Mind your bitcoin or criminals will do it for you

Singapore

CRIMINALS may already have made off with up to US$500 million worth of bitcoins since the virtual currency launched in 2009 - and you can double that if it turns out they emptied Mt Gox.

Internet criminals, security specialists say, are attracted to bitcoin because of its stratospheric rise in value, because it's easier to steal than real money, and because it's easier to trade with other criminal elements. But, they add, bitcoin will survive the damage.