BackBitcoin climbs to one-year high on Facebook crypto pact report
Crypto-linked stocks are also rising in AsiaThe cryptocurrency rose as much as 9.4% from late Friday
PremiumSydney: Bitcoin climbed past $9,000, to its highest since May 2018, as reports that Facebook Inc. is due to unveil a digital currency added to optimism that cryptocurrencies are becoming more widely adopted by mainstream finance.
The largest digital currency rose as much as 9.4% from late Friday and traded at $9,191.38 at 1:45 p.m. Hong Kong time. Rival coins also climbed: Litecoin was up 4.4% and Ethereum rose 4%.
Crypto-linked stocks are also rising in Asia, with Remixpoint Inc. jumping as much as 9.9%. Monex Group Inc. and Ceres Inc. advanced at least 2% in Tokyo while Vidente Co. climbed as much as 8.4% in Seoul.
“The simple fact is, in a time when people are looking for some sort of safe haven or some hedge, money has found its way to" Bitcoin, said Brett McGonegal, CEO with Capital Link International, in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “The inflection point in any major play to a nascent asset class is the attachment point to institutional money. If institutional money starts to touch bitcoin that’s when you go much higher."
Bitcoin is up more than 130% in 2019 and the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index has almost doubled in value amid a slew of companies looking to deepen their offering of cryptocurrency services. Some investors have said the latest reports detailing Facebook’s plans to launch a digital currency as soon as Monday are pushing people to toward Bitcoin.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
