-May 16th, 2014, 2:52pm





Bitcoin-related conversations have picked up lately in Southeast Asia.





After noticing a possible trend on the bitcointalk Bitcoin forums, HashReport undertook a quick analysis of thread postings in various language and/or country-specific threads.





The quick analysis showed that by the 16th of May, Bitcoin threads regarding Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines had generally matched or exceeded the peak number of posts compared to the previous two months.







In fact, nearly all of the threads mentioned are on-track for a 100% increase in traffic this month as compared to the average monthly traffic of the previous three. The Vietnam thread is the only one tracking lower, with a 77% percent increase over the three-month average.





HashReport did analyze the Thailand and Singapore threads as well, but results were inconclusive due to extremely low post counts. However it should be noted that the Bitcoin Singapore Facebook page seems to have seen considerable increase in ‘likes’ on posts in the last month.





For some, the increase in traffic may be unsurprising; Bitcoin exchanges and brokerage firms have been popping up across the region in the last few months, leading to more and more individuals becoming interested in the technology.





For others, it may be a wake-up call. Bitcoin conversations of late have been dominated by US regulation, Chinese crackdowns, and European Bitcoin Conventions, while smaller countries that could see more immediate benefits from Bitcoin technologies often go unnoticed.





Altogether, while certainly not conclusive, the increase in traffic and activity suggests that Bitcoin awareness in Southeast Asia could be quickly rising. Considering that over 50% of the populace in the region are ‘unbanked,’ the increase in awareness and interest in Southeast Asia may provide investors and entrepreneurs more opportunity and impetus to expand Bitcoin services to the region.