Bitcoin’s Descent to Zero: U.S. Panic or Global Complacency?

If you’ve ever wondered why Americans can’t keep their hands off a crumbling crypto, here’s your answer: “bitcoin zero” searches hit a record 100 on Google’s relative interest scale in February. Because nothing says “confidence” like Googling how to cry in a cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, BTC slumped toward $60,000 after a 50%+ freefall from its October peak-because who needs consistency when you can have chaos?

The rest of the world, bless their collective hearts, peaked on this existential dread back in August. So while Americans are currently Googling like it’s the apocalypse, the rest of the planet is probably just Googling how to pronounce “apocalypse.” Fear, it seems, is an American art form.

This isn’t the first time U.S. panic has coincided with crypto bottoms in 2021 and 2022. But here’s the catch: Google Trends doesn’t count actual people. It measures “relative interest” on a 0-100 scale, which is just a fancy way of saying “how badly you want to panic compared to your neighbor.” So a 100 in February 2026 won’t mean more people are doomscrolling-it’ll just mean you’re all doomscrolling harder.

The U.S. is clearly the emotional center of the crypto universe, thanks to tariffs, Iran tensions, and the thrilling spectacle of Americans selling their souls for meme stocks. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is probably Googling how to survive winter without crying. Retail investors here are just… ahem… more invested in their own melodrama.

So what’s the takeaway? Retail fear is sky-high in the U.S., but the global crowd is taking a more “meh” approach. Does that mean the U.S. is at a bottom? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just Americans being Americans-overreacting to everything from inflation to the weather. Either way, don’t trust Google Trends to tell you when to buy the dip. That’s what therapists are for.