Bitcoin plunges more than 12% to below $15,000 after hitting record $19,000

Bitcoin tumbled more than 12 per cent in volatile Asian trading on Friday, dropping below the $15,000 level after touching a record high above $19,000 earlier in the session.

Bitcoin was down 12.6 per cent on the Bitstamp exchange at $14,500.76 as of 0530 GMT, after rising to a record $19,000.

It was still up more than 30 per cent for the week, as investors debated about whether the cryptocurrency was in a bubble that was about to burst.