Digital coin ether hits record high as 2021 gains near 500 percent

LONDON: Cryptocurrency ether hit a record high on Wednesday, taking gains this year to almost 500 percent on the back of a growing interest in decentralized finance applications and increasing institutional interest in cryptocurrencies.
Ether, the second-biggest cryptocurrency by market capitalization after bitcoin, climbed to $4,372.35, eclipsing its previous record hit on Monday, and was last up 2 percent. Bitcoin was down a touch at $56,240.