Bitcoin set record $12,448 today

Bitcoin set a record US$12,448 today for the first time. The futuristic currency extended the rally on Wednesday to break above US$12,000 as record highs of history on Friday by U.S. regulator allowing CME Group Inc. and CBOE Global Markets to include crypto currency futures contracts.

The US regulator's move opens the door for additional regulation that bitcoin futures products and other derivatives will make it easier to trade new asset classes. The bitcoin trading market has risen more than 10-fold from US$1,000 at the beginning of the year and has attracted worldwide attention.

Bitcoin last rose 4.50 percent at US$12,448 on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange. Currency now has a total market value of about US$203 billion or more than twice the Goldman Sachs market. All explosive growth of virtual assets has become the background of the future monetary era.

The largest exchange companies such as CME and CBOE have legitimized their currency investment credentials by saying they are planning to introduce futures contracts to each exchange.