Bitcoin has made the top 5 Google search requests Monday, according to data from Google Trends.
The results from the US indicate that ‘Bitcoin’ received over 200,000 searches, making it the fifth most popular term. Ethereum made the top 20 results, coming in at number 18.
The event marks continued mainstream exposure for the cryptocurrency. While Bitcoin came to prominence during the recent WannaCry cyberattack, interest appears to have remained as that story disappears from the headlines.
Monday is ‘sacred’ in Bitcoin circles for a different reason, May 22 being Bitcoin Pizza Day. A chapter in the virtual currency’s history which is also gaining mainstream notoriety, a flurry of media interest generally accompanies the date every year.
CNBC notes for example that $100 of Bitcoin purchased in 2010 would be worth around $75 mln today.
The Bitcoin pizzas themselves also cost more this year than any other, at around $22 mln.
Ethereum’s entry into Google’s top 20 meanwhile is just as remarkable. Having remained de facto unknown until the launch of the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance earlier this year, mainstream media are now describing the altcoin as the “new Bitcoin” and its “major rival.”
Ethereum has exploded in value in several spurts since February, almost reaching $200 per token over the weekend. In February, it was worth on average just $14.