Bitget Research, the research arm of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has released a report analyzing the structure and the current landscape of the cryptocurrency markets of Western Europe. The region showcases characteristics such as large cryptocurrency trading volumes, high DeFi activity levels, a responsible and regulated approach, and relatively lower usage of P2P trading.
Key takeaways:
- The number of local daily crypto traders ranges from 1.2 million to 1.5 million.
- Germany and France lead in terms of crypto trading activity.
- Austria witnessed the fastest growth in crypto traders between December 2022 to December 2023, with a 70% increase in users.
- Western European users are generally well-educated and risk-conscious in their cryptocurrency investments.
- The local trading strategy typically involves a combination of contracts and spot trading, and investment in mainstream assets.
- Regional users demonstrate high participation in decentralized projects, NFTs and Web3 platforms, and active engagement in popular chain ecosystems like Solana.
- DeFi usage constitutes the majority of cryptocurrency activity in Western Europe, while P2P trading volumes remain notably low.
Western European countries, characterized by developed economies and high general education levels, rank among the regions with the highest cryptocurrency adoption globally. The importance of Western Europe within the cryptocurrency industry continues to grow, as evidenced by the daily trading participation on centralized and decentralized exchanges ranging from 1.2 million to 1.5 million individuals. While Germany and France lead in activity levels, Austria has experienced the most rapid yearly growth in crypto traders, with a remarkable 70% surge in users. Germany closely followed with a 69% increase, while other Western European countries demonstrated slower growth rates ranging between 15% and 20%.
Overall, cryptocurrency activity in Western Europe benefits from a clearer level of compliance compared to other regions with countries like Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands adhering to the legislative framework established by the European Union for regulating crypto assets.
Centralized Exchanges and Spot Trading Prevail
Upon analyzing local market trends and trading instrument preferences, it was observed that users in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands exhibit a preference for trading futures, whereas the remaining countries lean towards spot trading.
When it comes to trading cryptocurrency, the majority of Western European users demonstrate an inclination towards centralized exchanges, with CEX traffic surpassing DEX by 10 times. Among users opting for decentralized platforms, PancakeSwap and Uniswap emerge as the most popular exchanges. Additionally, Coinbase Wallet, Metamask, Bitget Wallet, and TrustWallet are the most commonly utilized cryptocurrency wallets across the eight countries.
Over the past year, the overall traffic to centralized exchanges from Western European users has shown a significant upward trend, especially in Germany, Switzerland, and Poland. Germany and Switzerland saw a year-over-year increase of more than 50%, with Poland experiencing a growth rate of 145%. However, the growth in France and Belgium was not as pronounced, with Belgium even seeing a 6.8% decline compared to the same period last year.
DeFi usage constitutes the majority of cryptocurrency activity in Western Europe, while P2P trading volumes remain notably low. One reason for the region’s limited adoption of crypto P2P is the prevalent practice of purchasing digital assets using fiat deposits or linked cards. In contrast, regions like South East Asia see P2P transfers as the primary instrument of cryptocurrency trading, given the lesser prevalence of card deposits.
Choice Of Assets And Trending Topics in Western Europe
Among popular sectors and projects, regional users demonstrate high participation in decentralized projects, familiarity with DEX tools and trading, NFTs, and Web3 platforms, and active engagement in popular chain ecosystems like Solana.
In terms of asset choice, emerging cryptocurrencies such as Ordinals, NFTs, RWAs, DePin, Solana ecosystem and meme coins have garnered significant attention among traders across Western Europe since the beginning of the year.
According to Western European market data, the trending topics and coins of choice include significant growth in the Solana ecosystem driven by token launches and airdrops, as well as increased interest in Manta Network and Ondo Finance. Additionally, there is sustained attention on second and third-tier chains such as CRO, FTM, and SUI, suggesting continued engagement despite minimal news or major announcements.
Western European Crypto Trader Behavior
The Bitget research suggests that cryptocurrency participants in the region typically possess a high level of education, exercise caution, and prioritize long-term investments. Additionally, a significant portion of local users actively engage in both online and offline forums, including community Ask Me Anything (AMAs), where they exchange market insights and discuss industry trends. Furthermore, they place a premium on legality and demonstrate a keen interest in adhering to Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.
In terms of strategy, choice of trading instruments and platforms, Western European traders show conservatism — they carefully examine the market options and once chosen, tend to be loyal users.
Local Market Predictions For 2024
Based on the comprehensive study, Bitget Research foresees the following trends in the Western European market for 2024:
- Germany and France will remain key hubs of cryptocurrency activity in the region.
- The interest of Western European users in on-chain solutions, particularly in the category of NFTs, DEXes, and blockchain games, will continue to grow. One-two blockchain projects run by Western European teams will gain the leading position in their sectors.
- Decentralized exchanges will meet the growing demand for on-chain transactions, while emerging centralized exchanges, offering superior customer service and platform features, may gain new adoption among Western European users.
- Increased engagement with Solana ecosystem projects will benefit crypto wallets, which offer integration across various blockchain ecosystems.
