Virtual currency

Bitcoin slid another 13 percent to below $6,000 on Tuesday, bringing the world's best-known cryptocurrency's losses to more than half since the start of 2018.

Bitcoin has fallen heavily in recent sessions as worries about a regulatory clampdown on the nascent market and panicked investors push prices lower. The virtual currency hit a peak of almost $20,000 in December.

The digital currency market is extending its losses, with all the major cryptocurrencies on a broad sell-off. Bitcoin is headed for its worst monthly slide since December 2013.

South Korea will ban the use of anonymous bank accounts in cryptocurrency trading from Jan. 30, regulators said on Tuesday in a widely telegraphed move designed to stop virtual coins from being used for money laundering and other crimes, according to Reuters.

The world's most valuable cryptocurrency, bitcoin, has lost over half its value since it smashed the $20,000 barrier in mid-December. The price of the cryptocurrency dropped to $9,555 at 15:00 GMT on Wednesday.

"The cryptocurrency market is experiencing a serious attack from speculators," Gleb Zadoya, head of analytics at Analitika Online said in email comments to RT.

South Korea's government said on Thursday it plans to ban cryptocurrency trading, sending bitcoin prices plummeting and throwing the virtual coin market into turmoil as the nation's police and tax authorities raided local exchanges on alleged tax evasion./Reuters

The family of the first Bitcoin victim in Turkey, who was killed in September, have been unable to locate traces of the virtual currency, which skyrocketed this month.

As the frenzy continues over Bitcoin, Serbia's National Bank, NBS, has warned those trading with it to consider their actions and the level of risk they are willing to accept.

"Virtual currencies and Bitcoin, as one of the best known, are not legally regulated in the Republic of Serbia and cannot be considered a means of payment," NBS told BIRN.

European governments are pushing for bitcoin regulation as alarm grows that the world's most popular digital currency is being used by money-launderers, drug traffickers and terrorists./Fortune.com

North Korea is accused of stealing the virtual currency bitcoin and etherium owned by South Korea, the BBC reported.

The attack was carried out in February, with evidence of hacking attempts in October, but they were thwarted .

Greece's Supreme Court is due to rule whether to allow the extradition of a Russian cybercrime suspect to the United States to stand trial for allegedly laundering billions of dollars using the virtual currency bitcoin.

Alexander Vinnik appeared at the Athens court Wednesday amid an ongoing legal battle between the US and Russia who are both seeking his extradition.