Bitcoin Draws Interest From Google, Wikipedia, Zillow Leaders

Despite a turbulent few weeks, Bitcoin has been picking up
prominent followers in technology circles. The digital currency has
demonstrated unexpected durability, so naturally, curiosity is
getting the better of a few.

“It’s very obvious to all of us that cryptocurrencies are
inevitable,” Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas,
told South by Southwest—the music, film, and technology
festival—attendees Saturday.

Google chairman Eric Schmidt was sitting beside him promoting
their new book, The New Digital Age. While it shouldn’t be
interpreted as an endorsement from Google the company, confirmation
from a Google director is cool and unexpected.

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales is currently
experimenting with the digital currency. Last week he tweeted
his Bitcoin wallet address and received over $3,000, or about 5
BTC, in donations from digital currency enthusiasts. He
posted on the Bitcoin Reddit that he plans to “re-open”
discussion of accepting Bitcoin with the Wikipedia Foundation Board
of Directors.

Spencer Zaskoff, the CEO of Zillow, the online real estate
marketplace,
told Bloomberg TV back in November:

I just think there’s too much shadiness associated with
the currency that’s not maintained by some sort of government or
central bank.

But Monday Zascoff tweeted, “I’m reconsidering my skepticism.”
He purchased
some Bitcoin Tuesday morning.

Even some government officials are saying positive things about
the novel payment network. A few weeks ago, Larry Summers, former
economic adviser to Clinton and Bush,
said, “I think Bitcoin has the potential to be a very, very
important development.” New York financial regulator Benjamin
Lawsky
told Reuters that Mt. Gox’s decline could ultimately
lead to “further improvements.”

Recently, the Dorian Nakamoto story and ominous Mt. Gox
predictions have received the most attention. But Bitcoin seems
pretty healthy. It’s piquing interest from many corners and the web
of followers continues to grow. Of course, Bitcoin is not without
its
detractors, but even in the face of all this, cautious
inquisitiveness seems to be replacing stalwart skepticism as people
become more and more informed about the financial
innovation.