Professional crypto traders suggested that this week’s dramatic price rise was a result of a major short squeeze in a low liquidity environment. A major Bitcoin buy order was split between at least three major exchanges, and the resulting upwards price pressure led to $500 million in desperate short-covering occurring within an hour on BitMEX.

 As usually happens when Bitcoin price news is trending, search volume is exploding. Google Trends reveal that search interest for the keyword “Bitcoin” is at its highest level since last November. Meanwhile, China’s major search engine, Baidu, reported that “Bitcoin” was its fastest-rising search term.

 The US Security and Exchange Commission released regulatory guidance to help clarify which crypto offerings constitute a security, and thus fall under existing securities laws. Although the ICO mania has ended, any project issuing tokens to US citizens should now have much greater regulatory clarity.

Switzerland’s publishing giant, Netzmedien AG announced it will start paying salaries in Bitcoin, after workers voted to receive BTC rather than Swiss Francs. The company publishes 8 technology magazines and a website. Switzerland remains at the forefront of mainstream Bitcoin adoption.

 And finally, the World Economic Forum issued a report that over 40 central banks are exploring blockchain technology, some with a view to creating their own fiatcoins. A former under-secretary -general of the UN, called for a global currency based on the IMF’s SDR instrument.
| 99Bitcoins