What Is Market Cap? A Beginner’s First Lesson on Crypto Valuation

In the world of Crypto Assets, Market Cap (市值) is a term that investors often hear. But what exactly is it? Why is it so important? This article will start from the basics, taking you to understand the true meaning of Market Cap and its practical value in investing.

What is Market Cap (market capitalization)?

Market Cap, commonly referred to in Chinese as “市值”, is a key metric for evaluating the overall scale and market influence of a Crypto Asset. Simply put, it represents the “total value” of a certain coin in the market, similar to the concept of total market capitalization in the stock market.

In the crypto field, market capitalization is derived from the price of the token multiplied by its circulating supply.

How to calculate the market capitalization of Crypto Assets?

The calculation formula is very simple:

Market Cap = Current token price × Circulating token quantity

For example, if the price of a certain Crypto Asset is $10 and the number of tokens in circulation is 10 million, then its market capitalization is: 10 × 10,000,000 = 100,000,000 dollars.

That is to say, the market capitalization of this project is 100 million dollars.

Market Cap Categories: Large-cap, Mid-cap, Small-cap coins

We usually categorize Crypto Assets into the following types based on their market capitalization.

• Large-cap: market capitalization over 10 billion USD, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum.
• Mid-cap: market capitalization between 1 billion and 10 billion USD.
• Small-cap: market capitalization below 1 billion USD, higher volatility, with potential and risk coexisting.

This classification helps investors identify the scale of projects and their risk levels.

The significance of market capitalization size for investors

The higher the market capitalization, the more stable the project usually is, and the stronger its risk resistance ability. For example, Bitcoin’s market capitalization has always ranked first in the entire crypto assets market, which also demonstrates its dominant position.

On the other hand, small-cap coins, although highly volatile, may also experience explosive increases in a short period, making them suitable for investors with a high risk tolerance to try.

Market capitalization ≠ real value, avoid misunderstanding.

Although market capitalization is an important indicator for measuring the scale of a coin, it does not equate to its true value. For example, a project may artificially control the circulation or price to create an “inflated” market capitalization, which can mislead investors.

Therefore, while looking at the market capitalization, we should also check:

• Project fundamentals (technology, team, community)
• Circulation rate and total issuance
• Is there any sign of speculation in the price?

Summary and Investment Suggestions

Market Cap is one of the important reference data for evaluating Crypto Assets, but it should not be the sole basis for decision-making. It is more suitable for “comparing coin sizes” rather than judging the true potential of a project.

For Newbies, mastering the calculation and classification of market capitalization is an important first step in understanding market structure. When investing in Crypto Assets, do your homework, do not be deceived by superficial numbers, make rational judgments, and diversify risks.