Japan Could See 20,000 Bitcoin Accepting Merchants in 2017 www.cryptocoinsnews.com

As Japan prepares to enforce regulations upon bitcoin exchanges in the country this, a development that was encouraged by the local bitcoin industry, the number of merchants accepting the cryptocurrency is expected to quintuple to 20,000 this year.

By 2016’s end, there were over 4,2000 bitcoin-accepting merchants and storefronts in the country, quadrupling from the total from 2015. The frenetic growth followed a bill, approved by the Japanese cabinet, to recognize digital currencies as real money, or legal tender.