Ether bursts past $4,000, other cryptocurrencies firm

Cryptocurrency ether broke past $4,000 on Monday, climbing to a new peak for a third session in a row on bets it may find new uses, lifting other digital currencies in its wake.

Bitcoin hit a three-week high and one-time parody currency dogecoin steadied, arresting a sharp drop after comments from Tesla chief Elon Musk sent it tumbling on Sunday.

Ether, traded using the ethereum blockchain, was last up around 6% for the day on the Binance exchange where it hit $4,119 around midday in Asia. Bitcoin rose to $59,603 and dogecoin steadied around $0.54.

Bitcoin has doubled, ether has soared more than fivefold this year and dogecoin more than a hundredfold as a euphoric mood has spilled over from bitcoin into other crypto assets.