoin’s role as the leading entry point into crypto. It accounted for more than $4.6 trillion in fiat inflows during the period reviewed.

Layer 1 tokens, excluding Bitcoin and Ether, were the second-largest category, with more than $4 trillion in inflows.

Stablecoins followed with nearly $1 trillion, while memecoins attracted approximately $250 billion.

The US was the largest contributor, generating $4.2 trillion in on-ramp volume, while South Korea followed with $1 trillion.

In the UK and the EU, Bitcoin maintained a particularly strong presence, with nearly half of all fiat purchases directed toward it.

The post US climbs to second in global crypto adoption as ETFs fuel growth appeared first on Invezz

245 +