Illustration of a bitcoin.

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CHAMUSSY / SIPA

It's a record !

Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency, saw its price exceed $ 30,000 on Saturday for the first time in its history.

Bitcoin was worth, around 2 p.m., $ 31,502.77, according to data compiled by the Bloomberg agency.

It crossed the $ 20,000 threshold for the first time on December 16, and hit new records in recent days by approaching the $ 30,000 mark.

"The appetite for risk" which is reflected in the purchases of this cryptocurrency "remains indomitable", estimated in a note the independent analyst based in Germany Timo Emden, director of Emden Research.

For him, "in view of the dynamics of the course, more historic highs could follow".

Investment funds are more and more interested

The recent surge began at the end of October with the launch of a cryptocurrency buying, selling and payment service by the online payments giant Paypal.

In addition to this service intended for individuals, investment funds are increasingly interested in this asset in sudden price movements, although they have long been wary of it.

“Many private investors do not yet dare to approach and remain on the sidelines,” recalls Timo Enden.

However, analysts from the US bank JPMorgan recently estimated that "the use of bitcoin by traditional investors is only just beginning": they compare digital and decentralized currency to gold.

Other reputable Wall Street bank analysts like Citi have started to follow the cryptocurrency's price.

Dizzying variations since its beginnings

For many followers of bitcoin, the latter draws its appeal from its decentralization: created by a network itself invented by anonymous people in 2008, it therefore does not depend on any institution.

Not being backed by any asset or the economy of any country, the price of bitcoin has however observed dizzying variations.

So in 2017, it started the year at less than $ 1,000, then saw its price soar over the months before a real surge between mid-November and mid-December, when prices had quadrupled in less than a year. month.

After peaking near $ 20,000 on December 18, 2017, prices then melted throughout 2018, ending that year at just over $ 3,000.

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