Bitcoin leaves sceptics behind while blasting to record US$10,000

Madrid

BITCOIN surpassed US$10,000 for the first time, bringing this year's price surge to more than tenfold even as warnings multiply that the largest digital currency is an asset bubble.

The euphoria is bringing to the mainstream what was once considered the providence of computer developers, futurists and libertarians seeking to create an alternative to central bank-controlled monetary systems. While the actual volume of transactions conducted in cryptocurrencies is relatively small, the optimism surrounding the technology continues to drive it to new highs.