Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has surpassed 300 million registered users globally, adding 100 million in just 18 months. This marks the fastest growth period in the exchange's history, according to Binance Australia. The platform took nearly five years to reach its first 100 million users, but only just over two years for the next 100 million, representing a daily growth rate of over 180,000 new users.
The user growth coincides with a significant shift in market behavior. 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. Motivations include portfolio diversification and saving for future purchases like homes. This trend is echoed in Australia, where research shows cryptocurrency ownership has reached 26% of the population.
Concurrently, Bitcoin holdings on centralized exchanges have plummeted to five-year lows, while institutional accumulation rises. Binance reported a 14% year-over-year increase in institutional users and a 13% rise in their trading volumes. More than 200 public companies now hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets, alongside growing ETF holdings.
In its 2025 End-of-Year Report, Binance revealed staggering transaction volumes of $34 trillion traded on the platform for the year, with spot volume exceeding $7.1 trillion. The exchange added support for 490 spot assets and nearly 1,900 trading pairs. It also enhanced its institutional offerings, integrating the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) as eligible off-exchange collateral and collaborating with asset manager Franklin Templeton on tokenized securities initiatives.
Looking ahead, Binance executives predict 2026 will be shaped by deeper integration between digital and traditional finance, supported by clearer global regulation. The exchange has already expanded beyond crypto, launching regulated perpetual futures contracts for gold and silver.
