*Bitcoin Plunges⬇ 25% in 24 Hours in a Cryptocurrency Market Rout😱*

Cryptocurrency bitcoin tumbled below $14,000 briefly on the Bitstamp exchange on Friday, down roughly 30 per cent from its record top near $20,000 set at the start of the week.

It was last down 7 per cent at $14,499 but fell as much as 14.7 per cent earlier in the Asian day.

The cryptocurrency, which was at about $1,000 at the year's start, had surged to a record high of $19,666 on Sunday in the lead up to exchange giant CME Group's launch of its bitcoin futures. The notoriously volatile digital currency started December at about $10,000 and traded close to $20,000 this past weekend, but has been in retreat since.