Bitcoin prices sees wild swing: 5 things to know

Volatility in Bitcoin prices continues, with the sharp fall the cryptocurrency's value continuing this week. Bitcoin price fell to below $14,000 on Bitstamp on Friday, according to data from the Luxembourg-based cryptocurrency exchange. At day’s low, Bitcoin prices fell nearly 15 per cent to $13,300. The digital currency had hit a record high of $19,666 on Sunday, when the exchange giant CME Group launched bitcoin futures. Bitcoin had shed more than 10 per cent on Wednesday the at Luxembourg-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp. Despite the sharp fall this week, Bitcoin's price has jumped nearly 14 times this year, leading to some regulators caution the public dealing with the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin hit $13,300 at day's low. At 9:38 am, Bitcoin was trading at $14,650 on Bitstamp.

Here are five things to know about Bitcoin vs dollar:

1. The bitcoin's rapid gains this year - its price has soared about 19 times when it hit a record high above $19,000 - have spurred caution and alarm among some policymakers.

2. Indian markets regulator Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) will come down heavily on illicit 'initial coin offers' seeking public investments with promise of high returns from bitcoins and other virtual currencies, amid a mushrooming of such schemes in the absence of any regulatory regime, according to news agency Press Trust of India. Bitcoin or any such cryptocurrency, is not an approved product by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) or any other agency.

3. The Income Tax Department is set to issue notices to 4 lakh to 5 lakh high net worth individuals across the country who trade on the exchanges of bitcoins, Press Trust of India had reported earlier. The department, the news agency said citing official sources, found that out of the estimated 20 lakh entities registered on these exchanges, about 4 to 5 lakh were "operational" and indulging in transactions and investments.

4. Bitcoin's journey this year has been anything but volatile this year. In November, it tumbled almost 30 per cent in four days from $7,888 to $5,555. In September, it fell 40 per cent from $4,979 to $2,972.

5. Singapore's central bank this week issued a warning against investment in cryptocurrencies, saying it considers the recent surge in their prices to be driven by speculation and that the risk of a sharp fall in prices is high. South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service said on Tuesday it does not consider bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to be currencies of any kind. Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Tuesday that bitcoin had not been proven as a credible currency.