Bitcoin has soared strongly, especially in RMB

Most bitcoin prices fluctuated at high levels in the Asian session on Monday (October 12), maintaining their strong performance after soaring sharply overnight. Bitcoin prices denominated in RMB were even stronger.

     The quotes released by BITSTAMP show that after Bitcoin/ US Dollar (XBT/USD) continued to fluctuate at a low level around 245 yesterday, it quickly soared to above 248 overnight, and traded at a high of around 247.50 in the Asian session of this trading day.

(Bitcoin/US dollar time-sharing chart Source: Bloomberg, FX168 Financial Network)

     The quotes released by KRAKEN showed that Bitcoin/ Euro (XBT/EUR) fluctuated at a low of 215 yesterday, quickly rose to a high of 218 overnight, and traded at a high of around 217 in the Asian session this trading day.

(Bitcoin/Euro time-sharing chart Source: Bloomberg, FX168 Financial Network)

     The quotes released by Huobi.com show that Bitcoin/ CNY fluctuated at a low level around 1575 yesterday, and quickly soared to above 1576 overnight. It further strengthened in the Asian session of this trading day, trading at a high level around 1592.

(Bitcoin/RMB 30-minute chart Source: Huobi.com)

     On the industry side, Artyom Sychev, deputy director of the General Directorate for Security and Information Protection of the Russian Central Bank, said that five Russian banks were attacked by DDoS and were asked to pay a Bitcoin "ransom."

     Sychev said that information obtained from monitoring channels indicated that several major financial institutions were attacked. Several banks received a threatening blackmail letter after the attack.

     The threatening letter demands that the attacked banks send 50 BTC to their Bitcoin wallets to prevent such behavior in the future.

     However, Sychev believes that the criminals’ plan was to destabilize the bank and panic its customers, rather than extort Bitcoin ransom, as the amount of 50 BTC is too low.

     At 12:33 Beijing time on October 12, Bitcoin/USD was 247.99, Bitcoin/Euro was 216.93, and Bitcoin/RMB was 1591.61.