Singapore — Bitcoin plunged as much as 15% to below $14,500 on profit-taking Friday, capping a roller-coaster week that saw the currency hit a series of record highs and underlining concerns about its volatility. The virtual currency, which has no central bank backing and no legal exchange rate, briefly hit a new record of $17,000 before plunging to $14,480 in Asian afternoon trading, according to Bloomberg News. It clawed back some ground and stood at $16,100 at 8.30am GMT. Created in 2009 as a bit of encrypted software, the digital money is increasingly accepted by major companies such as booking website Expedia. It has soared more than 50% in just a week and is up from a 2017 low of $752 in mid-January. Analysts have put the surge down to growing acceptance among traditional investors and a decision by US regulators to allow bitcoin futures to trade on major exchanges. But some, including the US Federal Reserve, have warned against dabbling in bitcoin as it could threaten financi...
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