What is Bitcoin dominance?

Bitcoin dominance is Bitcoin’s share of the total crypto market, shown as a percentage. If the whole market is worth $3 trillion and Bitcoin is worth $1.5 trillion, dominance is 50%.

How it is calculated

Dominance is Bitcoin’s market cap divided by the combined market cap of the coins being counted, multiplied by 100. Sites choose what to count, such as every listed coin or only the top coins, and some include stablecoins while others do not. That is why the number is slightly different from site to site. Compare readings from the same source over time.

How traders read it

• Rising dominance means Bitcoin is growing faster than the rest of the market, or the rest is falling faster. In uncertain periods, some investors move into Bitcoin because it is the largest and most liquid asset.
• Falling dominance can mean money is flowing into other coins. It often shows up when altcoins are rallying, sometimes called an altcoin season.

These are tendencies, not rules. Dominance can also fall because a stablecoin’s supply is growing, or rise because the price of an altcoin dropped for reasons unrelated to Bitcoin.

Why it is worth watching

Dominance gives a quick view of where the market’s attention is. It can help put a coin’s move in context: was it a strong day for that coin, or for everything except Bitcoin?

It is not a trading signal on its own. Use it alongside price, volume and the news. For more on how coins are measured, see our guide to market cap.