Bitcoin hits record high before Coinbase listing – Reuters

Bitcoin hits record high before Coinbase listing – Reuters

Bitcoin hit a record of $62,741 on Tuesday, extending its 2021 rally to new heights a day before Coinbase's share listing in the United States.The largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange's listing on the Nasdaq on Wednesday is considered a landmark victory for cryptocurrency advocates.The world's biggest cryptocurrency, which has growing mainstream acceptance as an investment and a means of payment, rose as much as 5% on Tuesday. Smaller rival Ethereum also reached a record high of $2,205.Major firms including BNY Mellon (BK.N), Mastercard Inc (MA.N) and Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) are among those to have embraced or invested in cryptocurrencies.Bitcoin topped $60,000 early last month, fuelled by Tesla's move to buy $1.5 billion of the digital currency for its balance sheet. For the past two weeks, it had traded in a tight range."When bitcoin markets create new highs the price often range-trades and we witness a round of profit-taking," said James Butterfill of digital asset manager CoinShares."During this most recent period have witnessed a similar profit-taking round, which now looks to have run its course."The multi-fold rise in cryptocurrencies is also driven by investors seeking high-yielding assets amid low interest rates.Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.