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Bitcoin At ATH, Retail FOMO Intensifies: Here’s What to Watch

  • Bitcoin hits $89K, boosting retail interest with rising Google searches and app rankings.
  • Crypto is mainstream as even parents and friends are asking about Bitcoin and NFTs.
  • Analyst warns that retail FOMO may lead to a market correction, as seen in past surges.

Something’s definitely in the air in the crypto world—call it a storm, a wave, or even a massive surge of excitement. However, retail traders are waking up and they’re ready to make some serious noise as Bitcoin charts all-time-high price.

Bitcoin has just blasted past $89K to set a new all-time high following the Trump election win, and FOMO is kicking in hard.

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve probably noticed the signs of a retail interest: exploding Google searches, big moves in tokens like Dogecoin and Cardano, and a surge in app downloads.

It’s clear—the retail crowd is back, and they’re bringing some serious energy to the market.

Google Searches Are Going Through the Roof

First, let’s talk about Google. Just in the last couple of weeks, the general search interest in ‘crypto’ has surged to an unusually high level.

To elaborate, using the Google Trends tool, it is easy to point that searches associated with the crypto domain are gradually increasing. This hints at the fact that more and more retail traders are paying attention to what is going on in the crypto market.

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“Crypto” Search Interest | Source: Google Trends
“Crypto” Search Interest | Source: Google Trends

Every time such a search intensification occurs, it indicates that fresh money is being attracted to the marketplace in anticipation of new and prospective digital assets offerings.

Retail traders are coming back, and it looks like they’re bringing their curiosity with them.

Coinbase AppStore Rankings Soar

Then there’s Coinbase. It has been one of the favored trading platforms by retail investors for several years now, and at present its app usage has significantly increased. Within one week Coinbase has leapt from 154th to 12th in the app ranking on AppStore.

Coinbase AppStore Ranking| Source: Telegram
Coinbase AppStore Ranking| Source: Telegram

That is a huge jump and the reason could be attributed to the increased influx of the retail trader going back to the application.

This kind of change in app rankings is not random – it speaks volumes that the average joe is now starting to get back into the market. The anticipation is high, and one can argue that it is due to the return of the retail trader.

Retail’s Favorite Tokens Are Booming

If you’ve been watching the market recently, you’ve probably noticed that two tokens have been making big moves: Dogecoin (DOGE) and Cardano (ADA).

These are retail favorites and indeed they have been in the upswing. In fact, as per CoinGecko, both have been experiencing some of the maximum hikes witnessed in the last one week.

Crypto Market Ranking| Source: CoinGecko
Crypto Market Ranking| Source: CoinGecko

To the average retail trader, it is much more than an investment; these tokens represent communities. And when these communities begin to mobilize, so do the prices.

Anyone who follows trading patterns will not be shocked that when Doge and ADA are on the rise, so are the retail investors.

Media Exposure Means More Eyes on Crypto

Another big factor? Bitcoin making headlines. Just a few days back, Bloomberg placed Bitcoin right on the home page and that is a very big thing.

Why? Because when large media such as Bloomberg start discussing cryptocurrencies, it draws in the retail trader who was previously on the bench.

They wake up one morning and see headlines, “Bitcoin Soars” and carry forward their mentality of “Remember, buy Bitcoin again”.

While such exposure simply brings awareness into the population, advocate response brings reaction into the population.

Even Your Parents Are Talking About Bitcoin

Here’s the kicker: it’s no longer just tech-savvy millennials talking about crypto. Over the past week, your parents, Here’s the kicker: crypto isn’t just for tech nerds anymore.

Over the past week, your parents, uncles, and even that one friend who thought “blockchain” was a new iPhone feature have been texting you about Bitcoin, NFTs, and crypto. Yep, Mom and Dad are now asking, “Should I buy Bitcoin? Is it too late?” (Spoiler: it’s never too late—but we’ll let you figure that one out. DYOR)

Source: Varuni’s Phone
Source: Varuni’s Phone

And when your dad, who still thinks Wi-Fi is some kind of wizardry, is asking if he should invest in Dogecoin, it’s clear crypto has entered the mainstream.

Then, your old buddy from high school, who once thought NFTs were just “digital stickers,” is now asking if they should buy one of those “monkey pictures.” Crypto is officially the new family dinner table topic. Time to explain it all over turkey!

Is FOMO Finally Kicking In? Analyst Warns

As Bitcoin surges to new highs, FOMO (fear of missing out) is kicking in hard for retail investors. With prices reaching impressive levels, more and more people are jumping on the bandwagon.

But a word of caution from analyst Ali (@ali_charts) highlights a potential risk: “While retail interest in Bitcoin signals further capital inflows, spikes in search trends often align with price drops. In 2021, the top surges in search interest for ‘Bitcoin’ coincided with corrections of 30%, 26%, 27%, and even 50%.”

It’s a classic case of retail chasing the rally, but history suggests a correction could be around the corner.

Disclaimer

The contents of this page are intended for general informational purposes and do not constitute financial, investment, or any other form of advice. Investing in or trading crypto assets carries the risk of financial loss. The forecasted data (also called “price prediction”) on this page are subject to change without notice and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Arnold Kirimi
Arnold Kirimi
Arnold Kirimi is a crypto and Web3 journalist from Nairobi, Kenya. With a sharp eye for emerging trends and a talent for demystifying blockchain jargon, Kirimi turns complex concepts into compelling narratives. Featured in top outlets like Cointelegraph, DailyCoin and CryptoSlate.