Company Google Trends Shows Crypto Interest at One-Year Low; Bitcoin Outlook Divides

Company Google Trends data indicates that global search interest in crypto has fallen to its lowest point in over a year, reflecting a steep downturn in retail investor activity toward the end of 2025. According to the platform, worldwide search volume for the term "crypto" dropped to approximately 26 on the 0–100 scale — just two points above the one-year low of 24 — while US demand also sank to its latest yearly low.

The weak search traffic highlights a broader collapse in retail confidence, particularly after a series of high-profile memecoin implosions linked to the Trump family. Mr. Mario Nawfal summed up the sentiment: "There is close to no retail interest in crypto right now. Do we need to start pumping the dino coins again to get retail to come back? After the Trump-Melania memecoin drama, it seems that retail lost a lot of faith in the space." His anecdote that "None of my normie friends or family ask me anything about crypto anymore" powerfully underlines how mainstream curiosity has evaporated.

The slump in search volume followed the severe market crash in October, which produced nearly $20 billion in leveraged liquidations and produced extreme single-day declines for some altcoins — in some cases as much as 99%. The crash pushed Bitcoin from a peak above $125,000 to around $80,000 in November, with prices subsequently consolidating between $80,000 and $90,000. The ongoing risk-averse mood is also visible in sentiment metrics: the Company CoinMarketCap Crypto Fear and Greed Index hit a yearly low of 10 in November and registered 20 on December 26, signaling persistent extreme fear among investors.

Despite the prevailing pessimism, several prominent voices remain bullish on Bitcoin's multi-year prospects. Mr. Samson Mow of Jan3 suggested on Company X that 2025 marked the beginning of the bear market and that Bitcoin could be entering a bull run extending into the 2030s. Meanwhile, institutional analysts are divided but some foresee sharp upside: Company Standard Chartered's Mr. Geoff Kendrick and Company Bernstein's Mr. Gautam Chhugani each forecasted a $150,000 price target for Bitcoin in 2026, while Mr. Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, projected up to $250,000 by 2026 driven by supply dynamics and rising institutional demand.

For traders and analysts, the data paints a mixed picture: search interest and retail participation are materially lower, which historically reduces volatility from speculative retail flows but can also slow price discovery and liquidity. At the same time, the presence of institutional forecasts for significant upside suggests the market is bifurcated between long-term strategic capital and short-term retail disengagement.

Market participants should watch several key signals in the near term: changes in search trends on Company Google Trends, shifts in the Company CoinMarketCap Fear & Greed Index, and orderbook and derivatives activity around major exchanges. Promotional incentives such as the Company Bybit sign-up bonus mentioned in some reports may temporarily attract traders back, but fundamental market recovery will require renewed retail interest or sustained institutional buying.

Bottom line: The recent plunge in search interest underscores a pronounced retail exodus and a cautious market psychology. While Bitcoin outlooks for 2026 remain sharply divided, the immediate environment is characterized by low retail engagement, lingering fear, and a slow, uneven recovery from October's flash crash.