The cryptocurrency industry started with the launch of Bitcoin in 2009 and then flourished in the following years with various assets and blockchain-based solutions. According to Stephen Stonberg, CEO of Bittrex Global, this is no longer in its infancy.
“I think we’re already past the stage of crypto early adoption,” Stonberg told Cointelegraph adding:
“Crypto has now gone mainstream. We have double-digit percentage adoption in both developed and developing countries. We even have Bitcoin adopted as legal tender in a country and many other countries are considering adopting Bitcoin as legal tender.”
Bitcoin has also become a very common investment, as a number of large companies such as Microstrategy have invested in these assets.
Being a legal tender is totally different from being a national currency. Any country can declare Bitcoin their legal tender but that doesn't mean that it is their national currency. Although the good thing about being declared a legal tender means that anyone can make use of it to clear debts or make payments. But in countries where it is not legal anyone caught making use of it will be punished.
El Salvador he said the frontline of the movement of adopting cryptocurrency as legal tender, and I’m looking forward to seeing other countries who would do the same thing. Ukraine is one of the countries that I’m looking forward to, which might do the same any moment from now.