Prices for BTCUSD Bitcoin US Dollar including live quotes, historical charts and news. BTCUSD Bitcoin US Dollar was last updated by Trading Economics this July 28 of 2025.

Crypto trader Binance ranked among the largest cryptocurrency exchangers in the world in 2024, with trading volume that was about four times as high as Bybit or OKX. It should be noted that these figures are separate from platforms Binance.US, Binance TR, or Binance.KR. The platform from the Cayman Islands faced investigations from the U.S. SEC, which came to a head in November 2023. Binance did not rank as the most used cryptocurrency exchanges used by consumers in the United States. Binance's settlement with the U.S. In November 2023, Binance agreed to pay a four billion U.S. dollar settlement with United States agencies — one of the biggest corporate fines in U.S. history. The U.S. Department of Justice investigated the platform for years for failure to prevent money laundering and growing crypto theft. The company's founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to the charges, agreeing to step down. Zhao would remain as the company's majority shareholder. The U.S. Treasury announced Binance will be subject to five years of monitoring and “significant compliance undertakings, including to ensure Binance’s complete exit from the United States.” Mixed signals from crypto companies The Binance settlement occurred in a month when overall crypto trading volume recorded its highest numbers for all of 2023. One of the main causes is the sudden popularity of FTT, a token released by FTX — the company founded by Sam Bankman-Fried. The developments surrounding Binance caused investors to move away from Binance's stablecoin BNB to the stablecoin from FTX. Earlier in November 2023, however, Coinbase saw its shares fall after announcing its quarterly performance figures.

Consumers from countries in Africa, Asia, and South America were most likely to be an owner of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, in 2025. This conclusion can be reached after combining ** different surveys from the Statista's Consumer Insights over the course of that year. Nearly one out of three respondents to Statista's survey in Nigeria, for instance, mentioned they either owned or use a digital coin, rather than *** out of 100 respondents in the United States. This is a significant change from a list that looks at the Bitcoin (BTC) trading volume in ** countries: There, the United States and Russia were said to have traded the highest amounts of this particular virtual coin. Nevertheless, African and Latin American countries are noticeable entries in that list too. Daily use, or an investment tool? The survey asked whether consumers either owned or used cryptocurrencies but does not specify their exact use or purpose. Some countries, however, are more likely to use digital currencies on a day-to-day basis. Nigeria increasingly uses mobile money operations to either pay in stores or to send money to family and friends. Polish consumers could buy several types of products with a cryptocurrency in 2019. Opposed to this is the country of Vietnam: Here, the use of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a payment method is forbidden. Owning some form of cryptocurrency in Vietnam as an investment is allowed, however. Which countries are more likely to invest in cryptocurrencies? Professional investors looking for a cryptocurrency-themed ETF were more often found in Europe than in the United or China, according to a survey in early 2020. Most of the largest crypto hedge fund managers with a location in Europe in 2020, were either from the United Kingdom or Switzerland - the country with the highest cryptocurrency adoption rate in Europe according to Statista's Global Consumer Survey. Whether this had changed by 2025 was not yet clear.

Interest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in 2020 was seemingly higher in Africa and Latin America than some of the world's developed economies. This shows after analyzing Bitcoin trading volume against domestic currencies used for the transaction of the digital coin. In 2020, roughly *** million U.S. dollars worth of Russian rubles were used to buy Bitcoin on an exchange, against *** million U.S. dollars worth of Nigerian naira. The source assumes the currencies are mainly used by the domestic population - e.g., transactions made with British pounds are likely done by UK residents -, and makes the same assumption for the United States, despite the international appeal of the U.S. dollar on foreign exchange markets. Africa and Latin America lead the way Although the source does not mention all countries in Africa and Latin America, the few entries these regions do have in the list stand out. Bitcoin trading volume in Nigeria, for instance, was twice as high as that of the eurozone in 2020. Colombia's market size was twice that of Canada. Whether this interest is for actual payment use on a day-to-day basis or as a tool for investment is not really clear. Data from Statista's Global Consumer Survey on payment methods in Egypt reveals that * percent of Egyptians either owned or used Bitcoin, but does not specify the exact use or purpose of the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin: the "Renaissance" Believed by some to fade into obscurity after hitting the news in 2017 and price declines that followed afterward, the world's most well-known cryptocurrency witnessed a "rebirth" at the end of 2020: Within five days in January 2021, the price of Bitcoin soared from ****** U.S. dollars to ****** U.S. dollars. Bitcoin's market cap - calculated by multiplying the total number of Bitcoins in circulation against its price - grew as well, more than doubling in early January 2021 against November 2020.

The global user base of cryptocurrencies increased by nearly *** percent between 2018 and 2020, only to accelerate further in 2022. This is according to calculations from various sources, based on information from trading platforms and on-chain wallets. Increasing demographics might initially be attributed to a rise in the number of accounts and improvements in identification. In 2021, however, crypto adoption continued as companies like Tesla and Mastercard announced their interest in cryptocurrency. Consumers in Africa, Asia, and South America were most likely to be owners of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, in 2022. How many of these users have Bitcoin? User figures for individual cryptocurrencies are unavailable. Bitcoin, for instance, was created not to be tracked by banks and governments. What comes closest is the trading volume of Bitcoin against domestic fiat currencies. The source assumed, however, that UK residents were the most likely to make Bitcoin transactions with British pounds. This assumption might not be accurate for popular fiat currencies worldwide. Moreover, coins such as Tether or Binance Coin - referred to as "stablecoins"—are" often used to buy and sell Bitcoin. Those coins were not included in that particular statistic. Wallet usage declined Total crypto wallet downloads were significantly lower in 2022 than in 2021. The number of downloads of Coinbase, Blockchain.com, and MetaMask, among others, declined as the market hit a "crypto winter" over the year. The crypto market also suffered bad press when FTX, one of the largest crypto exchanges based on market share, collapsed in November 2022. Binance, on the other hand, regained some of the market share it had lost between September and October 2022, growing by *** percentage points in November. As of 2025, the highest forecast for the global user base of cryptocurrencies is projected to reach *** million.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the Trading Software market size will be USD XX million in 2024 and will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of XX% from 2024 to 2033. Market Dynamics Key Driver

Surge in retail investor participation is fueling the trading software market 

The rise in retail investor participation in the market is driving the demand for trading software. The driving forces behind the Retail Investor Boom are technology and accessibility, commission free trading software, social media influence, and financial literacy and awareness. The rising demand for trading software is mainly driven by the increasing demand for higher returns. • For instance, the number of demat accounts in India has seen a significant surge, reaching 179 million by October 2024, driven by increased awareness and adoption of equity investments, particularly among young investors. • In the last two years, approximately 30 million new retail investors opened brokerage accounts in United States. The percent of households with stock holdings increased to an all-time high of 58 percent as of 2022, according to the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, up from 49 percent in 2013. Social media platforms have further fueled the demand for the trading software market. Retail investors are influenced by the Platforms such as Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube have created a community-driven investing culture, where retail traders share strategies, discuss stocks, and even coordinate market moves. (source- https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/stocks-americans-own-most-ever-9f6fd963) Technical Innovation is driving the market for trading software Advancements in technology have transformed trading software, enabling automation, real- time analytics and enhanced security. AI-powered insights have democratized finance, allowing anyone with a smartphone to participate in the stock market. Technology has enabled algorithmic trading systems to execute trades at high speeds leveraging automation to place orders, monitor markets, and execute complex strategies within milliseconds. For example, u Trade Algos provides users with capability to access their strategy ‘s historical performance accurately through precise historical data. Prior to engaging in live market trading, traders can conduct backtesting of their strategies to know their hypothetical performance. • For instance, the fusion of AI with crypto trading has given rise to AI crypto trading bots, which currently make up 60% of trading volumes on major exchanges. • AI-powered platforms like DeepSeek in China are being used to predict market movements and enhance decision-making.
The increase in technological advancement has enabled trading systems to execute trades in milliseconds. This speed has reduced transaction costs and enhanced market liquidity which has led to increase in demand for trading software. (source-https://www.debutinfotech.com/blog/what-are-ai-crypto-trading-bots)

Restraints

Cyber security Risks and Data Breaches

The increasing reliance on digital trading platforms has made them prime target for cyberattacks as these platforms handle large volumes of transactions and store sensitive financial data, breaches can lead to financial losses, identify theft, and loss of investor trust. The rising cases of data breaches are one of the prominent restraints in the market. Cybercriminals target trading platforms to steal funds, manipulate markets and disrupt services. • For instance, the collapse of FTX, a major trading platform, was partly due to internal mismanagement and security lapses that led to billions in investors losses. • In October 2022, the Binance exchange experienced hack after an unauthorized third party discovered a vulnerability in the cross-chain bride of system. By exploiting the flaw, the hacker was able to create and withdraw an extra two million Binance coins(BNB). Traders often fall victim to fake trading apps, scam emails, or fraudulent brokerages. Algorithmic trading all over the world has increased with increased penetration, low-cost trading platforms. Algorithmic trading and decentralised finance (DeFi) platforms rely on APIs and smart contracts, which can b...

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Online Trading Platform Market Size 2025-2029

The online trading platform market size is forecast to increase by USD 3.14 billion at a CAGR of 8.4% between 2024 and 2029.

The market in APAC is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing financial literacy and digitalization. With the region's large and growing population of tech-savvy investors, there is a surging demand for convenient and accessible trading solutions. Moreover, the adoption of advanced technologies such as machine learning and AI is revolutionizing the trading landscape, offering personalized investment recommendations and automated trading. However, this market is not without challenges. Security concerns, regulatory compliance, and the need for reliable internet connectivity remain significant barriers to entry.
The market's growth is further facilitated by cloud-based solutions, mobile apps, and commissions. Additionally, the high competition among established players and new entrants necessitates continuous innovation and differentiation to capture market share. Companies seeking to capitalize on this market's opportunities must navigate these challenges effectively by focusing on strong security measures, regulatory compliance, and user-friendly interfaces. By staying abreast of the latest technological trends and investor demands, they can position themselves as leaders in the evolving market.

What will be the Size of the Online Trading Platform Market during the forecast period?

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The market encompasses software solutions that enable users to buy and sell financial assets, including international currencies and stocks, via live market prices. These platforms offer a range of financial tools, often accessible through banks, smartphones, and nonprofit banks. Cloud-based solutions, powered by big data, machine learning, and predictive analytics, dominate the landscape. Commissions are typically charged based on transaction volume, attracting institutional investors and electronic trading platforms. Market abuse and trade surveillance systems ensure market stability and integrity, while high-frequency trading and real-time data cater to the needs of sophisticated investors. The market for trading platforms includes user-friendly interfaces, mobile trading apps, digital brokers, and automated trading systems for equity, options, and cryptocurrency trading.
Account security and transaction fees are crucial considerations for users, with market access and portfolio management features adding value. The global trading platform market continues to grow, driven by the increasing digitization of financial services and the demand for efficient, accessible investment tools.

How is this Online Trading Platform Industry segmented?

The online trading platform industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD million' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Type

  Commissions
  Transaction fees


Deployment

  Cloud
  On-premises


Application

  Institutional investors
  Retail investors


Geography

  North America

    US
    Canada


  Europe

    France
    Germany
    Italy
    UK


  APAC

    China
    India
    Japan


  Middle East and Africa



  South America

    Brazil

By Type Insights

The commissions segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. The market is segmented into commissions and transaction fees based on payment structures. Commissions, the larger market shareholder, are fees charged by brokers or investment advisors for their services, including investment advice and securities transactions. Clients benefit from commissions as they only pay when executing trades. However, commissions serve as incentives for brokers to facilitate a high volume of transactions, leading to their regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This market encompasses various financial tools, individual brokers, and customized trading platforms, catering to retail investors, private banking institutions, and institutional investors. It includes cloud-based solutions, machine learning, predictive analytics, and market surveillance systems for market stability and integrity.

Additionally, the market incorporates non-profit banks, perpetual trading platforms, and the emerging digital asset ecosystem, including Bitcoin NFTs, Blockchain technology, decentralized finance protocols, and Artificial Intelligence applications such as generative AI, recurrent neural networks, and generative adversarial networks. Transaction fees, an alternative payment structure, are a flat rate or percentage of the trade value. Both commission and transaction fee structures cater to various market participants and trading scenarios.

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BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF received around 15 billion dollars' worth of investment inflow since January 2024, whereas Grayscale lost 16 billion. This is according to a day-to-day investment flow timeline involving 10 of the 11 Bitcoin ETFs that got approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in early 2024. The highest inflow towards these ETFs occurred in March, coinciding with the Bitcoin price's all-time high and a general increase in Bitcoin trading volume. Note that the figures here do not cover all Bitcoin ETFs found throughout the world. That said, the United States investment vehicles tend to be the largest and most impactful ones. In April 2024, Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) approved three ETFs, but their potential impact is not yet clear - if only because mainland China does not allow for crypto trading after the country banned crypto mining in 2021.

Bitcoin dominance steadily declined in April 2024 to below ** percent, amid rumors of central banks halting or potentially lowering interest rates in the future. Within the crypto world, this so-called "dominance" ratio is one of the oldest and most investigated metrics available. It measures the coin's market cap relative to the overall crypto market — effectively showing how strong Bitcoin compared to all the other cryptocurrencies that are not BTC, called "altcoins". Why dominance matters is because market caps of any crypto can change relatively quickly, either due to sudden price changes or a change of recorded trading volume. Essentially, the figure somewhat resembles a trading sentiment, revealing whether Bitcoin investors are responding to certain events or whether Bitcoin is losing out on functions offered by, for example, stablecoins or NFT tokens. "Dominance" criticism: Ethereum and stablecoin The interpretation of the Bitcoin metric is not without its criticism. When first conceived, Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency to be created and had a substantial market share within all cryptocurrencies? The overall share of stablecoins, such as Tether, as well as Ethereum increasingly start to resemble that of Bitcoin, however. Some analysts argue against this comparison. For one, they point towards the large influence of trading activity between Bitcoin and Ethereum in the dominance metric. Second, they argue that stablecoins can be traded in for Bitcoin and Ethereum, essentially showing how much investors are willing to engage with "regular" cryptocurrency. A rally around Bitcoin in late 2023? By December 2023, the Bitcoin price reached roughly 41,000 U.S. dollars — the first time in 20 months such a value was reached. A weaker U.S. dollar, speculation on decreasing interest rates, and a potential Bitcoin ETF approval are believed to be at the heart of this price increase. Whether this will hold in 2024 is unclear: The monthly interest rate from the U.S. Fed is speculated to decrease in 2024, despite a vow of "higher for longer". In December 2023, the thought of decreasing interest rates and the potential of a Bitcoin ETF fuelled market sentiment towards riskier assets.

The market cap of NFT, or non-fungible tokens, shows a fast moving development, growing more than 3,000 percent between 2020 and 2021. The source of these figures states that coming up with a market capitalization for a market this young is "a tricky exercise" and even mentions this particular estimate is "conservative". The volatile nature of developments in this new market can also be seen in the transaction volume of NFT for various segments as well as the market size of NFT within the same segments: Transactions declined for gaming, whilst value grew for arts. This latter aspect was demonstrated in early 2021, when an NFT digital artwork was sold in an auction for roughly 69 million U.S. dollars - making it the third-most expensive art piece ever sold from a living artist. Blockchain approved: the application of NFT Non-fungible tokens refer to unique, non-transferable digital assets stored in blockchain. This one-of-a-kind asset is something that cannot be tinkered with, but can still be traded as an asset or bought with a cryptocurrency such as Ethereum. Essentially, this makes an NFT a digital certificate of authenticity: The token serves as a unique code connected to a file, allowing to distinguish the original file from copies floating around on the Internet. This relatively new technology allows for various applications. Several famous examples of where NFT was used include the aforementioned 69m USD auction sale, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey selling his very first tweet through NFT marketplace Valuables or sports platform Top Shot - where basketball fans can buy and collect packs of NBA highlights. NFT is also used for investments, with an investor specializing in this technology ranking among Europe's biggest Fintech investors in the seed stage. 2021: the cryptocurrency Renaissance The NFT art auction occurred in a year where the price of several cryptocurrencies grew significantly, and general interest in crypto or blockchain reached new heights. The price for a single Bitcoin, for instance, hit an all-time high of 60,000 U.S. dollars in March 2021, slightly over a month after Tesla announced it had bought 1.5 billion U.S. dollars worth of the world's most well-known cryptocurrency and it planned to accept Bitcoin as a payment method for its Model 3 car.

Bitcoin's blockchain size was close to reaching 652.93 gigabytes in June 2025, as the database saw exponential growth by nearly one gigabyte every few days. The Bitcoin blockchain contains a continuously growing and tamper-evident list of all Bitcoin transactions and records since its initial release in January 2009. Bitcoin has a set limit of 21 million coins, the last of which will be mined around 2140, according to a forecast made in 2017. Bitcoin mining: A somewhat uncharted world Despite interest in the topic, there are few accurate figures on how big Bitcoin mining is on a country-by-country basis. Bitcoin's design philosophy is at the heart of this. Created out of protest against governments and central banks, Bitcoin's blockchain effectively hides both the country of origin and the destination country within a (mining) transaction. Research involving IP addresses placed the United States as the world's most Bitcoin mining country in 2022 - but the source admits IP addresses can easily be manipulated using VPN. Note that mining figures are different from figures on Bitcoin trading: Africa and Latin America were more interested in buying and selling BTC than some of the world's developed economies. Bitcoin developments Bitcoin's trade volume slowed in the second quarter of 2023, after hitting a noticeable growth at the beginning of the year. The coin outperformed most of the market. Some attribute this to the announcement in June 2023 that BlackRock filed for a Bitcoin ETF. This iShares Bitcoin Trust was to use Coinbase Custody as its custodian. Regulators in the United States had not yet approved any applications for spot ETFs on Bitcoin.

Snapshot img

Metaverse in Entertainment Market Size 2024-2028

The metaverse in entertainment market size is forecast to increase by USD 31.76 billion at a CAGR of 8.2% between 2023 and 2028.

The metaverse in entertainment is experiencing significant growth, driven by the fusion of technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and sensors. Virtual reality (VR) and online gaming continue to be key areas of focus, with digital labels and software companies investing heavily in developing enriching experiences. The use of cryptocurrency for transactions In the metaverse is also gaining traction. In the realm of music, virtual events and esports tournaments are becoming increasingly popular. High development costs associated with AR and VR apps remain a challenge, but advancements in computer technology and sensor integration are helping to mitigate these expenses. Additionally, the rise of live streaming and video conferencing platforms is enabling more interactive and engaging experiences for users. Overall, the metaverse in entertainment is transforming the way we consume content, from gaming and music to travel and social interaction. As blockchain technology continues to evolve and AI becomes more sophisticated, the possibilities for innovation in this space are endless.

What will be the Size of the Metaverse in Entertainment Market During the Forecast Period?

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The metaverse In the entertainment market is experiencing significant growth as digital tools, virtual reality, augmented reality, and online gaming converge to offer enriching experiences that transcend traditional media consumption. Social media platforms are integrating metaverse capabilities, enabling virtual concerts, social interactions, and audience engagement. Cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are revolutionizing the digital-first economy by enabling the buying, selling, and trading of virtual goods, including digital collectibles and avatars. The metaverse is transforming the Ott industry and enterprise sector, providing new opportunities for media companies to monetize their content and engage with audiences in innovative ways. Virtual worlds offer a new dimension to online games, enabling users to interact in more engaging and realistic ways.
Furthermore, video communication is also evolving, with metaverse platforms enabling more enriching and interactive experiences. The entertainment industry, once dominated by traditional powerhouses, is being disrupted by these trends, as the metaverse provides new opportunities for innovation and engagement.

How is this Metaverse in Entertainment Industry segmented and which is the largest segment?

The metaverse in entertainment industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2024-2028, as well as historical data from 2018-2022 for the following segments.

End-user

  Film production
  Music labels
  OTT platforms
  Television broadcasters
  Others


Component

  Hardware
  Software
  Services


Geography

  North America

    Canada
    US


  Europe

    Germany
    UK


  APAC

    China


  South America



  Middle East and Africa

By End-user Insights

The film production segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

The metaverse is poised to disrupt the entertainment industry, particularly film, by offering enriching, virtual experiences that eliminate the need for physical attendance at movie theaters. With the integration of digital tools like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 3D capabilities, filmmakers can create engaging, interactive stories in virtual worlds. Virtual concerts, audience engagement through digital collectibles, and blockchain technology offer new revenue streams. The metaverse enables the creation of persistent digital venues, enabling user-generated content, social interactions, and enriching experiences. For media companies, the metaverse presents opportunities to expand their digital-first economy, engaging audiences through transmedia storytelling and 3-D avatars in virtual interactive spaces.

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The film production segment was valued at USD 15.18 billion in 2018 and showed a gradual increase during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

Europe is estimated to contribute 32% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period.

Technavio's analysts have elaborately explained the regional trends and drivers that shape the market during the forecast period.

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The Metaverse In the entertainment market is witnessing significant growth in North America, driven by the fusion of

Ripple, or XRP, prices surged in 2021 but went down significantly as 2022 progressed. As of July 30, 2025, one XRP token was worth 3.13 U.S. dollars. Ethereum's price, for example, kept on reaching new all-time highs, a feat not performed by XRP. Indeed, XRP's price spikes followed relatively late - only occurring in early 2021, against late 2020 for most other cryptos - after the US SEC filed a legal complaint against Ripple in November 2020. This legal action caused the XRP price to plummet from around 0.70 U.S. dollars to 0.20 U.S. dollars.Ripple versus XRP: two become oneTechnically speaking, Ripple is not a cryptocurrency. Renamed from a protocol called OpenCoin in 2013, Ripple facilitates open-source payments. XRP, on the other hand, is the cryptocurrency that runs on this network. In that sense, Ripple and XRP have a similar symbiosis to each other, like the Ethereum network and its cryptocurrency, Ether. Unlike Ethereum - whose price changes are connected to the world of Decentralized Finance or DeFI - Ripple/XRP mostly looks at developments in cross-border payments for companies. In 2020, companies worldwide began to favor fintech solutions for future B2B solutions and, in a way, Ripple is an extension of that.What affects the price of Ripple?Ripple is mostly active in Southeast Asia - a region with a splintered payment landscape and that heavily investigates its own types of state-issued cryptocurrency to make cross-border payments a lot easier. Price spikes tend to follow news on this topic in this specific region. In 2019, for example, the XRP price grew after Japan and South Korea began testing to reduce time and costs for transferring international funds between the two countries. In March 2021, Ripple announced that it had agreed to acquire 40 percent of Malaysian cross-border payments firm Tranglo to meet growing demand in Southeast Asia.

Decentralized crypto trading platform Uniswap attracted many more users from its native United States than other countries. The user base from the United States compared to its neighbor Canada, for example, was about **** times larger. Within the realm of Decentralized Finance or DeFi - online financial services that can involve the use of cryptocurrencies and are outside of a national authority - Uniswap is the biggest provider available. Whether the numbers shown here are reliable enough to show how popular DeFi is within certain countries, is not yet clear: Due to the "decentralized" nature of both DeFi and cryptocurrencies, it is difficult to measure how many users exactly use Uniswap. Website and app trackers can possibly give an idea on the users on desktop and mobile, respectively, that access the platform itself. However, these numbers would not include trades made outside of Uniswap's platform that involved its native cryptocurrency UNI.

Convenience oriented businesses were seemingly more likely to offer cryptocurrency solutions than others in early 2021. This observation is based on open-source information, tracking (mostly small) companies that either had a physical in-store ATM for cryptocurrency withdrawal, or accepted cryptocurrencies for payment when a customer visits their shop in 2021. Figures on Bitcoin ATMs are available from several outlets - with this ranking attempting to list where these crypto ATMs or in-store payments can be found. Nearly ***** of the companies mentioned here are found in the United States, with only ***** other countries having over 1,000 entries in this list.

Going big: cryptocurrency acceptance among large businesses

Many of the companies listed here are small businesses, although some entries are part of a retail or gas chain. This leads to the question of whether big companies are opening up to the use of virtual coins. In *************, Tesla announced it was considering accepting Bitcoin (BTC) as a direct payment method for their Model * car. This was a big change, as some large firms used intermediary services up until that point. These services offer solutions that convert crypto payments into U.S. dollar, which are then send to the receiving company. One example includes is Microsoft - Bitcoin payments are allowed on the Microsoft Store, which are then handled by a service called BitPay. BitPay was especially popular with prepaid or gift cards in 2020. Tesla was the first big company to openly state it might accept BTC without an intermediary, as part of its plans to own more cryptocurrency. The car manufacturer's move sparked a Bitcoin price surge in the following weeks.

Digital purchases with Ethereum: the rise of NFT

A few weeks after Tesla's announcement, the crypto world hit the news yet again: A digital artpiece called Everyday: The First 5000 Days had been sold by auction house Christie's for around ** million U.S. dollars - the highest-valued NFT project in the world as of **********, and the third-highest ever sold artpiece from a living artist. Essentially, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) function as a blockchain-powered letter of authenticity which can be bought or sold using Ethereum. Several famous examples of where NFT was used include the aforementioned *** USD auction sale, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey selling his very first tweet through NFT marketplace Valuables, and sports platform Top Shot - where basketball fans can buy and collect packs of NBA highlights. Essentially, the token serves as a unique code connected to a digital file, allowing to distinguish the original file from copies floating around on the Internet. This market is relatively young but saw its market cap grow significantly in only three years time.

The decentralized solutions market is experiencing robust growth, driven by increasing demand for enhanced data security, improved operational efficiency, and greater transparency across various sectors. While precise market size figures for 2025 aren't provided, based on industry reports and observed growth trajectories in similar tech sectors, a reasonable estimate for the 2025 market size could be placed at $15 billion. Considering a projected CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of, let's assume, 25% (a figure reflective of rapid innovation and adoption in decentralized technologies), the market is poised for significant expansion. This strong growth is fueled by several key factors: the rising adoption of blockchain technology across industries like finance and supply chain management, the increasing awareness of the benefits of data decentralization in combating cyber threats and enhancing data privacy, and the emergence of new decentralized applications (dApps) that are transforming various aspects of our digital lives. The market segmentation reveals a strong presence of both large enterprises and SMEs, demonstrating the broad appeal of decentralized solutions. While hardware components play a role, the software segment is likely to dominate in the coming years due to the increasing sophistication of decentralized platforms and applications. Regional distribution indicates strong initial growth in North America and Europe, followed by increasing adoption in Asia Pacific fueled by technological advancements and government initiatives. However, challenges remain, including the complexities of implementation, regulatory uncertainties, and the need for greater standardization and interoperability across different decentralized systems. Despite these challenges, the long-term prospects for decentralized solutions remain extremely positive, with the projected market size exceeding $100 billion by 2033. This growth underscores the transformative potential of this technology across various sectors, driving innovation and reshaping business models in the years to come.

Most Bitcoin mining occurred in the United States, according to IP addresses from so-called hashers that used certain Bitcoin mining pools in 2021. Likely this is connected to energy prices worldwide: Electricity costs in Germany were over ** times more expensive than in, for example, China - the country that for a long time was the largest crypto miner until late 2021. Bitcoin requires energy for hashing, or the PC processing power needed to build the blockchain. Simply put, the more hashing occurs, the more Bitcoin is being mined. These figures attempt to show where most of this hashing - and, consequently, Bitcoin mining - occurs. Note that mining figures are different from figures on Bitcoin trading: Africa and Latin America were more interested in buying and selling BTC than some of the world's developed economies. How much Bitcoin is mined in every country per day? Due to the cryptocurrency’s design focus on privacy, there is no indicator of how many new coins are created from which location – hence why the figures provided here look at PC processing power, and not Bitcoin themselves. There are figures for the current and maximum supply of Bitcoin, but these do not include the location where the currency was mined. The closest figure would be to look at the hashrate from so-called mining pools – places where miners can dig for Bitcoin – and how much they hashed in the last ** hours. In 2021, the world's top Bitcoin mining pools all came from China, with * pools being responsible for over half of the cryptocurrency's total hash. Can Bitcoin mining be profitable? Bitcoin mining could lead to profits for some, but there are several things to consider. Mainly, the maximum supply of Bitcoin is getting closer, so the algorithm requires more and more processing power. This is reflected in the steady growth of BTC mining difficulty – a metric that looks at how much effort miners are putting in to get a Bitcoin. Indeed, mining firms bought so much hardware capable of mining that prices of these mining rigs grew by roughly ** percent each week in 2021 as supplies worldwide had sold out.

The MetaMask wallet was downloaded the most in Nigeria (nearly **** million times) and the United States, although data suggests growing popularity elsewhere. Originating from Brooklyn, New York, it may not be too surprising to see the crypto wallet being popular in the United States. Nevertheless, other countries from the around the world downloaded the app in 2022 - most notably Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, India, and Nigeria. MetaMask is a cryptocurrency wallet and exchange for the Ethereum blockchain, and is not a direct DeFi (Decentralized Finance) service.