<p>I have found that this question is actually a duplicate. To see the first, go to: <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/13600/bitcoin-disappearence-rate">Bitcoin disappearence rate</a>. Essentially, there is not a good way to be able to determine this easily, and it sounds like no one has any readily available figures on the subject.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-07T01:20:16.893Z
2014-10-07T01:20:16.893Z
2017-04-13T12:47:33.660Z
morsecoder
<p>As the title of this question states, how much bitcoin is 'lost' (the private keys are not stored by any individual, and so will theoretically never be spent again)? I'd be looking for a percentage per year, ideally. Are there any stats on this anywhere? </p>

<p>Does it matter that Bitcoin is a deflationary currency, since bitcoins can be lost but cannot created again? It seems like this might encourage hoarding.</p>

<p>Does it vary much from other coins? Is if very different from the amount of fiat currency lost or destroyed unintentionally?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-07T01:09:10.527Z
related: [Bitcoin disappearence rate](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/13600/5406), [How many Bitcoins are missing](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/13708/5406)
Murch
<lost-bitcoins>
How much bitcoin is 'lost', on average?
morsecoder
# How much bitcoin is 'lost', on average?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-06)

As the title of this question states, how much bitcoin is 'lost' (the private keys are not stored by any individual, and so will theoretically never be spent again)? I'd be looking for a percentage per year, ideally. Are there any stats on this anywhere?

Does it matter that Bitcoin is a deflationary currency, since bitcoins can be lost but cannot created again? It seems like this might encourage hoarding.

Does it vary much from other coins? Is if very different from the amount of fiat currency lost or destroyed unintentionally?

**Tags:** lost-bitcoins

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: related: [Bitcoin disappearence rate](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/13600/5406), [How many Bitcoins are missing](http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/13708/5406)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2014-10-07. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

I have found that this question is actually a duplicate. To see the first, go to: [Bitcoin disappearence rate](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/13600/bitcoin-disappearence-rate). Essentially, there is not a good way to be able to determine this easily, and it sounds like no one has any readily available figures on the subject.


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