Despite skeptics' claims that Bitcoin is "dead" or "has become useless" in 2018, the reality is that this year Bitcoin has become a genuine cultural phenomenon, gaining momentum and capturing the minds of millions of people around the world. On December 20, the Bitcoin network recorded the largest trading volume in the entire history of the cryptocurrency.

According to data gathered by crypto enthusiast and exchange analyst Crypto Quantamental, December 20 became a historic day for Bitcoin — on that day a record-high volume of Bitcoin trading activity was recorded, amounting to 2.26 million BTC.

Also, during the period from November to December 2018, record average daily trading volumes were noted, exceeding the comparable figures recorded at the height of the cryptocurrency euphoria in late 2017.

The sharp increase in the trading volume of the first cryptocurrency may be a sign that a huge number of new participants are entering the network, as well as that users are gaining confidence in the usefulness of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, growth in trading volume against the backdrop of a falling price indicates the asset's maturity as a financial instrument and points to the price of Bitcoin reaching its lowest levels.

It is also worth noting that a study of the fundamental characteristics of the Bitcoin network indicates a strengthening of the position of the first cryptocurrency, despite the dramatic collapse of its value in 2018, while the number of users of the Blockchain bitcoin wallet, despite the falling market, has grown over the past 3 months by 2 million people and exceeds 30 million users.