Bitcoin extends gain after retaking closely watched $30,000 mark

Bitcoin regained some of its footing, climbing back above the $30,000 level that some cryptocurrency traders view as a key support level.

The largest digital currency rose as much as 3.4 per cent and was holding at about $30,800 as of 7:30 a.m. in London on Wednesday. Other cryptos advanced too, including Ether and Dogecoin, while the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index was also in the green.

“The fear in the market was that if Bitcoin breaks below the $30,000 mark, the price will move lower violently,” said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst with Ava Trade Ltd. “In reality, that is not what we have seen. The Bitcoin price has been stable, and we have not seen any panic selling.”

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have tumbled since mid-May, wiping some $1.3 trillion off their market value. Bitcoin has faced a range of obstacles, including stepped up regulatory scrutiny in China, Europe and the US and concerns about the energy needed by the computers underpinning it. Investors have also generally become more cautious about speculative assets.

Bitcoin may still test the $25,000 support level in the coming weeks, Ava Trade’s Aslam said.

Bitcoin’s advance this year has shrunk to about 6 per cent following a slide from an April record of almost $65,000. That compares with a 15 per cent jump in the S&P 500 index in 2021.

Proponents argue the virtual currency offers an inflation hedge and will win wider institutional acceptance. Such narratives were always controversial and are now under even more question, though Bitcoin’s most ardent fans continue to predict big long-term returns.

“Regulatory and environmental concerns will likely keep Bitcoin heavy but improvements on both fronts should happen before the end of the year,” Edward Moya, senior market analyst for the Americas at Oanda, wrote in a note. He added institutional investors “are ready to place big long-term bets” if a plunge toward $20,000 is avoided.