Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies dropped precipitously Monday, as $12 billion lender Celsius Network froze all withdrawals, swaps, and transfers due to market conditions. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency dropped below $25,000, as crypto-holders worried about rising US interest rates.
Bitcoin was trading at $24,818 by late Monday in Hong Kong, having dropped 15% since Friday. Ethereum had dropped to $1,285, off about 25% since Friday.
Jeff Mei, chief marketing officer at blockchain-technology solutions provider ChainUp said, “Risky and highly liquid cryptocurrencies are usually the first to be sold in a market selloff.”
Bitcoin is now down more than 60% since its all-time high in November when it hit $67,802. The total market capitalization of Crypto, which had stood at $2.968 trillion, has dropped to $995.61 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.