Cryptocurrencies with a Maximum Supply of 21,000,000 Coins or Fewer
Many cryptocurrencies are designed with a fixed maximum supply (often called a “hard cap”) to create scarcity, similar to Bitcoin’s model, which limits it to exactly 21 million coins. This cap is typically hardcoded into the protocol and cannot be changed without broad consensus, ensuring the total supply will never exceed the limit. Below, I’ve compiled a list of notable examples based on current data as of September 2025. These are established projects where the cap is ≤21 million and enforced permanently.
I’ve focused on well-known coins with significant market presence or utility, excluding obscure or meme tokens unless particularly relevant. Note that circulating supply (coins currently available) is lower than the max for most, as mining or minting is ongoing.
| Cryptocurrency | Symbol | Maximum Supply | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | BTC | 21,000,000 | The original cryptocurrency; cap reached around 2140 via halvings. Current circulating: ~19.9 million. Serves as digital gold/store of value. |
| Bitcoin Cash | BCH | 21,000,000 | Fork of Bitcoin focused on faster transactions; inherits the same cap for scarcity. Current circulating: ~19.8 million. |
| Bittensor | TAO | 21,000,000 | AI-blockchain project for decentralized machine learning; rewards data/compute contributors. Emphasizes scarcity for value. |
| Monero | XMR | 18,400,000 | Privacy-focused coin; tail emission after cap maintains low inflation (~0.87 XMR/block). Current circulating: ~18.4 million. |
| Aave | AAVE | 16,000,000 | DeFi lending protocol; fixed cap supports token utility in borrowing/lending. Current circulating: ~15.1 million. |
| Quant | QNT | 14,881,235 | Enterprise blockchain interoperability; low cap drives value in multi-chain ecosystems. Nearly fully circulating. |
| Maker | MKR | 1,000,000 | Governance token for MakerDAO (DAI stablecoin); extremely low cap, with burns reducing effective supply further. |
| Yearn.finance | YFI | 36,666 | DeFi yield optimizer; one of the lowest caps, leading to high per-token value. Fully circulating since launch. |
Additional Insights
- Why this matters: A hard cap prevents inflation, potentially increasing value as demand grows (basic supply-demand economics). For example, Bitcoin’s cap is why it’s seen as “digital gold.”
- Exclusions: Coins like Litecoin (84M) or Cardano (45B) exceed 21M. Uncapped coins (e.g., Ethereum) aren’t included, as their supply can grow indefinitely.
- Risks: Low supply doesn’t guarantee gains—factors like adoption, tech, and regulation play roles. Some caps (e.g., Monero’s tail emission) allow minimal ongoing issuance post-cap.
- Data sources: Derived from market trackers like CoinGecko/CoinMarketCap and analyses from 2025 reports.
This isn’t exhaustive (thousands of tokens exist), but these represent strong examples. For real-time verification, check CoinMarketCap or CoinGecko.