If you’ve spent any time in crypto communities or checked out market charts, you’ve probably seen the term Bitcoin dominance pop up a lot. It’s one of those metrics that gets tossed around as a signal of what the market might be doing. But what does it actually mean—and why should you care?

Let’s break it down.

What Is Bitcoin Dominance?

Bitcoin dominance is simply the percentage of the total crypto market that belongs to Bitcoin. It compares Bitcoin’s market cap to the market cap of all cryptocurrencies combined. If
Bitcoin dominance is 50%, that means Bitcoin makes up half of the entire crypto market’s value.

It’s kind of like looking at how much of the spotlight Bitcoin is getting compared to all the altcoins out there.