Characteristics of Bitcoin users: an analysis of Google search data

Aaron Yelowitz and Matthew Wilson ()

Applied Economics Letters, 2015, vol. 22, issue 13, 1030-1036

Abstract: The anonymity of Bitcoin prevents analysis of its users. We collect Google Trends data to examine determinants of interest in Bitcoin. Based on anecdotal evidence regarding Bitcoin users, we construct proxies for four possible clientele: computer programming enthusiasts, speculative investors, Libertarians and criminals. Computer programming and illegal activity search terms are positively correlated with Bitcoin interest, while Libertarian and investment terms are not.

Date: 2015
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (99)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/13504851.2014.995359 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
Working Paper: Characteristics of Bitcoin Users: An Analysis of Google Search Data (2014)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:22:y:2015:i:13:p:1030-1036

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/RAEL20

DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2014.995359

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Economics Letters is currently edited by Anita Phillips

More articles in Applied Economics Letters from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().