Bitcoin climbes more than 6 per cent to briefly break $5,700

Bitcoin jumped to a new six-month high on Friday in a move that traders said was the result of technical forces, with no immediate news catalysts sending the cryptocurrency higher.

Bitcoin climbed more than 6 per cent to briefly break $5,700, its highest since Nov. 14. It was last at $5,680 on the Bitstamp exchange, taking gains this year for the original and biggest virtual currency to nearly 55 per cent. Other major cryptocurrencies such as ethereum and Ripple's XRP, their prices are often seen as correlated to bitcoin, also moved higher.