SINGAPORE, Tuesday, April 09, 2024-Google has integrated blockchain technology into its search engine, allowing users to view the current balance of certain cryptocurrency wallets directly in search results.1
This move, announced in March 2024, applies to Bitcoin and several other blockchains, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Fantom, Optimism, and Polygon. 1
The feature displays the token balance and the last updated time for a given wallet address. While proponents see this as a step toward wider cryptocurrency adoption, privacy experts have expressed concerns.
Bitcoin transactions, though pseudonymous, are publicly recorded on the blockchain.
While the address itself doesn’t directly reveal the owner’s identity, the aggregation of this information by a central entity like Google raises questions about potential misuse.
This development underscores the ongoing debate surrounding transparency and privacy in the cryptocurrency world. Google’s indexing could enhance user education and mainstream adoption, but users should be aware of the potential privacy implications before publicly sharing their wallet addresses.
Additionally, Google Search will now display Ethereum balances and is expanding its scope to include Arbitrum, Avalanche, Fantom, Optimism, and Polygon. This enhancement complements existing features, such as searching for Bitcoin prices (e.g., BTC USD) similar to any other stock.
- 9to5google.com: https://9to5google.com/2024/03/28/google-bitcoin-balance/[↩][↩]
