The city’s most famous sons may have sung that money can’t buy you love, but that was before bitcoin existed.
Liverpool has emerged as the crypto capital of the UK, according to a study looking at the online habits of people across the country.
The survey, conducted by telecommunications company Openreach, found that 13% of respondents from Liverpool regularly invest in cryptocurrency and check stocks, more than anywhere else in Britain.
Different cities across the UK proved to be hotspots for various activities. London seems to be the online dating capital of Britain, with 24% of respondents saying they engage with dating apps on at least three days a week.
This contrasts with the country in general, with the study finding that only 4% of Britons spend any time on dating apps.
According to the study, the average British person claims to spend three-and-a-half hours a day online, though 20% of those asked admitted to spending above five hours of their day on the internet.
Popular times to be online varied, but 64% of respondents said they spend time online between the hours of 11pm and 6am, with 19% of them saying this is the time they visit YouTube.
In the north, analysis tells a tale of three cities. The people of Manchester used Instagram more than anywhere else, with 27% of people in the city using the platform regularly.
Sheffield, meanwhile, is home to both the most frequent TikTok users and music streamers in the country (with figures of 32% and 30% respectively). Sheffield is also the city where households spend the most time online, with 32% spending more than five hours online per day – in contrast to the 11% of Brighton citizens who do the same.
The people of Leeds seem to favour yesterday’s social media site of choice, with 43% of the city’s residents saying they spend a lot of time using Facebook.
The study was commissioned by Openreach to coincide with the first installation of broadband in a UK home, which took place in April 2000 in Basildon, Essex.
The study also found that many respondents disliked the way they use the internet, with 43% feeling that they wasted time online, 37% concerned by the hours spent “doom-scrolling” and 33% saying they would feel more relaxed if they spent less time online.
Katie Milligan, deputy CEO of Openreach, said: “It’s fascinating to see how different parts of the UK are embracing the online world and adapting to it in unique ways.
“At the same time, it’s encouraging that many recognise the importance of taking time away from devices and digital connectivity.”
