BITCOIN NEARS $50,000, WIDER ADOPTION FUELS RECORD RALLY

Sun 14 February 2021:

Bitcoin hit a new record high and approached $50,000 on Sunday, building on its record rally as Wall Street and Main Street increasingly adopt the world’s biggest cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin recently stood at $48,800 on Sunday morning, up 3.2%. It had traded as high as $49,714 earlier in the day. The cryptocurrency is up around 70% year to date.

After long being shunned by traditional financial firms, bitcoin and other virtual currencies appear to be increasingly entering the mainstream as an asset and routine payment vehicle.

On Friday, Canada’s Ontario Securities Commission approved the launch of Purpose Bitcoin ETF, Toronto-based asset management company Purpose Investments Inc said in a statement.

Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami also said on Friday the Florida city is seeking to embrace bitcoin in its operations, a move that could bring dividends in terms of attracting technology companies.

Credit card giant Mastercard’s plans to offer support for some cryptocurrencies also boosted bitcoin’s ambitions towards mainstream finance, though many banks remain reluctant to engage with it.