Google is considering integrating Bitcoin wallets into its applications. This would bring cryptocurrency to a new audience of mainstream users. We discuss this in the article below.
Tech giant Google has announced that it will begin closer collaborations with the cryptocurrency sector. This move will be done to increase usability and access to the sector, mainly through the use of Google sign-in for Bitcoin wallets. The aim will be to prioritise accessibility for mainstream users, and optimising Bitcoin wallets will be at the forefront of this. However, it will also increase security accordingly so that it aligns with web2 standards.
Google’s Crypto Aspirations
The information was delivered by Kyle Song, who is an APAC web3 Specialist at Google Cloud. He was discussing the possibilities at the Bitcoin Tech Carnival in Hong Kong. He added that the future vision was that people could log onto their Bitcoin wallets using their Google account.
The company began working with those in the cryptosector last year. Since then, there have been several major advances regarding the acceptance of Bitcoin into mainstream finance and tech. Song pointed out that one major change was the result of Spot Bitcoin ETF products, which were introduced into the US last year. This has opened the doors for the company to begin integrating blockchain technology into its current offerings.
The live Bitcoin price currently stands at $104,885, where it seems to have stabilised. However, Bitcoin ETFs were arguably the start of a major run that has seen the price of Bitcoin rocket over the past year and a half. Their introduction was followed by a halving event, which typically results in a price hike later down the line.
An incoming crypto-friendly US administration also helped with this, pushing Bitcoin to a record high of $106,146.26 in January 2025. After a period of stagnation, it has since retested this boundary.
Enhancing Security
Many will be worried about security. Closing the gap between traditional electronic finance and that of the blockchain is something still in its infancy. Officials have announced that they are looking into doing this using zero-knowledge proof technology. This is a concept in which one party is the prover, and another is the verifier. The only information shared between them is that the knowledge is true, without any possession of the information contained within.
There have been several Web3 projects that Google has adopted. However, they have usually done so quietly, which suggests they are still testing and refining the technology. Last year, it pioneered a Blockchain Remote Procedure Call, which was compatible with Ethereum. Its purpose was to make development easier for Web 3 Developers. There have also been partnerships with the blockchain SUI. This allowed developers to access real-time data from the Sui blockchain through Google Cloud’s Pub/Sub service.
It is also worth noting that this is a plan, not a given. There have been big plans by social media companies in the past, in which they aimed to integrate blockchain tech and cryptocurrencies. Facebook and Telegram pulled their projects in 2020. Telegram later went to a halfway point, where it saw third-party crypto wallets in the form of apps integrated into it.
Facebook’s project was titled Libra. It was a cryptocurrency and global payment system based on stablecoin technology. Since then, the field has changed dramatically, and it may be that they were ahead of their time. With a more crypto-friendly administration, in today’s climate, both may have been more successful.
Could It End Decentralization?
Not everyone is happy with this, and in many ways, it signals a worry that mainstream adoption brings: The death of decentralization. At the heart of cryptocurrency, and its general appeal is that it is not owned or ruled by any government or corporation.
By integrating this, Google opens the door for everyone to use Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in a day-to-day way. Thus, it becomes centralized, owned by middlemen. Just like the internet was once decentralized before it became the domain of Google, so could cryptocurrency. This could have the adverse effect and diminish its appeal.
Google has also not had the best track record with crypto wallets when it comes to security in the past few months. A remote access trojan known as StilachiRAT has been stealing information from cryptocurrency wallets via Google Chrome. The Malware scans for different extensions before extracting digital information. Part of this is done by extracting Google Chrome’s encryption key.
This is only a plan, and first needs to be implemented. After this, even the most knowledgeable of cryptocurrency enthusiasts would have trouble predicting where it may take the price. On one hand, it could push it further as more users try to get hold of it. Or it could centralize, losing its appeal. All this highlights how important it is to keep an eye on Bitcoin news and events.
