The bitcoin rally looks like it’s finally running out of steam. The cryptocurrency blew past $2,500 and nearly touched $2,800 for the first time on Thursday, before giving all the gains back.
It hit a high of $2,799, up $360, before surrendering its gains. The cryptocurrency is now trading down 9.2% at $2,230 a coin. It has gained in 26 of the past 29 sessions, tacking on more than 107% over that time.
Bitcoin had climbed as much as 25% since Tuesday’s close, propelled by news that the Digital Currency Group, representing 56 companies in 21 countries, reached a scaling agreement at the Consensus 2017 conference in New York.
The announcement was the latest bit of good news for the cryptocurrency. In early April, Japan announced bitcoin had become a legal payment method in the country. Additionally, Ulmart, Russia’s largest online retailer, said it would begin accepting bitcoin even though Russia had said it wouldn’t explore the cryptocurrency until 2018.
But the market is still waiting on a ruling by the US Securities and Exchange Commission on whether it will overturn its decision on the Winklevoss twins' bitcoin-exchange-traded fund. The SEC was accepting public comment on that decision until May 15, but it hasn't announced whether it will overturn its rejection of the ETF.
Bitcoin has gained 141% this year.