Cryptocurrencies have become “emblematic” of the “flight from speculative assets”, as monetary policy has tightened around the world to fight inflation, said Bloomberg. This week delivered another “white-knuckle ride”. The latest trigger for big falls was “crypto lender” Celsius, which sparked panic on Monday when it froze withdrawals, citing “extreme market conditions”. In the ensuing turmoil, the values of all major coins were hit. Bitcoin dropped by 15% to $23,629; ether fell 17%; the ferocious sell-off prompted the world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance, to temporarily suspend bitcoin withdrawals. The value of the total crypto market is now below $1trn, according to CoinMarketCap – from almost $3trn in November.
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