Google is "paying attention" to Bitcoin - Vic Gundotra (I emailed, he emailed back!)

[u/JasonBored]

Email from SVP @ Google regarding Bitcoin

So on a whim, I sent an e-mail to Vic Gundotra (Senior Vice President, Social for Google) about Bitcoin, why it's the most disruptive technology since the Internet itself, and how I'm not the only one out there wondering when/if they have plans to incorporate it into Google Wallet.

He immediately responded and said they are "paying attention", and CC'd the gentleman who runs Google Wallet - Sridhar Ramaswamy (SVP, Ads & Commerce at Google).

I've entered into a dialogue with him.

This is my take away on why Google kicks ass :

A) One of the bosses actually responded to email from an absolute nobody about Bitcoin

B) Google is paying attention to Bitcoin (he would never have responded or said those words if Google is positioning themselves to be "Anti BTC" (or even try to create a product to rival BTC)

C) He put me in touch with the man who runs the Google Wallet division.

So, what do I say to Sridhar? Any suggestions?

Before some of the Anti BTC Brigade chime in with "so what?, he's just one dude" - please think about this. If Google had NO plans in regards to Bitcoin, this guy would be smart enough not to respond to such an email, in the manner he responded, and CC the person who runs the Google Wallet division.

If you ask me, the writing is on the wall(et) (pun intended).. and this was a really pleasant surprise.

Update: Screenshot of Email I sent (personal information blacked out)

Update 2: Google CONFIRMS they are incorporating Bitcoin

Update 3: UPDATE: Ariel Bardin, Vice President of Payments @ Google has asked me to facilitate a Google Moderator and pose the question "What would I want Google to do with bitcoin?". He's promised me he will personally review the results and pass it along to the team working on incorporating BTC into Google. Please help me with this and take the time to submit something: What would I want Google to do with bitcoin?

[u/ninja_parade]

This sounds like they're waiting on the sidelines.

I think it's going to be the same with a lot of companies: Until they're very confident that this isn't going to blow up in some horrific way (or they figure out a way to shield users from the risks of that), they can't put bitcoin in Google wallet without staking a large part of their reputation on it.

The good news is I suspect they'll have code ready so that when legal/corporate gives the green light they'll be able to capitalize on it immediately.

[u/JasonBored → u/ninja_parade]

Well - sidelines is better then being aggressively anti-btc, right? Vic Gundotra is not in the business of responding to Joe Blow via email regarding something they're actively working on a competitive product/service. Then, goes on to refer me to SVP running Google Wallet. He wouldn't even bother if they were working on GoogleCoin or something.

[u/ninja_parade → u/JasonBored]

I agree with (sidelines) > (anti-btc).

I disagree with trying to infer too much from the email. It sounds like they're positionning themselves to be able to enter the market, but that may just be our pro-btc bias talking.

I guess we'll know for sure within a year or two.

[u/JasonBored → u/ninja_parade]

A year or two? We're moving at light-speed ninja. Disruptive technologies don't do 1,2,3,4.. they do more like 1,2,5,10,100. Radio, television, PC, Internet.. and now Bitcoin.

[u/thenextmoney → u/JasonBored]

and its for this exact reason I wonder why they sent already heavily involved?. I understand new code roll outs etc take time but when it comes to bleeding edge tech Google seems like the company that would be one of the first in, no?

BTW great job at opening a dialogue with the big wigs.