Review of the summary of major BTC events in 2023: BTC merchant adoption rate nearly tripled
1. **Growth in the number of global Bitcoin payment merchants:**
- The number of merchants worldwide that accept Bitcoin payments will nearly triple in 2023, with significant growth especially in Central and South America and the Philippines.
2. **Honduras Special Economic Zone Próspera advances Bitcoin integration:**
- The Honduran Special Economic Zone Próspera recognizes Bitcoin as a unit of account, strengthening financial freedom in the region.
- The initiative allows the market value of goods and services to be measured in BTC.
3. **SEC warns against FOMO-driven crypto investments:**
- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a stern warning about the risks of FOMO-driven crypto investing, especially as a Bitcoin ETF decision is about to be announced.
4. **Surge in Bitcoin payment merchants around the world:**
- In 2023, the number of merchants worldwide accepting Bitcoin payments will almost triple, from 2,207 at the beginning of the year to 6,126 at the end of the year.
- The geographical distribution shows that there are more Bitcoin payment merchants in Central and South America, while there are relatively few in Africa and Asia, and the United States and Europe perform strongly.
5. **Próspera, Honduras uses Bitcoin as the unit of account:**
- The Próspera Special Economic Zone on Roatan Island in Honduras officially recognizes Bitcoin as a unit of account.
- The decision allows the use of BTC to measure the market value of goods and services, providing more financial freedom for locals.
6. **SEC Warning on FOMO Investing:**
- SEC issues warning ahead of Bitcoin ETF decision deadline, highlighting FOMO-driven investment risks.
- The warning was interpreted as uncertainty about the likelihood of Bitcoin ETF approval, or as a reminder not to get too excited.
7. **Social media speculates SEC warning related to ETF decision:**
- Social media is full of speculation about the SEC warning, which some believe may be a sign that the ETF will be approved, while others believe that the SEC is trying to protect investors because the ETF may not be approved.
- The SEC made it clear that investors should not make decisions based on FOMO and celebrity endorsements.
8. **Historical background of SEC’s investment in FOMO:**
- The SEC has repeatedly warned against FOMO investing, emphasizing the volatility of digital assets and the high risk of being affected by social media.
- Point out that investment decisions should not be influenced by trends and social media in case of sudden changes in market dynamics.
