Global Crypto Market Cap Surpasses $4 Trillion, Marking New Era of Institutional Adoption and Altcoin Growth

On July 17, 2025, the global cryptocurrency market capitalization surpassed the $4 trillion milestone for the first time, signaling a significant evolution in the crypto industry’s maturity and acceptance as a mainstream asset class.

Data from Coingecko showed the total crypto market cap hitting approximately $4.003 trillion, accompanied by a 24-hour trading volume exceeding $260 billion.

JUST IN: The total crypto market cap has hit a new ATH of $4T. pic.twitter.com/gE8hRFegwz
— CoinGecko (@coingecko) July 18, 2025

Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency, accounted for nearly 60% of the market share with a valuation of $2.39 trillion. Bitcoin’s price increased by 1.71% over the last 24 hours, reaching $120,134 and approaching its all-time high near $123,000. This upward momentum reflects growing confidence fueled by persistent inflows into Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and advancing regulatory clarity globally.

More striking was the surge in altcoins, which outpaced Bitcoin’s gains and suggest the emergence of an altcoin season. XRP soared by 20%, surpassing its previous record high to trade at $3.62. Ethereum rose 7.8%, reaching above $3,600—the highest level recorded this year. Other notable performers included Solana (+6.16%), Dogecoin (+10.52%), and Cardano (+14.76%), underscoring broad-based strength beyond Bitcoin.

Experts attribute this rally to the cryptocurrency ecosystem’s increasing maturity and institutional infrastructure. Vincent Liu, CIO of Kronos Research, highlighted that crossing $4 trillion is more than symbolic; it represents a “structural re-rating of crypto in the global financial system.” The combination of Bitcoin’s breakout, ETF inflows, and policy developments has attracted serious capital back to crypto markets.

Congressional momentum also played a role during “Crypto Week,” with the U.S. House passing key crypto-related legislation, including the GENIUS stablecoin bill and the Clarity Act. This legislative progress is expected to provide regulatory certainty and foster further institutional involvement, contributing to the market’s expansion.

However, Liu cautioned that sustaining growth requires robust infrastructure and risk management as liquidity deepens and market flows diversify across various chains and venues. The next technical resistance level for the total market cap is projected near $4.5 trillion, pending continued ETF inflows and favourable macroeconomic conditions.

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