Cryptocurrency bitcoin tumbled below $14,000 briefly on the Bitstamp exchange BTC=BTSP on Friday, down roughly 30 per cent from its record top near $20,000 set at the start of the week. It was last down 7 percent at $14,499 BTC=BTSP but fell as much as 14.7 per cent earlier in the Asian day.
The cryptocurrency, which was at about $1,000 at the year’s start, had surged to a record high of $19,666 on Sunday in the lead up to exchange giant CME Group’s (CME.O) launch of its bitcoin futures. It has since lost about a third of its value.
