Bitcoin was trading as high as $774 on the New York-based itBit exchange, up almost 1 percent on the day and the highest since February 2014, having climbed almost 9 percent in the past month.It has climbed around 80 percent so far this year, far exceeding its 35 percent rise in 2015.
The cryptocurrency’s value has been highly volatile – after rocketing above $1,100 in 2013, it had fallen to around $150 by early 2015. But it has since stabilized, staying above $500 for the past six months.