Bitcoin hits new record high as rally marches on

Bitcoin continued its blistering rally on Thursday, hitting a brand new record high above $111,000 ($172,304).

Bitcoin hit $US111,886.41 in early trading hours in London, according to Coin Metrics, before paring some of those gains to trade at around $US111,012.

Bitcoin’s move has been “driven by a mix of positive momentum, growing optimism around US crypto regulation, and continued interest from institutional buyers,” James Butterfill, head of research for crypto-focused asset manager CoinShares, told CNBC.

The price rise in world’s largest cryptocurrency is taking place despite a drop in US stock markets on Wednesday.

Bitcoin has typically correlated with equity markets, particularly the tech-heavy Nasdaq.

The diverging movements of Bitcoin and stocks could be the result of investors looking for alternative stores of value.

“The rally was also helped along by broader macro concerns, including Moody’s recent downgrade of US sovereign debt, which added to the narrative of Bitcoin as a hedge against fiat instability,” Butterfill noted.

Ratings agency Moody’s cut the United States’ sovereign credit rating last week.

There have been some positive developments for the crypto space on the regulatory front in the US too. The GENIUS Act — a bill to regulate stablecoins — cleared a key procedural vote in the Senate.

US President Donald Trump and his AI and crypto czar David Sacks have pushed forward a pro-crypto agenda in the US, which has helped support the market.

Adding to upbeat news for crypto, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, a notable bitcoin skeptic, said that the bank will allow clients to buy the digital currency.