Google finance now displays the price of bitcoin

Google Finance has launched a bitcoin price tracker, offering market information across several major fiat currencies as well as access to breaking news in the digital currency world. Users can access prices in BTC/USD markets, as well as prices in pound sterling, yen, euro, renminbi, Australian dollar and Canadian dollar markets. The tool also enables review of historical prices dating back to June 2013. The Google Finance bitcoin tool enables quick BTC-to-fiat conversions as well, allowing for calculations across dozens of currencies such as the Yemeni rial and the Bangladeshi taka.

Bitcoin may be a highly controversial virtual currency, but it seems like Google and Yahoo are taking steps to acknowledge it as a legit currency — by adding Bitcoin prices to their finance networks. This comes after Microsoft added Bitcoin currency conversion to Bing in February, with the data provided by digital wallet company Coinbase. Google had earlier said it had no plans regarding the incorporation of Bitcoin into its Wallet payment system, but this latest step is a tentative move towards acknowledging it. Bitcoin has been battered by various scandals this year — think Mt. Gox’s downfall — and government crackdowns, the most recent one being China, where two national banks and Tenpay banned cryptocurrencies. However, there’s still hope for the virtual currency as big internet firms are continuing to recognize and accept such a payment method, with Expedia being the latest one. Apple has also recently said it will allow Bitcoin and other virtual currency apps if they comply with local laws.