Bitcoin latest: Ripple’s XRP is best-performing cryptocurrency with 38-fold increase in 2017 (Independent)

Ben Chapman @b_c_chapman

The digital currency has seen astonishing gains, from $0.0065 per token in January 2017, to $2.47 by the end of the year.

Ripple's rise has potentially catapulted its creator, Chris Larsen, high up the world’s rich list.

Bitcoin has been at the centre of the cryptocurrency craze as its value has risen more than 12-fold this year but it has been significantly outperformed by a smaller rival which has seen its value rise by that amount in less than three weeks.

XRP, a cryptocurrency created by the fintech company Ripple is easily the best performing cryptocurrency of 2017, registering astonishing 37,000 per cent gains $0.0065 per token in January 2017, to $2.47 by the end of the year.

The rise has potentially catapulted its creator, Chris Larsen, high up the world’s rich list. Mr Larsen owns 5.19bn XRP coins, according to a report by Forbes, which would mean his holding is worth $12.82bn (£9.4bn).
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