Some mainstream websites began accepting bitcoins c. 2013. WordPress started in November 2012[49] followed by OKCupid in April 2013,[50] Atomic Mall in November 2013,[51] TigerDirect[52] and Overstock.com in January 2014[53] and Expedia in June 2014.[54] Certain non-profit or advocacy groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation allow bitcoin donations.[55] (Although this organization stopped accepting bitcoins in 2011 and began again in 2013.[56])
The first law enforcement events occurred in May 2013. Assets belonging to the Mt. Gox exchange were seized by Department of Homeland Security,[57] and the Silk Road drug market website was shut down by the FBI.[58]
In October 2013, Chinese internet giant Baidu had allowed clients of website security services to pay with bitcoins.[59] During November 2013, the China-based bitcoin exchange BTC China overtook the Japan-based Mt. Gox and the Europe-based Bitstamp to become the largest bitcoin trading exchange by trade volume.[60] On 19 November 2013, the value of a bitcoin on the Mt. Gox exchange soared to a peak of US$900 after a United States Senate committee hearing was told that virtual currencies were a legitimate financial service.[61] On the same day, one bitcoin traded for over RMB¥6780 (US$1100) in China.[62] On 5 December 2013, the People's Bank of China prohibited Chinese financial institutions from using bitcoins.[63] After the announcement, the value of bitcoins dropped[64] and Baidu no longer accepted bitcoins for certain services.[65] Buying real-world goods with any virtual currency had been illegal in China since at least 2009.[66]