The leading US-based crypto exchange Coinbase says the number of Bitcoin users has now hit 27 million in the US, representing about 9% of all Americans.
In a new report marking the 11th anniversary of the Bitcoin whitepaper, Coinbase analyzes the global adoption and use of BTC since its inception, comparing the leading cryptocurrency to the advent of the internet.
“Few transformative technologies have captured the public’s interest — and imagination — as quickly as Bitcoin has in just 11 years. Email was invented in 1972 but it took until 1997 for adoption to surpass 10 million people. The television set was invented in 1927 but by the end of the 1940s only 2% of American families owned one.
Bitcoin, on the other hand, went from an idea in 2008, and a first transaction in 2009, to an estimated over 27 million users in the US alone in 2019, or 9% of Americans”
The report also highlights the number of unique BTC addresses on the network, which is now over 820,000, as well as the number of computers that now power the network.
The report also looks toward Bitcoin’s future, citing the growth of the Lightning Network (LN), which is a second-layer solution designed to boost the speed of Bitcoin transactions.
“Bitcoin is the world’s first global currency that harnesses the power of computers — and humankind’s innate need to innovate — to enable worldwide economic freedom. We’re looking forward to what 2020 brings in Bitcoin adoption, innovation, and interest.”
You can check out the full report here.