Bitcoin search index continues to rise in various states across the United States.

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Bitcoin search index continues to rise in various states across the United States.

A report by Coinbase shows that interest in Bitcoin is on the rise in all states of the United States, regardless of actual investment. The report indicates that cryptocurrency has become a mainstream keyword in Google searches, surpassing "royal wedding" and "election results," as well as being three times more popular than social media personality Kim Kardashian in December last year.

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A report by Coinbase shows that interest in Bitcoin is on the rise in all states of the United States, regardless of actual investment. The report indicates that cryptocurrencies have taken over mainstream Google searches, surpassing "royal wedding" and "election results," as well as being three times more popular than social media personality Kim Kardashian in December last year.

Coinbase notes that this signifies Bitcoin becoming mainstream in the U.S., with YouTube searches for cryptocurrencies also reaching an all-time high. The top five states in terms of search volume are Nevada, Hawaii, California, Washington, and New York. Additionally, legislative bodies are exploring the field, focusing on regulations and guidelines.

Source: Coinbase

In fact, due to the attention and discussions by legislative bodies in the U.S. and around the world regarding the impact of Facebook's Libra, cryptocurrencies have garnered mainstream media attention surrounding the Libra project.

The report states that 58% of Americans have heard of Bitcoin. Respondents also explained various interests and reasons, with some looking to diversify assets while others are primarily interested in the potential of decentralized finance.

Source: Coinbase

The report also surveyed cryptocurrency holders, with California, New Jersey, Washington, New York, and Colorado ranking in the top five. Alaska, ranking eighth, has the "highest ownership rate," although Bitcoin represents only 18% of the currency held in the state.

Source: Coinbase

Legislatively, the report indicates that as of this month, over 70% of states have enacted regulations concerning cryptocurrencies and blockchain. Wyoming passed 13 laws categorizing cryptocurrencies as assets and allowing banks to handle crypto assets. New York issued 18 BitLicenses to facilitate transactions.

Moreover, about 15% of Americans stated that they are "likely" or "very likely" to purchase cryptocurrencies in the near future.

Source: Coinbase

The report is based on user surveys conducted by Coinbase and data research from market research firm YouGov. YouGov's external data was collected at the end of 2018, a period when the crypto market was at a bear market bottom. Thus, with the 2019 data in focus, public sentiment towards the market outlook may be more optimistic.

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