Understanding cryptocurrency market capitalization (market cap) and market dominance is essential for investors, traders, and analysts navigating the digital asset space. These metrics provide critical insights into the relative size, performance, and influence of individual cryptocurrencies and broader market segments. Whether you're analyzing Bitcoin’s dominance or tracking the growth of emerging sectors like DeFi and AI, reliable data sources are key.
This guide explores where to access accurate and up-to-date cryptocurrency market cap and dominance data, how these figures are calculated, and the various specialized indices available for deeper market analysis.
Understanding Cryptocurrency Market Capitalization
Cryptocurrency market cap is calculated by multiplying a digital asset’s current price by its circulating supply:
Market Cap = Current Price × Circulating Supply
This metric helps assess a cryptocurrency's overall value and rank within the market. For example, Bitcoin (BTC) typically holds the highest market cap, followed by Ethereum (ETH) and other major altcoins.
These data points are available through financial platforms that aggregate and compute real-time metrics. One such platform is TradingView, which offers a comprehensive suite of tools under the CRYPTOCAP: prefix. These indices allow users to monitor total market capitalization, sector-specific trends, and dominance ratios across hundreds of cryptocurrencies.
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Total Market Capitalization Indices
The primary benchmark for overall crypto market health is the total market capitalization of the top-ranking cryptocurrencies. On TradingView, this is represented by:
CRYPTOCAP:TOTAL– Reflects the combined market cap of the top 125 cryptocurrencies based on rankings from the Crypto Coins Screener.
Additional variations exclude specific assets to reveal underlying market dynamics:
TOTAL2: Total cap of top 125 coins excluding Bitcoin (BTC)TOTAL3: Excludes both BTC and Ethereum (ETH)OTHERS: Excludes BTC and other top-tier coins; full exclusion list available on the Cryptocurrency Markets pageTOTALES: Total cap excluding stablecoinsTOTAL2ES: Excludes BTC and stablecoinsTOTAL3ES: Excludes BTC, ETH, and stablecoinsTOTALE50: Market cap of coins ranked #51 to #125 (i.e., total minus top 50)TOTALE100: Market cap of coins ranked #101 to #125
These segmented indices help investors understand whether market movements are driven by large caps or smaller altcoins, offering valuable context during bull or bear cycles.
Sector-Based Market Capitalization Indices
Beyond overall market data, sector-specific indices allow for granular analysis of different blockchain ecosystems and technological niches. Each index aggregates the market caps of up to 100 coins within a defined category.
Blockchain Ecosystem Indices
These track dominant platforms and their associated tokens:
SOLANA.C: Top 100 tokens in the Solana ecosystemPOLKADOT.C: Polkadot-based projectsBNBCHAIN.C: BNB Chain ecosystemETHEREUM.C: Ethereum-powered tokens
Use the Blockchain Ecosystem filter to explore all included assets.
Stablecoin Indices
Stablecoins play a crucial role in liquidity and risk management:
STABLE.C: Top 100 stablecoinsFIATSTABLE.C: Fiat-collateralized stablecoins only
These help track shifts in investor sentiment—increased stablecoin holdings often signal caution or preparation for new entries.
Infrastructure & Platform Tokens
Critical for network functionality and scalability:
LAYER1.C: Layer 1 blockchain tokensDEPIN.C: Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN)SMARTCONTRACTS.C: Smart contract platforms
Consensus Mechanism Indices
Reveal adoption trends between mining and staking models:
POW.C: Proof-of-Work (PoW) coinsPOS.C: Proof-of-Stake (PoS) coins
Thematic and Emerging Sectors
Reflect innovation frontiers in crypto:
MEME.C: Meme coins (e.g., Dogecoin, Shiba Inu)AI.C: Artificial intelligence and data management tokensRWA.C: Real World Assets (tokenized real estate, bonds, etc.)REHYPOTHECATED.C: Rehypothecated assetsMADEINUSA.C: U.S.-based projectsWORLDLIBERTY.C: World Liberty Financial portfolio tokens
Each category can be explored using the Category or Consensus Algorithm filters on TradingView.
Market Dominance Metrics
Market dominance shows what percentage of the total market cap a specific coin or group controls. It’s calculated using the .D suffix:
Dominance = (Coin Market Cap / TOTAL Market Cap) × 100%
Examples include:
BTC.D: Bitcoin’s dominanceETH.D: Ethereum’s shareCRYPTOCAP:TOTAL.D: Overall market reference point
High Bitcoin dominance often indicates risk-off behavior, while declining dominance may signal increased interest in altcoins.
Ratio-Based Analytical Tools
Advanced ratio indices offer deeper insight into inter-market relationships:
DEFIETH: TOTALDEFI / ETH — Measures DeFi sector size relative to Ethereum’s market capTOTAL3ESBTC: TOTAL3ES / BTC — Compares non-BTC, non-ETH, non-stablecoin altcoins against BitcoinOTHERSBTC: OTHERS / BTC — Evaluates mid-tier altcoins versus Bitcoin
These ratios help identify divergence patterns and potential outperformance in niche markets.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is cryptocurrency market cap?
A: It's the total value of a cryptocurrency, calculated as price multiplied by circulating supply. It helps compare the relative size of different digital assets.
Q: Why exclude stablecoins in some indices?
A: Stablecoins aren’t speculative like other cryptos. Removing them gives a clearer picture of true crypto market activity and investor risk appetite.
Q: How often are these indices updated?
A: Data is updated in real time based on live exchange prices and circulating supply metrics from trusted sources.
Q: Can I use these indices for trading decisions?
A: Yes. Traders use dominance shifts and sector caps to spot trends—like increasing DeFi or AI interest—as leading indicators.
Q: Where can I view the full list of coins in each index?
A: Use the Crypto Coins Screener with category filters (e.g., DeFi, AI, PoS) to see all included tokens.
Q: Is Bitcoin dominance still relevant?
A: Absolutely. Despite growing altcoin diversity, BTC remains a macro driver. Drops in its dominance often precede altseason rallies.
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Core Keywords
- Cryptocurrency market cap
- Market dominance
- Total crypto market value
- Blockchain sector analysis
- DeFi market cap
- Altcoin performance
- Real-time crypto data
- Market cap ranking
By leveraging these tools and understanding their applications, investors can make more informed decisions in an evolving digital asset landscape. Whether monitoring Bitcoin’s grip on the market or spotting growth in AI-driven tokens, accessible and well-structured data is your foundation for success.