How many bitcoins are lost to date?

[Zed0X]

The news of Peter Schiff losing his bitcoin sparked my interest again into digging how many btc's are lost forever. The only study I can find is the report by Chainanalysis where they claim that between 2.3 and 3.7 million (or 3.8 million) bitcoin are lost.

Between 2.3 and 3.7 million bitcoin are lost, reducing market capitalisation by between 13% and 22%. Market capitalisation could be reduced by a further 35% if illiquid investor holdings are removed from the cap.

As of April 2018, of the 21 million bitcoin that will ever exist, around 4 million are currently unmined, at least 2.3 million are lost, 7.4 million are held as long term investments - of which a further 1.5 million could be lost, 2.2 million are held for transactions by services, such as exchanges, and 5.1 million are held for speculation.

That report, however, was published last 2018. Assuming Peter's claim and the several "I lost my btc" threads here are true, what do you think is the current estimate of total lost bitcoin?

(edit: no need to consider Peter's "lost btc". As it turns out, blockchain.com is helping him with the password https://twitter.com/blockchain/status/1218972414421454849)


It is safe to say that more and more will be added to the total until the last bitcoin is mined. By the year 2140, btc's total supply in circulation could be more or less 10 million. I can't imagine the effect of that on the price.

(Disclaimer: I've already posted this in another forum)

[endlasuresh]

I was hearing these things two months back and few of them assisted to add the lost Bitcoins, but who knows how many lost and how many are stored secretely. It is almost 20 years for 2040 and one should expect to stay online and mine those Bitcoins in the future.
I am expecting to leave Internet soon because of interest gone with Bitcoin forums.

[mlawson71]

How did the Schiff thing even happen?

[Andruha1993]

I have already heard this news. And I have a feeling of bewilderment. I don’t even know how to react. And yes indeed no one can know how much Bitcoin is lost. An interesting fact is that it will still be lost, as some crypto enthusiasts lose their wallet keys.

[Zed0X]

How did the Schiff thing even happen?

According to his tweets, his password to his blockchain.com wallet does not work anymore and immediately claimed that he lost the bitcoins in that wallet. Anyway, the team from blockchain.com has approached him and offered to help so he can access his wallet again. He made a fool of himself to be honest. It just proves that he knows little about the technology behind the coin that he kept bashing.