Bitcoin-Accepting Vendors Surge Globally, Reach 6,126 in 2023: BTC Merchant Tracker

In 2023, Bitcoin-accepting merchants grew to 6,126 globally, tripling from 2,207

According to BTC Map, a Bitcoin merchant mapping provider, the count of global merchants accepting Bitcoin payments surged significantly in 2023, reaching 6,126 by the year's end. This marked a notable increase from the 2,207 merchants listed at the beginning of the year.

Despite a slight drop from the peak of 6,590 merchants in late September, this growth showcases a nearly three-fold increase in Bitcoin-accepting vendors throughout the year. BTC Map employs open-source mapping data from OpenStreetMap, enabling businesses and users to tag places accepting Bitcoin, potentially leading to more thorough additions to the database.

Bitcoin-accepting merchants thrive in Americas and Europe, sparse in Asia

The map indicates higher concentrations of BTC-accepting merchants in Central and South America, along with the United States and Europe, while Africa and Asia display fewer such businesses. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines recorded the highest number of Bitcoin-accepting merchants, whereas minimal representation was observed in China, India, and Russia.

It's worth noting that a Cointelegraph report from November highlighted that many merchants accepting crypto assets tend to sell them back to markets after receiving them, indicating a possible trend of immediate conversion rather than retention.

This significant rise in Bitcoin-friendly merchants globally underscores a growing acceptance and adoption of cryptocurrency in various regions.