The researchers collected Google Trends search query data from January 2011 to July 2013 for all US states, looking for terms related to bitcoin and its possible clientele.
Based on this data, the researchers constructed four possible categories of users for bitcoin: programming enthusiasts, speculative investors, libertarians and cybercriminals.
Illegal activity and computer programming were positively associated with bitcoin use, but there was no association for libertarian ideology or investment motives.
Previous research was also referenced, leading to the conclusion that the three main motives driving bitcoiners were curiosity, profit and political ideology. Yelowitz and Wilson warn that some of the correlations were “inherently difficult” to measure due to the sensitivity of bitcoin activity.