Bitcoin virtual currency users and motivations: a haven for criminals?
Launched in 2009, there are now 13.4 million Bitcoins in circulation with a market value of $4.6 billion; thousands of businesses accept Bitcoins. Bitcoin is an unregulated, near anonymous virtual payment method. Account holders use an encrypted electronic signature for payment, which amongst others, may attract those with something to hide. Recent research in the Journal of Applied Economic Letters builds on existing research and anecdotal evidence, using Google Trends data to examine Bitcoin interest and potential user profiles. Past research on Bitcoin usage revealed 3 key