The price of bitcoin has fallen back below $10,000, down 30% from last week’s peak of nearly $14,000.
Continuing its wild ride, the digital currency dropped to $9,717 on Tuesday, down 8.1% on the day. Last Wednesday, the cryptocurrency shot up to $13,879, breaking through the $12,000 and $13,000 levels in less than two hours.
Bitcoin had languished below $6,000 for months, but was galvanised by Facebook’s plans to create a cryptocurrency called Libra next year.
Bitcoin is a 'cryptocurrency' – a decentralised tradeable digital asset. Invented in 2008, you store your bitcoins in a digital wallet, and transactions are stored in a public ledger known as the bitcoin blockchain, which prevents the digital currency being double-spent.
Cryptocurrencies can be used to send transactions between two parties via the use of private and public keys. These transfers can be done with minimal processing cost, allowing users to avoid the fees charged by traditional financial institutions - as well as the oversight and regulation that entails. The lack of any central authority oversight is one of the attractions.
This means it has attracted a range of backers, from libertarian monetarists who enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank, to drug dealers who like the fact that it is hard (but not impossible) to trace a bitcoin transaction back to a physical person.
The exchange rate has been volatile, with some deeming it a risky investment. In January 2021 the UK's Financial Conduct Authority warned consumers they should be prepared to lose all their money if they invest in schemes promising high returns from digital currencies such as bitcoin.
In practice it has been far more important for the dark economy than it has for most legitimate uses. In November 2021 it hit a record high of more than $68,000, as a growing number of investors backed it as an alternative to other assets during the Covid crisis.
Bitcoin has been criticised for the vast energy reserves and associated carbon footprint of the system. New bitcoins are created by “mining” coins, which is done by using computers to carry out complex calculations. The more bitcoins that have been "mined", the longer it takes to mine new coin, and the more electricity is used in the process.
Other digital currencies have also fallen back. Reports that an investor placed a large short order on Sunday, betting that the bitcoin price would go down in coming days, sparked panic among investors.
Bitcoin has seen wild swings in the past, and some analysts say it could rise back to $20,000 again – or fall as low as $3,000. In late 2017, it rose to close to $20,000, before a spectacular collapse in 2018.
The cryptocurrency’s latest gyrations prompted the US economist Nouriel Roubini, a long-time critic, to say that the bitcoin price would eventually fall to zero. He tweeted: “Its true value is negative, not zero, given its toxic externalities! It will get to zero in due time.”
Indeed Bitcoin is now down below 10k. Has lost a third of its value in less than a week. Still a long way to less than zero as its true value is negative not zero given its toxic externalities! It will get to zero in due time. https://t.co/Ek87DvRq6t
— Nouriel Roubini (@Nouriel) July 2, 2019
Simon Peters, an analyst at global investment platform eToro, said: “We appear to be in a period of indecision, where the market is figuring out where to go next after its heavy surge and sell-off.”
Investors hope Facebook’s entry into digital currencies will bring greater legitimacy to the sector. Regulators around the world have warned that the move could lead to greater controls and tougher regulation to protect consumers.
Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, cautiously welcomed Libra. He said the central bank would support new entrants into the UK financial system, but warned that Facebook would need to meet the highest regulatory standards.
Bloomberg reported last week that Henry Kravis, the co-founder of the US private equity firm KKR, had become the latest financier to bet on cryptocurrencies. He is investing in a cryptocurrency fund provided by ParaFi Capital. Other high-profile investors include British hedge fund manager Alan Howard, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and US hedge fund manager Louis Bacon.
