It’s the coin of criminals. Eventually crime-fighting success/failure will be measured by it’s value.
Fascinating anyway.
I guess it’s most recent surge, since the ransomware surge, is due to Asians avoiding money controls. But who knows?
I think by any measure you'll find criminals prefer USD, that's why over 90 percent of cash bills in circulation have drug residue on them. But honestly, the black market's willingness to use bitcoin in exchange simply highlights its utility as a medium of exchange.