In a city renowned for its musical legends who once crooned about the limitations of wealth, a new era has dawned with the advent of bitcoin. Liverpool has risen to become the UK’s cryptocurrency and stock investment hub, according to a comprehensive study by Openreach that analyzed the online behavior of people nationwide.
The study reveals that 13% of Liverpool’s population regularly invests in cryptocurrency, surpassing every other city in the UK. London, on the other hand, has taken the crown for online dating with a quarter of its residents using dating apps at least three times a week, a figure that is six times higher than the national average.
Nationwide, the average person spends around three and a half hours online daily, but 20% of the surveyed individuals admitted to spending over five hours online, pointing to a significant variance in internet usage habits. Notably, a majority of the respondents, amounting to 64%, preferred to be online during late-night hours from 11 PM to 6 AM, with nearly a fifth of this group frequenting YouTube during these times.
The northern cities of the UK showcase diverse digital preferences. Manchester is the Instagram capital, with 27% of its inhabitants regularly using the platform. Sheffield stands out for its frequent TikTok users and music streamers, with 32% and 30% engagement, respectively, and also records the highest daily online time among households.
In contrast, Leeds shows a strong affinity for Facebook, with 43% of its population actively using the social media platform. The study, which was commissioned by Openreach to commemorate the first broadband installation in a UK home in April 2000, also highlights a growing awareness of the pitfalls of excessive internet use. A significant number of respondents expressed concerns about wasting time, the compulsive nature of ‘doom-scrolling,’ and a desire to disconnect to feel more at ease.
Openreach Deputy CEO, Katie Milligan, finds these insights both intriguing and somewhat concerning. She acknowledges the unique ways in which different regions of the UK are harnessing the power of the internet, while also pointing out the importance of recognizing the need to occasionally disconnect and maintain a healthy balance in the digital world.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/16/liverpool-is-crypto-capital-of-uk-survey-finds
