News

As Bitcoin’s price climbs past $108,000 in 2025, owning a whole Bitcoin feels more impossible than ever for many retail investors. But there’s a solution: smaller denominations of Bitcoin, known as satoshis, are making the world’s largest cryptocurrency more accessible.

A Satoshi is the smallest unit of Bitcoin, equal to 0.00000001 BTC, and is named after Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. By thinking in terms of satoshis instead of full Bitcoin, investors can still feel like they’re owning a meaningful piece of the cryptocurrency.

Roundtable anchor Rob Nelson recently hosted a discussion with investor Armando Pantoja and Frank Holmes, executive chairman of Hive Digital Technologies Ltd., to explore how reframing Bitcoin ownership can make it more inclusive.

Pantoja compared this idea to stock splits, a strategy used to attract retail investors by lowering entry barriers. Stock splits are when a company divides its existing shares into multiple new shares to reduce the price per share, making them more affordable for retail investors while keeping the overall value of the company unchanged. For example, in a 2-for-1 split, a $100 share becomes two $50 shares.

“Same thing with Bitcoin,” he said. “Once it is already too expensive, a lot of people see that $100,000 mark and get scared or don’t know how to comprehend it. As Bitcoin goes up, we’re going to be forced to start denominating in lower numbers, micro Bitcoin, or more than likely Satoshi.”

Holmes explained how this idea appeals emotionally to investors.

“I’ve told speculators it’s like buying a million satoshis,” he said. “You’re only buying 1%, but you’re long a million, and that gets people excited.” For many, the idea of owning a large number, even if it’s a fraction of Bitcoin, feels more rewarding.

Pantoja pointed out how cryptocurrency trends have followed this pattern for years.

“Bitcoin started with 21 million, and then Ethereum came along with 150 million. Newer coins launched with billions of tokens to attract retail investors drawn to lower prices per unit. We’ve been moving toward this trend for years.”

Nelson added a personal story, recalling his nephew’s frustration. “He’s in his early 20s and just got into Bitcoin. He said, ‘I wish I could own a whole Bitcoin.’ But I told him, ‘Get your million satoshis and be happy.’”

28% of Americans own Bitcoin

This trend comes at a time of growing cryptocurrency adoption.

A survey from Security.org found that 28% of American adults now own cryptocurrencies, and 14% of non-owners plan to buy in 2025. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin remain the top three choices for new buyers.

According to the survey, 40% of cryptocurrency owners still worry about the safety and security of their investments, and nearly 1 in 5 have experienced difficulties accessing or withdrawing funds from custodial platforms.