Google Allows Users to Search Crypto Wallet Balances

Google has broadened its capabilities, enabling users to query wallet balances on a variety of blockchains, including Bitcoin, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Optimism, Polygon, and Fantom.

By inputting a wallet address, the search will reveal the balance of tokens across different networks and the time of the last update.

The service supports three Bitcoin address formats: P2PKH, P2SH, and Bech32, allowing users to check current balances and view recent transactions.

This enhancement to Google's search functionalities opens up greater accessibility to blockchain activities, capitalizing on Google's massive daily usage.

While this development has been met with enthusiasm for its potential to drive wider adoption, those within the Bitcoin community who prioritize privacy have expressed concerns over the centralized collection of data and its implications for user privacy.

This update follows Google's earlier integration of the Ethereum Name Service (ENS), which enabled searches for wallet balances using easy-to-remember domain names such as “vitalik.eth” for Ethereum wallets.

Google first ventured into displaying Ethereum wallet balances in search results in May 2023, building upon its 2022 feature that allowed the tracking of some Ethereum wallet balances directly through Google, bypassing the need to visit Etherscan.

Google's introduction of wallet balance searches reflects a significant change in its approach to cryptocurrency.

In 2018, Google had imposed a ban on Bitcoin-related ads but reversed this policy to allow advertising for spot Bitcoin ETFs after they were sanctioned in the U.S. in January, featuring products from leading asset managers like BlackRock.

In October 2022, Google announced a collaboration with Coinbase, enabling cloud service payments in cryptocurrency.

Additionally, Google highlighted the Ethereum Merge — the network's shift from proof-of-work (PoW) to proof-of-stake (PoS) in 2022 — with an animated countdown featuring pandas.

In 2023, Google Cloud partnered with Web3 startup Orderly Network to develop user-friendly developer tools for decentralized finance (DeFi), aiming to make it easier to engage with DeFi by addressing common obstacles like entry barriers and security concerns.

Sources:

https://cointelegraph.com/news/google-inclusion-bitcoin-wallet-balances-privacy-debate

https://twitter.com/mercilessbtc/status/1773608566315778459