Slovenia has been identified as the most ‘crypto-obsessed’ country in Europe, according to recent research.
A study conducted by the virtual currency gambling platform cryptogambling.tv analyzed the highest number of internet searches related to various crypto terms, ranking them by population size. Slovenia topped the list with approximately 100,000 searches each month, averaging about 4,789 searches per 100,000 residents.
The top five countries for crypto searches included Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Finland, and Turkey, in that order.
Slovenia hosts the non-profit Blockchain Alliance Europe and the crypto infrastructure provider GoCrypto. The country is also notable for the number of businesses that accept Bitcoin as a form of payment.
In contrast, some other nations in the top ten have implemented stricter regulations on cryptocurrency. For instance, the Netherlands taxes unrealized gains from crypto holdings. Interestingly, such regulations, often perceived as unfavorable to crypto, can actually spark greater interest among investors, according to cryptogambling.tv.
A representative from the research firm noted, “While it may be surprising to see countries with stringent cryptocurrency regulations in the top ten, such legislation has likely attracted attention and generated curiosity about crypto as a whole. Cryptocurrency is still a relatively new concept for many people, and increased publicity—whether through legislation or mainstream news—tends to pique interest, as evidenced by the Google search data in this study.”