What is market capitalization?
Market capitalization (market cap) is the total market value of a company's outstanding shares or a cryptocurrency's circulating supply. It reflects how much the entire asset would theoretically cost to purchase at the current price, and is widely used to gauge the size and significance of a company or digital asset. See also our find Dividend Yield with Dividend Yield Calculator.
How do you calculate market cap?
The market cap formula is simple: Market Cap = Current Price × Total Supply (or Outstanding Shares). For example, if a stock trades at $50 and has 10 million outstanding shares, its market cap is $500 million. The same formula applies to cryptocurrencies using the circulating supply.
What is market cap in crypto?
In cryptocurrency, market cap is calculated by multiplying the current price of a coin or token by its circulating supply. It is a key metric for comparing cryptocurrencies — Bitcoin's large market cap indicates it is more established, while smaller altcoins with lower market caps are considered higher risk and higher volatility.
What is a fully diluted market cap?
A fully diluted market cap uses the maximum total supply of a cryptocurrency (including coins not yet mined or released) rather than just the circulating supply. It gives a more conservative picture of the asset's potential total value if all units were in circulation. You might also find our Stock Calculator useful.
How do I calculate price from market cap?
To find the implied price per unit, divide the known market cap by the total supply: Price = Market Cap ÷ Total Supply. This is useful for understanding what price an asset would need to reach to achieve a target market cap, or for reverse-engineering valuations.
Is a high market cap good or bad?
A high market cap generally signals a more established, stable asset with lower risk — large-cap stocks and cryptocurrencies like Apple or Bitcoin fall into this category. However, high market cap assets may also have lower growth potential compared to smaller, emerging assets. The right choice depends on your investment goals and risk tolerance.
What are large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap categories?
For stocks, large-cap companies typically have a market cap above $10 billion, mid-cap companies range from $2 billion to $10 billion, and small-cap companies fall below $2 billion. In crypto, these thresholds differ — large-cap crypto assets are generally considered those above $10 billion, with small caps below $1 billion.
Does market cap represent the actual value of a company?
Market cap reflects what the public market currently values a company at, but it is not the same as the company's intrinsic or book value. Factors like debt, cash holdings, and future earnings potential are not captured in market cap alone. Metrics like enterprise value offer a more complete picture for valuation purposes.