A sticker that reads ''Bitcoin accepted here'' is displayed at the entrance of the Stadthaus town hall in Zug, Switzerland, August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
Web-based digital currency bitcoin hit its highest
levels in almost three years on Friday, extending gains since India sparked a
cash shortage by removing high-denomination bank notes from circulation a month
ago.
Bitcoin was trading as high as $774 on the New
York-based itBit exchange, up almost 1 percent on the day and the highest since
February 2014, having climbed almost 9 percent in the past month.
Bitcoin is a cash alternative that can be used for
moving money across the globe quickly and anonymously with no need for a
central authority to process transactions. It has climbed around 80 percent so
far this year, far exceeding its 35 percent rise in 2015.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi announced a shock
move on Nov. 8 to ditch 500 and 1,000 rupee notes - worth a combined $256
billion - that he said were fuelling corruption, being forged and even paying
for attacks by militants who target India.
The cryptocurrency's value has been highly volatile -
after rocketing above $1,100 in 2013, it had fallen to around $150 by early
2015. But it has since stabilized, staying above $500 for the past six months.
(Reporting by Jemima Kelly; Editing by Jamie McGeever)
No comments:
Post a Comment