For the United States, that all changed at the height of the Great Depression when America faced mounting unemployment rates and spiraling deflation. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can find someone local willing to trade cash for bitcoins , if you’re into meeting up with strangers in parking lots. Need a new tablet? Why People Buy Cryptocurrency. But while transactions are publicly recorded on the blockchain, identifying user information is not. Some platforms and exchanges put a weekly or daily cap on how much bitcoin you can buy depending on which payment method you use, how long your account has been active and your purchase history. Exchanges connect you directly to the bitcoin marketplace, where you can exchange traditional currencies for bitcoin.