Bitcoin-paying crypto millionaires flock to golden visas worldwide

Globally, there are now 241,700 people whose crypto holdings put them in the millionaire ranks, up 40% in a year, as digital assets start to influence how the rich transfer funds or secure residency and citizenship.

Henley & Partners’ Crypto Wealth Report 2025 estimates that, by June, the tally of Bitcoin millionaires rose 70% year over year to 145,100.

From the Caribbean to the Gulf, authorities are beginning to accept cryptocurrency for residency and citizenship-by-investment programs.

“While the percentage of clients actually transacting in cryptocurrency remains relatively small due to current program limitations, we’re seeing significant interest and inquiries about crypto payment options,” said Dominic Volek, group head of private clients at Henley & Partners, in comments to Business Insider.

“We’ve gone from virtually zero crypto-related inquiries five years ago to fielding questions regularly, particularly from tech entrepreneurs and younger high-net-worth individuals,” he added.

Property market opens to crypto buyers

Real estate is one channel. Many schemes link qualification to buying property, and developers in St. Kitts & Nevis, Panama, and the UAE now accept crypto as payment, creating what Volek calls “an indirect pathway for crypto holders to participate.”

“These programs only started accepting crypto in late 2023 and 2024, so there’s years of pent-up demand finally finding an outlet,” Volek said. “When established programs like St. Kitts & Nevis, running since 1984, start accepting cryptocurrency, that signals institutional acceptance.”

A large share of some investors’ wealth sits in tokens, and switching into fiat can be cumbersome and may bring taxes and extra charges. “For someone with substantial digital wealth, a blockchain transaction that settles in minutes versus a three-day wire transfer, there’s no comparison,” Volek said.

Governments adapt to crypto risks and regulations

There are still pitfalls, even as authorities adjust. Supervisors flag anti-money-laundering compliance and the swings in crypto prices that complicate payments. “The compliance requirements for crypto are often stricter than traditional wealth,” he said, noting that many applicants opt for stablecoins to avoid sudden swings.

Volek sees crypto staying niche as a payment rail, even if additional programs adopt it. “Within five years, I expect maybe five or more programs will offer crypto options, not a majority, but enough to serve this market globally,” he said.

He continued that the investment-migration field tends to evolve with how fortunes are built. “Twenty years ago, it was all real estate, then financial portfolios, now digital assets,” he said. “We’re positioning ourselves to serve the quarter-million crypto millionaires who need sophisticated planning for their digital wealth.”

As Cryptopolitan reported earlier, the U.K. and U.S. plan to create a joint forum to cut bureaucracy for companies tapping capital markets in both countries and to step up coordination on crypto assets. The body, called the Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future, is due to report within 180 days on near-term collaboration and longer-term options, including for wholesale digital markets.

The initiative was signed off last week by U.K. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during President Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain. Officials from both treasuries will co-chair the group, which will also include regulators from each country.

Since the 2016 Brexit referendum, London’s financial sector has worked to hold on to its European lead, while a number of companies have shifted primary listings to the United States.

To support its digital-assets ambitions, the U.K. has leaned toward the U.S. approach of supervising crypto under existing rules rather than writing new ones, in contrast to the European Union.

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