Binance adds 100m users in 18 months as Bitcoin holdings leave exchanges

Binance has surpassed 300m users, with survey data showing half now identify as long-term crypto holders, while BTC leaves exchanges and institutional activity rises.

Binance has surpassed 300 million registered users globally, adding 100 million users in 18 months in the fastest growth period in the exchange’s history, according to Binance Australia.

The platform required nearly five years to reach its first 100 million users, then just over two years for the next 100 million, representing a growth rate of over 180,000 new users daily, Matt Poblocki, general manager for Binance Australia and New Zealand, stated on Friday.

The growth coincides with digital assets shifting from speculative trading to broader institutional adoption, according to the company. Binance reported a 14% year-over-year increase in institutional users and a 13% rise in institutional trading volumes.

Bitcoin (BTC) held on exchanges has fallen to its lowest level in five years, while holdings by public companies and exchange-traded funds continue to rise, with more than 200 public companies now holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets, according to the exchange.

Binance’s 2025 User Pulse survey, covering over 95,000 users across 48 markets, found that half of users now identify as long-term holders rather than active traders. Portfolio diversification and investing for future purchases such as home buying ranked among top motivations, the survey showed.

Binance adds millions of users

In Australia, cryptocurrency ownership has reached 26% of the population, with an additional 32% open to future investment, according to research by Protocol Theory commissioned by Binance Australia. Australian trading activity concentrated around established assets, with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana dominating December volumes.

The platform maintains between 35% and 45% of global Bitcoin and Ethereum trading volume and safeguards over $170 billion in customer assets based on public Proof of Reserves data, according to Kaiko.

Poblocki stated that 2026 will be shaped by deeper integration between digital assets and traditional finance, supported by clearer regulation including Australia’s proposed Digital Assets Bill and implementation of the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework.

Binance has expanded beyond digital assets, launching perpetual futures contracts linked to gold and silver this week. The products allow traders to gain exposure to precious metals pricing without holding physical assets. The contracts operate under Financial Services Regulatory Authority regulation in Abu Dhabi through the ADGM framework, according to the company.