Bitcoin soars to $30,000

Digital currency Bitcoin extended its record-smashing rally on Saturday, beginning the year with a surge over $30,000 for the first time, with ever more traders and investors betting that it is on its way to becoming a mainstream payment method.

The price of the world’s most popular cryptocurrency traded as high as $33,099 on Saturday, with almost all other markets closed over the first weekend in 2021. It was last up about 12 per cent at $32,883.

Bitcoin advanced more than 300 per cent in 2020, and with the latest leg higher has added more than 50 per cent since crossing $20,000 just two weeks ago.