Bing offers bitcoin quote

Bing wants to make it easy to find out how much a bitcoin is worth.

The Microsoft-owned search engine on Monday joined up with Coinbase, which lets users buy and sell the virtual currency, to offer an simple exchange rate.

By using Bing’s search bar, people can easily calculate conversions between bitcoins and U.S. dollars.  

{mosads}“As Bitcoin (the peer-to-peer payment system and digital currency) makes headlines and captures the world’s attention, we thought it was only natural to give you an easy way to track real-time fluctuations,” the search engine’s team said in a blog post. “Starting today, you will find instant Bitcoin conversions at the top of your Bing results.”

Bitcoins have emerged as the most popular virtual currency, which exist only online but can be exchanged for cash or used to shop at some stores.

The currency has grown in popularity in recent months, and retailers like Overstock.com have begun to accept it. The rise in popularity has also sparked fears in government that criminals can easily use the money to buy drugs or other illicit goods.

Federal regulators and lawmakers in Congress have begun to probe whether new oversight is needed, but have mostly declined to pursue sweeping new rules or laws.

One bitcoin is currently worth more than $650.