Bitcoin Crosses $60,000 for First Time

Bitcoin has been on a meteoric rise since March last year.

Advertisement
By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 13 March 2021 19:02 IST
Highlights
  • Elon Musk's electric carmaker Tesla invested $1.5 billion in Bitcoin
  • Bitcoin was launched back in 2009
  • Bitcoins are traded via a decentralised system known as a blockchain

Bitcoin briefly rose above $60,000 (roughly Rs. 43.7 lakhs) for the first time on Saturday, as increasing backing from corporate heavyweights helps the world's most popular virtual currency continue its record-breaking run.

The cryptocurrency hit an all-time high of $60,012 at 1149 GMT, according to the website CoinMarketCap.

Advertisement

Bitcoin has been on a meteoric rise since March last year, when it stood at $5,000, spurred by online payments giant PayPal saying it would allow account holders to use cryptocurrency.

Last month Elon Musk's electric carmaker Tesla invested $1.5 billion in the virtual unit, while Twitter chief Jack Dorsey and rap mogul Jay-Z said they are creating a fund aimed at making Bitcoin "the internet's currency".

Others jumping on the bandwagon include Wall Street player BNY Mellon, investment fund giant BlackRock and credit card titan Mastercard.

Bitcoin, which was launched back in 2009, hit the headlines in 2017 after soaring from less than $1,000 in January to almost $20,000 in December of the same year.

Advertisement

The virtual bubble then burst in subsequent days, with bitcoin's value then fluctuating wildly before sinking below $5,000 by October 2018.

However the last year's rise has been more steady, with investors and Wall Street finance giants wooed by dizzying growth, the opportunity for profit and asset diversification, and a safe store of value to guard against inflation.

Advertisement

Bitcoins are traded via a decentralised registry system known as a blockchain.

The system requires massive computer processing power in order to manage and implement transactions.

Advertisement

That power is provided by "miners", who do so in the hope they will receive new bitcoins for validating transaction data.

 

Also seeCryptocurrency Prices across Indian exchanges

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Bitcoin, Cryptocurrecny
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. How Large Is iPhone Duo's Battery? Apple Has Finally Revealed the Answer
  2. OnePlus 16 Software Testing Reportedly Begins; Could Launch In India Soon
  3. iQOO Neo 12 Launch Date, Colour Options Revealed
  4. Airtel Launches Three Voice-and-SMS-Only Prepaid Recharge Plans
  5. Redmi K100 Will Launch on This Date: See Design, New Colourway
  1. Cysic Shuts Down Bridge After Attacker Illegally Creates 10 Million CYS Tokens
  2. JPM Coin Arrives on Ethereum as JPMorgan Expands Institutional Payments
  3. Vivo V80 FE Reportedly Spotted on BIS Certification Website, India Launch Seems Imminent
  4. Airtel’s New Recharges in India Announced: Rs. 185, Rs. 203 and Rs. 206 Voice-Only Plans Details
  5. Vivo X500 Ultra Leak Reveals Launch Timeline, Chipset, Display and Key Specifications
  6. iQOO Neo 12 Launch Date Announced; Design, Colour Options Teased
  7. Qubic Halts Chain as Attacker Exploits Weak Seeds to Drain 1,400 Wallets
  8. iPhone Duo Battery Capacity Revealed Days Before Foldable Goes on Sale
  9. Poco X8s Gets Listed on Another Certification Website, Hinting at Imminent Launch
  10. Redmi Pad 3 Spotted on Multiple Certification Sites Ahead of Launch; Key Specifications Revealed
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.