Bitcoin smashes past $7,000 for the first time

Bitcoin smashes past $7,000 for the first time
Bitcoin soared past the $7,000 mark for the first time Thursday
The virtual currency reached an all-time high of $7,355.35 at about 7:16 a.m. ET
CME Group said it would introduce bitcoin futures contracts Tuesday

Bitcoin soars past $7,000 to a new record high Bitcoin soars past $7,000 to a new record high

Bitcoin hit another all-time high Thursday morning, surpassing $7,000 for the first time.

The cryptocurrency has had a bullish streak throughout the week following the CME's announcement that it will introduce bitcoin futures contracts.

According to data from CoinDesk, the virtual currency reached an all-time high of $7,355.35 at about 7:16 a.m. ET. The jump in price saw the virtual coin rise by more than 7 percent on the day.

A surge in the digital coin's value saw the total market value of all cryptocurrencies top $189 billion for the first time Thursday. The market cap of bitcoin alone is currently more than $121 billion, according to data from industry website Coinmarketcap.

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