Bitcoin on surge again, crosses $57,000 for first time since 2021

Bitcoin led a major rally for cryptocurrency prices and related stocks on Tuesday as it bolted above $57,000 for the first time since November 2021, reports said.

Bitcoin on Tuesday morning traded above $57,000 after briefly touching $57,430 -- running further up against its late 2021 levels. The world's largest cryptocurrency jumped nearly 11 per cent over the last 24 hours, according to CoinDesk data, the Investor's Business Daily reported.

In addition, mid-February bitcoin's market capitalisation crossed the $1 trillion mark for the first time in more than two years. Bitcoin is now up 34 per cent so far this year, with most of the gains coming after the spot bitcoin ETF launches in early January.

Ethereum surged about 6.8 per cent in the 24 hours to Tuesday morning, trading around $3,280. That's its best level since April 2022. ETH peaked at $3,289 in early Tuesday trade. The No 2 crypto spiked almost 44 per cent in 2024, the report said.

Bitcoin since 2022

The year 2022 was marked by the high-profile implosion of crypto exchange FTX, which triggered liquidity crises at several smaller crypto firms, CNN reported.

Following bitcoin's gains in 2023, investors have returned in droves in recent weeks, pushing the asset's market capitalisation above $1 trillion for the first time since its 2021 heyday, based on data from CoinMarketCap, the report said.

In contrast to traditional currencies, the supply of Bitcoin is limited and is expected to peak in 2140, according to the price-tracking website for cryptocurrencies.

Money flows into Bitcoin have been boosted by the recent launch of exchange-traded funds that invest directly in the cryptocurrency and which have made it easier for retail investors to put money into the asset. The value of bitcoin has risen nearly 13 per cent since January 10, when US regulators gave the green light to investment firms wishing to offer such funds, CNN reported.

Bitcoin remains far from its all-time high of $69,000, reached in November 2021, but industry players expect it to keep climbing this year and that peak may be surpassed, CNN reported.

Part of the bullishness is down to Bitcoin's upcoming "halving" -- a feature of its design that automatically halves the rate of new coins entering circulation, an event taking place roughly every four years.

(With inputs from IANS)