Bitcoin loses about 60% of its value so far this year

At a price close to US $ 20,000 on December 16, the cryptocurrency went to less than US $ 6,000.

The value of bitcoin fell to its lowest level since November on Friday, as the decline in investor interest and recent negative statements from global regulators weakened the demand for cryptocurrencies .

The bitcoin thus completed four days in series to the downside and some analysts already foresee a greater setback of this market. Virtual currencies, including the biggest and best-known, bitcoin, are steeped in a bearish trend for most of 2018, after last year's frantic interest began to wane.

Recent hacking and 'cyberintrusion' in cryptocurrency operators in key Asian markets also encouraged investors to leave the sector.

El bitcoin se desplomó hasta un mínimo de 5.774 dólares en la plataforma Bitstamp, su cota más baja desde el 12 de noviembre. En su última cotización (este lunes) avanzaba a 6.349 dólares. Pero desde el 16 de diciembe, cuando alcanzó su pico más alto en 19.187,78 dólares, hasta este lunes el bitcoin había perdido cerca de 70 por ciento tras trepar más de un 1.300 por ciento el año previo. En lo corrido del año la baja es de 60 por ciento.

Otras criptomonedas se depreciaron también el viernes. El ether de Ethereum, la segunda criptodivisa más importante por valor, cedía 4 por ciento, a 416 dólares, su nivel más débil desde abril. El XRP de Ripple también perdía 4 por ciento, a 0,44 dólares, su mínimo del año según Coinmarketcap.com.

Another group of about 800 cryptocurrencies have seen their prices fall to zero, forcing many to disappear from the market, according to Dead Coin.

"The frenzy that surrounded the 'crypto' has faded and prices have fallen," said Will Hobbs, director of Barclays Smart Investor. "Today, no cryptocurrency meets the criteria that invertible assets should have and we will continue to recommend extreme caution. The collapse of cryptocurrencies is not over yet. "

The Bank of England warned banks and insurers on Thursday of the previous week to be careful with cryptoactives, because they can be highly volatile and vulnerable to fraud.