CoinDesk reveals the key trends, challenges, and opportunities for bitcoin in Q1 2015.
This State of Bitcoin report is sponsored by Gem.co
Get in touch via advertising@coindesk.com if you'd like to sponsor a report in the future.
2. Sponsored by Gem
About CoinDesk
• World leader in digital currency news, prices and information
• The Bitcoin Price Index serves as an industry reference point
• International team headquartered in London
• Editors based in London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo
2State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
4. Sponsored by Gem
State of Bitcoin Credits
• Creator and Producer: Garrick Hileman (@GarrickHileman)
• Statistical assistance: Danqing Ying (@DanqingYing)
4State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Garrick Hileman Danqing Ying
5. Sponsored by Gem
Contents
• Summary and Adoption
Dashboard
• Valuation
• Media
• VC Investment
• Commerce
• Technology
• Regulation and Macro
5State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
6. Sponsored by Gem 6State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Summary and
Adoption Dashboard
7. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 2015 Summary
7State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sustained pressure on bitcoin’s price,
which is due to the current demand-
supply imbalances, is winnowing the
mining and exchange sectors
Q1 was bitcoin’s largest VC
investment quarter yet with $226m
raised; all-time bitcoin VC investment
now totals $676m
21 Inc, which announced $116m in
new funding, surpassed Coinbase as
the best-capitalized bitcoin startup
Improved regulatory clarity (ie NY
BitLicense revisions, UK’s favorable
posture) are building industry
confidence and attracting Wall Street
Blockchain’s total wallets passed three
million; merchant adoption slowed due
to bitcoin’s underwhelming value
proposition for mainstream consumers
Bitcoin’s price briefly dropped to
$177 in January 2015, and is down
24% so far in 2015
8. Sponsored by Gem
Key Bitcoin Adoption Metrics
8State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data sources and notes: CoinDesk, Blockchain.info, BitcoinPulse, Github, Coin ATM Radar. Figures are cumulative from start of records, except unique
bitcoin addresses and media mentions, which are figures for the quarter ending that month.
Quarterly Last 12 Months
Mar-15 Dec-14 Q/Q Δ Mar-14 Δ
Commerce
Wallets 8,457,207 7,396,772 14% 4,448,142 2x
Merchants 88,000 82,000 7% 52,704 2x
Merchants’ annual revenue ($bn) 180 180 0% 2 78x
ATMs 374 342 9% 47 8x
Unique bitcoin addresses 203,189 157,377 29% 137,342 1x
Industry
All-time VC investment ($m) $676 $447 51% $164 4x
Number of VC-backed startups 103 89 16% 47 2x
Media
Mainstream media mentions 458 580 -10% 2,594 -82%
Technology
Network hash rate (billion/second) 346,028,956 313,142,289 11% 41,813,922 8x
Github no. of updated repositories 27,857 23,249 20% 9,915 3x
Valuation
Bitcoin market capitalization ($bn) $3.4 $4.3 -21% $5.3 -36%
10. Sponsored by Gem
CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index –
Q1 & YTD by the Numbers
10State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index, daily data collected at 00:00 UTC
31st Dec Close $319.70
31st Mar Close $243.39
ΔQ1/Q4 Close -23.9%
31st Mar Market Cap $3.4bn
High (2nd Jan) $314.59
Low (14th Jan) $177.28
YTD High-Low Δ -43.6%
Average $250.68
Median $246.85
Q1 Price Summary
YTD Price Summary
11. Sponsored by Gem
$150
$170
$190
$210
$230
$250
$270
$290
$310
$330
1-Jan 8-Jan 15-Jan 22-Jan 29-Jan 5-Feb 12-Feb 19-Feb 26-Feb 5-Mar 12-Mar 19-Mar 26-Mar
Bitcoin’s Price in Q1 Remained Volatile Amid
a Mix of Positive and Negative News
11State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
14th Jan
Bitcoin’s price
plunges,
breaks $200
mark
18th Mar
UK Chancellor
Osborne announces
favorable regulatory
environment and
research investment
Source: CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index, daily data collected at 00:00 UTC
5th Jan
Bitstamp
suffers $5m
hot wallet
hack
Hong Kong's
MyCoin
disappears with
up to $387m,
reports claim
9th Feb
25th Jan
Coinbase
launches US
bitcoin
exchange
10th Mar
Bitcoin startup 21
Inc announces
$116m raised,
all-star investor
roster
20th Jan
Mainstream financial
institutions join
Coinbase's record
$75m funding round
4th Feb
Ross Ulbricht
found guilty in NY
court of operating
Silk Road; Ben
Lawsky releases
revised NY
BitLicense
12. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin’s Price Decline Has Not Stopped Exchange
Trading Volume From Trending Up
12State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data sources: Blockchain, CoinDesk, Bitcoinity
Monthly Bitcoin Trading Volume
0
5
10
15
20
25
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Apr-14 May-14 Jun-14 Jul-14 Aug-14 Sep-14 Oct-14 Nov-14 Dec-14 Jan-15 Feb-15 Mar-15
BTCMillions
$Billions
Monthly bitcoin trading volume (USD) Monthly bitcoin trading volume (BTC)
13. Sponsored by Gem
Industry Rationalization: Bitcoin’s Price Plunge, Other
Issues are Thinning the Ranks of Exchanges and Mining
13State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinDesk
Mining
Aquifer LLC Exchanges
• A number of well-known exchanges and mining operators have recently
gone bankrupt or shuttered operations for various reasons
14. Sponsored by Gem
• While mining is the only bitcoin sector to date to generate significant revenues,
at current (or lower) price levels, further sector consolidation is anticipated
Diminishing Incentives to Mine Bitcoins Will Result in
Further Mining Sector Consolidation
14State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data source: Blockchain. Note: Miners revenue = (number of bitcoins mined per day + transaction fees) * market price.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
01/01/2014 01/04/2014 30/06/2014 28/09/2014 27/12/2014
$Thousands
$Millions
Miners Revenue and Transaction Fee (USD)
Miners Revenue Transaction Fee
15. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin Primarily Functions as a Store of Value,
Less Frequently Used as a Medium of Exchange
15State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data sources: Bitcoinity, Blockchain
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Mar-13 Jun-13 Sep-13 Dec-13 Mar-14 Jun-14 Sep-14 Dec-14 Mar-15
Total Trading Volume vs Transaction Ratio
16. Sponsored by Gem
Peak Altcoin? For the First Time, Quarter-over-
Quarter Altcoin Growth Was Flat
16State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data source: CoinMarketCap
64
216
347
483
590 594
9%
23%
7% 8%
9%
7%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Dec-13 Mar-14 Jun-14 Sep-14 Dec-14 Mar-15
Total Number of Altcoins Altcoin Market Cap Share (%)
*Note: Altcoin market cap share is calculated by dividing the sum of all non-bitcoin cryptocurrency market caps by all cryptocurrency market caps (including
bitcoin). For example, a market value share of 7% for altcoins indicates that bitcoin by itself represents 93% of the market cap of all cryptocurrencies combined.
17. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin’s Market Cap is 14x Larger Than the Next
Altcoin, up 6x from End of 2014
17State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data source: CoinMarketCap data as of 1st Apr 2015
Rank Name Market Cap
1 Bitcoin $ 3,428,547,561
2 Ripple $ 245,984,620
3 Litecoin $ 62,695,671
4 Dash $ 20,785,772
5 BitShares $ 16,084,946
6 Dogecoin $ 12,518,429
7 Stellar $ 12,222,510
8 Nxt $ 9,887,171
9 MaidSafeCoin $ 8,090,823
10 Paycoin $ 7,683,946
19. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 Negative News
19State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Bitstamp claims at least $5m lost in hot
wallet hack
Bitcoin mining firm CoinTerra heads for
Chapter 7 bankruptcy battle amid
acrimonious claims on both legal sides
Hong Kong's MyCoin disappears
with an initially reported $387m
Steady stories of bitcoin-related crime
undermine mainstream user trust in bitcoin
Source: CoinDesk
20. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 Positive News
20State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Coinbase's record $75m funding round,
opening of US-based exchange
Bitcoin Core 0.10 gives developers simplified
tools and sophisticated fee suggestions
Blockchain reports its total number of
wallets passes three million
Bitcoin startup 21 Inc announces $116m
raised, with all-star VC backing
Source: CoinDesk
21. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 Most-Viewed CoinDesk Articles: Relative Interest
in Bitcoin’s Price Articles Continues to Decline
21State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Rank Title Date
1 Roger Ver Denied US Visa to Attend Miami Bitcoin Conference 7th Jan
2 IBM Reveals Proof of Concept for Blockchain-Powered Internet of Things 17th Jan
3 Bitstamp Claims $5 Million Lost in Hot Wallet Hack 5th Jan
4 Bitcoin Price Continues to Fall, Breaks $200 Mark 14th Jan
5 State of Bitcoin 2015: Ecosystem Grows Despite Price Decline 7th Jan
6 Research: Hackers Could Install Backdoor in Bitcoin Cold Storage 16th Jan
7 Hong Kong's MyCoin Disappears with up to $387 Million, Reports Claim 9th Feb
8 Bitcoin Price Crashes Through $250 Mark 13th Jan
9 Apple Approves iOS Game That Tips Players in Bitcoin 8th Jan
10 Goldman Sachs Report Says Bitcoin Could Shape ‘Future of Finance' 11th Mar
Source: CoinDesk top 10 Q1 stories based on pageviews
CoinDesk’s Top 10 Most Viewed Stories in Q1
22. Sponsored by Gem
Mainstream Bitcoin Media Coverage Dropped
Quarter-Over-Quarter
22State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
News Published Mentioning Bitcoin
Note: Numbers of stories obtained by searching ‘bitcoin’ on respective publishers’ websites
Sources: Financial Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Sina websites
235
156
76
41
180
127
73
78
0 50 100 150 200 250
Sina
WSJ
NYT
FT
Q1 2015 Q4 2014
23. Sponsored by Gem
‘Bitcoin Price’ Continues to be the Top Search Term;
Utorrent Mining Malware Scare Rising
23State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Past 90
Days
Related Searches: Top Related Searches: Rising
Past 12
Months
Source: Google Trends data as of 1st Jan 2015
25. Sponsored by Gem
Two Biggest Bitcoin VC Deals in Q1…
25State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
$116m $75m
(Series C) January 2015(Series A) March 2015*
Source: CoinDesk
*Note: The precise timing of when the $116m was raised, or whether it was raised in various individual stages, has not been revealed.
26. Sponsored by Gem
…Both Deals Broke the Previous Record for
Largest Single VC Investment Round
26State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk, Crunchbase, Bank Innovation
“The Coinbase $75m
raise does sound like
a Pre-IPO round. A
Bitcoin IPO such as
Coinbase could
trigger mainstream
merchant adoption”
- Bernard Lunn,
Bank Innovation
$116
$75
$31 $30
$25
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
Millions
Top Five All-Time VC Investment Deals
27. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin’s $121 Million Question
27State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
*No announcement has been made on 21 Inc’s exact business strategy beyond confirmation that it meets CoinDesk’s definition of a universal bitcoin company.
Sources: CoinDesk, Crunchbase. Superman artwork courtesy of Tattoosales.com, trademark owned by DC Comics
Is it a supercharged mining operation?
Is it a hardware wallet?
No, it’s bitcoin’s newest universal, 21 Inc!*
Matthew Pauker
CEO, 21 Inc
28. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 Set a Record for Bitcoin Venture Capital Investment,
Nearly Doubling Q4 2014
28State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data sources: CoinDesk, CrunchBase
$66
$84
$66
$133
$229
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
Q1 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015
Millions
Quarterly Total VC Investment (USD Millions)
Note: The precise timing of when 21 Inc raised the $116m it announced in Q1 is unclear; 21 Inc’s full $116m is included in the Q1 2015 total.
29. Sponsored by Gem
All-Time Bitcoin Venture Capital Investment Increased
51% from End of 2014 to $676m
29State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
$676m$229m
Total VC investment in
cryptocurrency startups to date:
Q1 2015 bitcoin VC investment:
$133m
Q4 2014 bitcoin VC investment:
Data sources: CoinDesk, CrunchBase
+51%
Increase in total to-date VC
investment from end of Q4:
30. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin VC Investment Projected to Continue
Outpacing Early-Stage Internet Investment
30State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Note: Internet figures include only first sequence venture deals. All figures unadjusted for inflation, changes in the cost of launching a startup over last
two decades, etc. Further methodology discussion.
Data sources: CoinDesk, PricewaterhouseCoopers
$349
$916
$250
$638
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Bitcoin vs early Internet VC investment ($ millions)
$Millions
2014 Bitcoin 2015 Bitcoin - projected1995 Internet 1996 Internet
31. Sponsored by Gem
US Continues to Dominate Bitcoin VC Investment;
First VC Funded Africa-Based Startup in Q1
31State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Regions Q1 ($m)
Q4
($m)
Q/Q Δ
($m)
Q/Q Δ
US &
Canada
492.3 289.7 202.6 70%
Europe 119.1 99.2 19.9 20%
Asia 42.1 41.0 1.1 3%
Middle
East
14.0 11.1 2.9 26%
Latin
America
7.5 6.0 1.5 25%
Africa 1.1 0.0 1.1 N.A.
Total 676.1 447.0 229.1 51%
$ Invested as of Q4 2014
• US & Canada had the largest Q/Q% increase in investment
• Asia saw almost no investment in Q1
Note: $ invested represents all-time total bitcoin VC investment at the end of each quarter.
Data sources: CoinDesk (www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/), CrunchBase
$ Invested as of Q1
Europe
18%
Africa 0%
Asia 6%
Middle
East 2%
Latin
America
1%
US &
Canada
73%
Europe
22% Africa
0%
Asia 9%
Middle
East 3%
Latin
America
1%
US &
Canada
65%
32. Sponsored by Gem
Startups in 4 New Countries Received VC Investments;
22 Countries in Total Have a VC-Backed Bitcoin Startup
32State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data source: CoinDesk (www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/)
Barbados
Switzerland
France
Kenya
33. Sponsored by Gem
US-Based Bitcoin Venture Capital Investment Nearly
2x Greater Than Rest of the World Combined
33State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk (www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/), CrunchBase
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
Luxembourg
India
Germany
Denmark
Australia
Switzerland
Panama
Kenya
Mexico
Barbados
Japan
Singapore
France
Argentina
Canada
SouthKorea
Israel
China
Sweden
TheNetherlands
UnitedKingdom
UnitedStates
Millions
Total Funding by Country (USD Millions)
34. Sponsored by Gem
Silicon Valley Pulling Away: Share of All-Time Bitcoin
VC Investment Jumped from 45% in Q4 to 59% in Q1
34State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Location Value ($m)
No. of
companies
Silicon Valley $400.0 30
Rest of World $276.1 73
Total $676.1 103
• 87% of the total Q1 bitcoin VC funding went to Silicon Valley-based startups
• Total number of VC-backed bitcoin companies increased from 89 in Q4 2014
to 103 in Q1, a 16% increase
$ Invested No. of Companies
Note: Prior State of Bitcoin data may differ due to new funding information obtained.
Date sources: CoinDesk (www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/), CrunchBase
Silicon
Valley
59%
Rest of
World
41%
Silicon Valley
29%
Rest of
World 71%
35. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 Deal Summary: Acquisitions and Reverse
Merger Activity Accelerates
35State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinDesk
Jan 2015
Jan 2015
Acquisitions
Reverse Mergers
Jan 2015
Feb 2015
Loma Vista Capital
MGT Capital
Investment
Apr 2015
36. Sponsored by Gem
Keeping Bitcoin’s Size in Perspective -
FinTech Investments Dwarfed Bitcoin in 2014
36State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
BitcoinFinTech
Data sources: CoinDesk, Medium (https://medium.com/@UnitedVentures/fintech-key-trends-2014-5124b6088677)
*Note: All data are 2014 only.
FinTech
$3bn invested in 2014
$0.3bn
invested in
2014
100
Deals
Biggest Deal
$31m*
216
Deals
Biggest Deal
$150m
37. Sponsored by Gem
The Bitcoin Startup Ecosystem:
Seven Different Bitcoin Company Categories
37State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Payment
Processing
Wallets
Mining
Financial
Services
Exchanges
Infrastructure
Universal
Source: CoinDesk
38. Sponsored by Gem
A New Ecosystem Category Takes Shape:
Infrastructure
38State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk
• Bitcoin infrastructure companies build security tools, develop protocol
enhancements and provide APIs for other bitcoin businesses to build on
• The eight companies in the infrastructure category have raised a combined
$56m to date
39. Sponsored by Gem
Ecosystem Sector Trends: Universals Raised Most
Funding in Q1, Followed by Mining and Infrastructure
39State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Q1 VC Investment by Ecosystem Category (USD Millions)
Data sources: CoinDesk (www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/), CrunchBase
$1.1 $2.0 $3.8 $5.0 $6.1
$20.0
$191.0
$0
$40
$80
$120
$160
$200
Millions
Payment Processor Wallet Exchange Financial Services Infrastructure Mining Universal
40. Sponsored by Gem
Universals Are Pulling Away From Other Sectors
in Total VC Investment
40State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
2013 to 2015 VC Investment by Ecosystem Category (USD Millions)
Data source: CoinDesk
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
Q3 2013 Q4 2013 Q1 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015
Millions
Payment Processor Exchange Universal Mining Financial Services Wallet Infrastructure
41. Sponsored by Gem
Universals Now Command Nearly 40% of VC
Investment; Mining and Wallets at 14% Each
41State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
• 83% of Q1 investment was made in Universals
• The number of Universals also continues to climb, now up to 10
$ Invested as of Q4 2014$ Invested as of Q1
Note: $ invested represents all-time total bitcoin VC investment at the end of each respective quarter.
Data Sources: CoinDesk (www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/), CrunchBase
Payment
Processor
12%
Infrastructure
11%
Exchange
14%
Financial
Services
10%
Mining
17%
Universal
16%
Wallet
20%
Sector
Q1 Q4 Q/Q Δ
($m)
Q/Q Δ
($m) ($m)
Payment
Processor
55.4 54.3 1.1 2%
Infrastructure 55.7 49.6 6.1 12%
Exchange 65.8 62.0 3.8 6%
Financial
Services
48.5 43.5 5.0 12%
Mining 96.5 76.5 20.0 26%
Universal 262.6 71.6 191.0 267%
Wallet 91.6 89.6 2.0 2%
Total 676.1 447.3 229.0 51%
42. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 2015 Investment Rounds in Bitcoin Startups
42State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinDesk (http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/)
Close Date Company Size ($m) Round Select Investors Headquartered
Mar-15 PeerNova 5.00 First OverStock San Jose
Mar-15 Bitt 1.50 Seed Avatar Capital Christ Church
Mar-15 TabTrader 0.07 Seed Rockstart Amsterdam
Mar-15 Coinigy 0.10 Seed Undisclosed Milwaukee
Mar-15 21 Inc 116.00 First
Andreessen Horowitz, Data
Collective, Khosla Ventures
San Francisco
Mar-15 ShapeShift 0.53 Seed Barry Silbert and Roger Ver Zug
Feb-15 Ledger 1.50 Seed
XAnge Private Equity, Hi-Pay (Hi-
Media group), Fred Potter
Paris
Feb-15 BitPesa 1.10 Second
Pantera Capital, Bitcoin Opportunity
Corp, Crypto Currency Partners
Nairobi
43. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 2015 Investment Rounds in Bitcoin Startups
(contd.)
43State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinDesk (http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/)
Close Date Company Size ($m) Round Select Investors Headquartered
Feb-15 HashRabbit 0.50 Seed
Draper Associates,
VegasTechFund
San Francisco
Feb-15 KnCMiner 15.00 Second
Accel Partners, GP Bullhound,
Creandum, Martin Wattin
Stockholm
Feb-15 NeuCoin 1.25 Seed
Patrik Stymne, Emil Michael,
Henrik Kjellberg
Paris
Feb-15 Ziftr 0.85 Seed 10x Venture Partners Milford
Feb-15
Bonafide
(Bonifide.io)
0.85 Seed
Quest Venture Partners, Crypto
Currency Partners
New York
Jan-15 BitFlyer 1.10 Seed
Bitcoin Opportunity Corp, RSP
Fund No. 5, GMO Venture Partners
Tokyo
Jan-15 Colu 2.50 Seed
Aleph, Spark Capital, Bitcoin
Opportunity Corp, Box Group
Tel Aviv
Jan-15 Anycoin Direct 0.56 Seed Undisclosed Veghel
44. Sponsored by Gem
Q1 2015 Investment Rounds in Bitcoin Startups
(contd.)
44State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinDesk (http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-venture-capital/)
Close Date Company Size ($m) Round Select Investors Headquartered
Jan-15 Coinbase 75.00 Third
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE),
USAA, BBVA, DoCoMo
San Francisco
Jan-15 TrustAtom 0.10 Seed Brian Cartmell, Vinny Lingham Vancouver
Jan-15 Ciphrex 0.50 First Undisclosed San Diego
Jan-15 BlockCypher 3.10 Seed
Tim Draper, AME Cloud Ventures,
Boost VC, 500 Startups
San Mateo
Jan-15 Airbitz 0.03 Seed Plug and Play Tech Center San Diego
Jan-15 LibertyX 0.40 Seed Project 11 Boston
Jan-15 GetGems 0.40 Seed Magma VC Unknown
Jan-15 CoinOutlet 0.10 Seed BitcoinShop New York
46. Sponsored by Gem
Everyday Items Rank Above Consumer Tech on
Overstock’s List of ‘Most Often Bought with Bitcoin’
46State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk, Overstock
1. Sheets 2. Donations
to non-profits
3. Headphones
6. Cables and
tools
5. Area rugs4. Cases and
holders
7. Mattresses 8. Coffee tables 10. Fashion
sunglasses
9. A/V cables
47. Sponsored by Gem
Growth of New Bitcoin-Accepting Merchants
Remained Slow in Q1
47State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk, CoinBase, BitPay, International Business Times
Number of New Bitcoin-Accepting Businesses Added Each Quarter
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
Q1 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015
48. Sponsored by Gem
More than 88,000 Merchants Now Accept Bitcoin, up
from 82,000 in Q4 (+7%)
48State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
50K 38K
Data sources: Coinbase, BitPay
49. Sponsored by Gem
Total merchants Forecasted merchants
Bitcoin-Accepting Merchant Forecast Slashed to
Approximately 120,000 by End of 2015
49State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data sources and notes: Total current merchants based on data from Coinbase and BitPay. Historical Coinbase data provided by
BitcoinPulse. BitPay historical data between new merchant press release announcements of 10,000 (16th Sep 2013), 20,000 (13th Jan 2014)
and 30,000 (28th May 2014), respectively, calculated using linear interpolation.
R² = 0.9586
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
Nov-13 Feb-14 May-14 Aug-14 Nov-14 Feb-15 May-15 Aug-15 Nov-15
50. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin’s Lack of Use in Commerce is Not Just a
‘Chicken and Egg’ Problem
50State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: Pantera Capital, ZepChain, CoinDesk (http://www.coindesk.com/is-bitcoins-merchant-appeal-fading/)
"I believe merchants have been widely
disappointed by the number of transactions
they see in bitcoin. Most merchants have
taken a passive approach to integrating
bitcoin as a payment method, instead of
strategically testing and optimizing checkout
flows to encourage consumer adoption."Steve Beauregard,
CEO of GoCoin
• Merchants generally welcome bitcoin adoption
• Lack of consumer adoption is the fundamental problem
• Consumers need compelling reasons to use the volatile
and still relatively hard to acquire bitcoin over alternatives
51. Sponsored by Gem
CoinCenter’s Public Sentiment Survey Indicates Low
Bitcoin Awareness in US
51State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinCenter
64.3%
of the general American population
are not familiar at all with bitcoin
6.2%
of the general American population
say they have used bitcoin
Distrust in
bitcoin
decreases
from 50%
to 37% as
familiarity
with
bitcoin
increases
People
who are
familiar
with
bitcoin
are more
likely to
think it is
useful
But the distrust in bitcoin is
similar (47%) among those
who frequently use bitcoin
and those who never use
53.1%
of those who are very familiar with
bitcoin have never used it
52. Sponsored by Gem
Blockchain’s Quarterly New Wallet Growth Rate
Has Been Remarkably Consistent
52State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data Source: Blockchain.info
120
515
481
343
481
451 454
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Sep-2013 Dec-2013 Mar-2014 Jun-2014 Sep-2014 Dec-2014 Mar-2015
Thousands
No. of New Wallets Added Each Quarter
53. Sponsored by Gem
Total Wallets Forecasted Wallets
Forecast for Total Bitcoin Wallets by End of 2015
Maintained at 12 million
53State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data Sources and notes: total wallets based on data from Blockchain.info, MultiBit, Coinbase, Andreas Schildbach (Android Bitcoin
Wallet developer). Historical Coinbase data provided by BitcoinPulse.
R² = 0.9807
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Jan-13 Apr-13 Jul-13 Oct-13 Jan-14 Apr-14 Jul-14 Oct-14 Jan-15 Apr-15 Jul-15 Oct-15 Jan-16
Millions
54. Sponsored by Gem
The Five Types of Bitcoin User
54State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
1. People who want a cheap, fast, global online payment experience
2. People who want access to a new suite of consumer payment
applications
3. People who want to connect to the global economy for the first time
4. People who believe bitcoin is an attractive investment
5. People who value financial privacy
Sources: CoinDesk, Coinbase Blog
55. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin Transactions Have Been Rising; Average of
10,000 Daily Transactions by Popular Addresses*
55State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
Apr-14 Jul-14 Oct-14 Jan-15
Total no. of daily transactions No. of daily transactions excluding popular addresses
Source and note: Blockchain.info, *100 most popular addresses.
• The milestone of 100,000 daily transactions by ‘addresses excluding popular
ones’ was reached in February, which is two months later than total transactions
Number of Transactions per Day
56. Sponsored by Gem
Now Over 374 Bitcoin ATMs Around the World, but
Growth in New ATMs is Slowing
56State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data source: CoinATMRadar
43
79
112
104
32
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Q1 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015
Increase in Number of Bitcoin ATMs
57. Sponsored by Gem
Break Even for Bitcoin ATM Owners is 11 Months;
Average ATM Generates $5,520 profit per year
57State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk, BitAccess, Reddit, CoinATMRadar
Notes: Annual profits vary significantly depending on transaction volume. BitAccess machines are doing about $30,000 in transactions
per month (Montreal installed machine). Skyhook Bitcoin ATM in Philippines has on average 40-50 transactions per month. However,
the average bitcoin purchase size is not revealed.
Operation Metrics
Number of transactions/month 100
Average transaction size ($) 200
Transaction fee revenue (%) 5
Revenue per year ($) 12,000
Cost Metrics
Bitcoin ATM acquisition cost ($) 5,000
Place rent/month ($) 200
Exchange fee (%) 0.2
Cash logistics/month ($) 300
Costs per year ($) 6,480
Profits per Year ($) 5,520
58. Sponsored by Gem
High Transaction Fees May be Discouraging People
from Using Bitcoin ATMs
58State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk, Reddit, CoinATMRadar
Social media comments on bitcoin ATM fees
61. Sponsored by Gem
Profiles of Four Alternative Uses of Blockchain
Technology
61State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
1. Property title
2. Smart contracts
3. Voting
4. Notary services
Sources: CoinDesk, Coinbase Blog
62. Sponsored by Gem
Property Title: Blockchain Technology Could Empower
the Poor, Reduce Global Inequality
62State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
• With protected property title, people could better engage in economic
activities such as investment and infrastructure construction.
Sources: Hernando de Soto (2002) Law and Property Outside the West, Housing Finance International June
1994, de Soto, Hernando. 2000. The Mystery of Capital. UK: Black Swan.
“An elite minority enjoys the
economic benefits of the law and
globalization, while the majority of
entrepreneurs are stuck in poverty,
where their assets – adding up to
more than $10tn worldwide –
languish as dead capital in the
shadows of the law.”
- Hernando de Soto, economist
Lima, Peru
“Blockchain technology could 'parachute' property title services into
many poverty stricken countries.” - Balaji S. Srinivasan, 21 Inc
63. Sponsored by Gem
Financial Automation: Smart Contracts are Being
Deployed by a Number of Companies
63State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sample smart contract: A dog with a GPS chip
in his collar is walked by a dog walker. On
completing the walk the collar sends a network
signal, and the contract automatically executes
a cryptocurrency payment to the walker.
Sources: CoinDesk, Ripple Labs, BitHalo, Reality Keys, Fast Co.labs, Morton Fraser
64. Sponsored by Gem
Voting: Blockchain-Based Tech is Already Being
Used in Elections
64State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
• In a traditional voting system, you have no idea about whether your vote is
counted. However, blockchain voting allows you to have the ability to audit
whether your vote is counted by viewing your vote using a public ledger.
• At the same time, anonymity is also protected.
Source: CoinDesk
65. Sponsored by Gem
Notary: Blockchain Technology Could Reshape
Notarization Services and Reduce Inefficiency
65State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: The Economist, Proof of Existence, CoinDesk
• A study carried out for the European
Commission in 2007 found that house buyers
in countries with highly regulated notarial
systems paid much higher legal fees than
house buyers elsewhere (see chart).
• Blockchains can store and certify the existence
of documents without relying on a central
authority. Companies like CoinSpark and Proof
of Existence are providing the service.
66. Sponsored by Gem
Views on the Application of Bitcoin Technology to
the Internet of Things
66State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk, LinkedIn
“Applying the blockchain concept to the world of the
Internet of Things offers fascinating possibilities. Right
from the time a product completes final assembly, it can
be registered by the manufacturer into a universal
blockchain representing its beginning of life. Once sold, a
dealer or end customer can register it to a regional
blockchain (a community, city or state).”
“We demonstrate how a humble washer can become a
semi-autonomous device capable of managing its own
consumables supply, performing self-service and
maintenance, and even negotiating with other peer
devices both in the home and outside to optimize its
environment.”
Paul Brody,
Technology Strategy
Consulting, IBM
67. Sponsored by Gem
Functional Bitcoin Applications Can Be
Grouped into 10 Categories
67State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinBase Blog
Email – Email applications that eliminate spam by requiring
BTC for email delivery
Video – Video applications that require one-click
micropayments to view video content
News – News sites that eliminate advertising for users by
requiring BTC for time spent viewing content
Crowdfunding – Global crowdfunding applications that
allow project creators to raise funds from around the world
Payouts – Applications that allow creators or service
providers anywhere in the world to get paid by a global
audience
68. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin Functional Applications (contd.)
68State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinBase Blog
Remittances – Global remittance applications that enable
worldwide cross-border payments
Ecommerce – Bitcoin-focused merchant directories that
offer a beautiful UI for consumers
Communication Networks – Applications that incentivize
nodes to provide resources to communications networks
by rewarding BTC for participation
Identity – Distributed identity applications that give people
control of their own identity, built on top of a distributed
identity protocol
Attribution – Attribution applications that allow users to
prove ownership of data, built on top of an attribution
protocol
69. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin Mining Arms Race Slows:
Bitcoin’s Network Difficulty QoQ Growth Rate Flattens
69State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Notes: Difficulty represents the number of necessary hash calculations to mine a new block.
Data source: CoinDesk
Quarterly Increase in Bitcoin Mining Difficulty
11.8
17.8
6.0 6.1
236%
106%
17% 15%
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
250%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015
Hashes
Billions
Quarterly Increase in Mining Difficulty Qtr.-over-Qtr. Percentage Increase in Mining Difficulty
70. Sponsored by Gem
AntPool
F2Pool
BW.com
BTCChina
Pool
KnCMiner
Slush
Ghash.io
BTC Guild
Eligius
EclipseMC
Bitcoin
Affiliate
Network
MegaBigPower
P2Pool
BitMinter
Unknown with
1BwZeHJ
Address
Unknown
Mining Pools: No News is Good News;
Still No Permanent Fix for 51% Attack Risk
70State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data source: Four-day average as of 1st Apr 2015 blockchain.info/pools
Ghash.io
continues to
shrink, down
to less than
10% share
from 50% in
July 2014
71. Sponsored by Gem
Software Developer Interest in Bitcoin Continues
Steady Growth
71State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Number of Created Repositories in Github with Bitcoin in the Name or Description
Data source: BitcoinPulse
72. Sponsored by Gem
Nodes: Levelling Off in Node Numbers Eases Bitcoin
Network Centralization Concerns
72State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Data sources: Bitnodes
73. Sponsored by Gem
Quiet, Successful Update to the Bitcoin Core
Protocol in Q1
73State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Consensus library:
• The consensus library makes it easier to build competing full node
implementations by reusing the most sensitive and difficult part of the
Core source code
Transaction fees:
• Core wallet users are provided with an estimate of the fees to pay in
order to get quicker confirmations
Headers-first syncing:
• A node first downloads parts of a block before proceeding to download
the entire blockchain, which speeds up communications between
nodes. This makes running a full node a more attractive prospect even
as there are fears over a declining number of nodes in operation
Source: CoinDesk
New features added to Bitcoin Core software version 0.10 include:
74. Sponsored by Gem 74State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Regulation and Macro
75. Sponsored by Gem
Bitcoin Startups Targeting the World’s 2.5 Billion
‘Unbanked’
75State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk, Mckinsey, Bitcoin for the Unbanked
Percentage of total adult
population that does not use
formal or semiformal financial
services
0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-100%
Estimates used to calculate regional averages
76. Sponsored by Gem
Wall Street Interest in Bitcoin is Growing
76State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Three blockchain startups selected
for Barclays Accelerator, with one
aiming to provide blockchain
solutions for the insurance industry
Sources: CoinDesk, Bank Innovation
Citi wants “to [accelerate]
emerging technologies that
have the potential to transform
financial services experiences
for Citi’s customers”
UBS is set to open a London-based research
lab to explore the application of blockchain
technology in the financial services industry
77. Sponsored by Gem
Migration of Wall Street Executives to Bitcoin
Companies Continues
77State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: WSJ, CoinDesk, LinkedIn
Blythe Masters,
JP Morgan Chase.
Now at Digital Assets
Holdings LLC
Gene Sperling,
National Economic
Council. Now advisor at
Ripple Labs
Duncan Niederauer,
NYSE. Now advisor
at TeraExchange
Paul Camp,
JP Morgan Chase.
Now at Circle
Arthur Levitt,
SEC. Now advisor at
BitPay and Vaurum
Arthur Hayes,
Citi. Now at BitMEX
Jason Weinstein,
US Department of
Justice. Now advisor at
BitFury
Timo Schlaefer,
Goldman Sachs.
Now at Crypto
Facilities
78. Sponsored by Gem
Nine Banks in Total Have Established Banking
Relationships with Bitcoin Startups to Date
78State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinDesk
• Securing banking partnerships has hindered the operations of bitcoin companies, often
forcing them to halt part of their offerings
• However, partnership between banks and bitcoin companies could improve security
and efficiency
24th Mar 2015
27th Mar 2015
Newly Announced Banking Relationships
79. Sponsored by Gem
Views on How Bitcoin Technology Can Transform
Financial Services
79State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: CoinDesk, LinkedIn
“Digital Assets has a revolutionary
technology platform that eliminates
the counterparty risk and lack of
transparency that has hindered
mainstream adoption of
cryptographic technology.”
“The possibilities for reducing cost
and risk in settlement are
enormous.”
Blythe Masters,
CEO of Digital Assets
Holdings LLC
80. Sponsored by Gem
Select Country Regulatory Updates
80State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Source: CoinDesk
The government does not see a need to regulate or ban bitcoin
activities. Bitcoin does not pose a substantial threat to Hong
Kong's financial system.
Spanish political party, Unión Progreso y Democracia (UPyD),
has submitted a proposal to the country's Congress outlining
why bitcoin regulation is needed.
Digital currency businesses will have to comply with
the Isle of Man's anti-money laundering (AML) laws
from 1st April.
Hong Kong
Isle of Man
Spain
81. Sponsored by Gem
In Q1 There Were Positive Developments With the NY
BitLicense Proposal, but …
81State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
• Businesses that “store”, “hold”, “issue”,
“administer”, “exchange” or “control” digital
currency on behalf of their customers require
a license to operate
• An exemption added for companies engaging
in mere software “development and
dissemination”
• Eliminates the prohibition on digital currency
investments, so long as they are held in an
acceptable ratio
• Demands that the licensee must submit non-
customer identities “to the extent practicable”
• NY regulators accepted new comments,
further revisions are a possibility
Sources: CoinDesk. Manhattan photo courtesy of Symmetry50
82. Sponsored by Gem
… Problems Remain with BitLicense’s ‘Duplicative and
Redundant’ Requirements
82State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
1. Anti-money laundering (AML) requirements:
Virtual currency exchangers and
administrators are already required to
comply with federal AML regulations
2. State money transmission regulations are
already in place and are applicable to all
virtual currency businesses
“We should be mindful of this 'tax on innovation' that
regulations place on the startup sector and high
growth companies in general.”
Fred Wilson,
Union Square Ventures
Source: CoinDesk (http://www.coindesk.com/fred-wilson-on-the-proposed-bitlicense-regulations/)
83. Sponsored by Gem
Generally Favorable Response to UK’s Initial
Cryptocurrency Regulatory Framework
83State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Sources: HM Treasury, CoinDesk
Core elements of the HM Treasury proposal:
• Curb criminal activity via AML regulation
• Allow cryptocurrency companies to opt-in to
standardized consumer protections
• Proposed injecting £10m into digital currencies
research
• “A light touch approach” (Marc
Warne, Bittylicious)
• “Help score banking
relationships” (Hugh Halford-
Thompson, QuickBitcoin)
• “[Should] limit this to fiat-to-
crypto exchanges” (Marc
Warne, Bittylicious)
• “Will force the UK's bitcoin
companies to move abroad”
(Akin Fernandez, Azteco)
Positive Reactions Negative Reactions
84. Sponsored by Gem
Views on Bitcoin Regulation and its Potential
Positive Impact on Economic Growth
84State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
George Osborne
Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Second Lord of the Treasury
Source: CoinDesk
“Among other things, [the programme] will look at whether
regulation of the sector is required, so that virtual
currency businesses can continue to be set up in the UK,
and people and businesses can use
[cryptocurrencies] safely.”
“It's only by harnessing innovations in finance, alongside
our existing world class knowledge and skills in financial
services, that we'll ensure Britain's financial sector
continues to meet the diverse needs of businesses and
consumers, here and around the globe, and create the
jobs and growth we all want to see in the future.”
86. Sponsored by Gem
About CoinDesk
• Find out more at www.coindesk.com
• Follow us on Twitter: @CoinDesk
• Subscribe to our email newsletters for the latest daily cryptocurrency news,
or updates on our research
• If you have data you think should be included in future State of Bitcoin
reports, email stateofbitcoin@coindesk.com
• We also welcome any feedback you have on the report
• The State of Bitcoin reports and CoinDesk’s in-depth research reports are
available here
86State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
87. Sponsored by Gem
Disclaimer
• CoinDesk makes every effort to ensure that the information in this
presentation is accurate and up to date. We cannot, however, accept
responsibility for any loss or inconvenience caused by reliance on the
material contained here.
• This presentation does not constitute financial advice or an investment
recommendation in any way whatsoever. It is recommended that you
perform your own independent research and/or speak with a qualified
investment professional before making any financial decisions.
87State of Bitcoin Q1 2015
Editor's Notes
Changed Q4 to Q4
Used number of investment in each year
Number of companies counted by adding new companies in Q4