Research by Atmos ranks the UAE as the world’s most engrossed country, primarily due to its high crypto ownership and adoption rates.
The UAE has the highest crypto ownership rate worldwide
According to an Atmos survey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the world’s most code-obsessed country with a score of 98.4. The Middle Eastern country is slightly ahead of second-placed Singapore (97.5), over 10 points ahead of the US, earning the third spot with a score of 85.4.
The UAE top rankings are in the background of what the research report described as the country’s minimal Bitcoin ATM infrastructure. For context, this study shows that the third place US has 29,834 ATMs, with only one UAE listed. However, despite this, the UAE’s crypto ownership rate was 25.3% and the adoption rate was 210%, which was enough to secure a top spot.
Commenting on the findings, Atmos CEO Nick Cooke said:
The adoption of cryptocurrency is not just about investment trends. Restructuring financial systems around the world. In some regions it is a hedge against inflation and currency instability, while in others it is a step towards a more digitalized economy. It’s not just about interest, it’s accessibility that really encourages adoption. If regulatory clarity, payment integration, and real-world utilities match, cryptography moves from guesswork to the basics of everyday transactions.
Meanwhile, Canada, which boasts the second highest number of Bitcoin ATMs (3,561), ranks fourth with an overall score of 72. This score is attributed to a 10.1% crypto ownership rate and a 225% adoption rate. In Turkey, where economic uncertainty is spurred by depreciation currencies, crypto ownership is the third highest (19.3%). However, the country’s low adoption rate, combined with just a few Bitcoin ATMs (7), is a score of 67.8, making it the fifth most crypto-friendly country.
Despite having a double-digit (11.5%) crypto ownership rate, Switzerland’s adoption rate is 90%, the lowest among top-ranked countries, bringing the score to 58.1. Switzerland’s low adoption, ranked 7th, indicates “a mature market, not a new adoption,” according to the survey report.
South Korea is widely viewed as a high-tech nation, with only a score of 52.2, the lowest of the best. This study attributes this to the limited physical infrastructure of Asian countries.
