Bitcoin Price

The figure above is fetched from the market data provider configured for this site, cached briefly on the server, and refreshed while this page is open. When the provider cannot be reached, the last known value is shown and labelled as cached rather than silently left to go stale.

What the price actually represents

A Bitcoin price is an aggregate. There is no single exchange that sets it: each venue has its own order book, and data providers blend them into one reference figure. Two sites quoting slightly different numbers at the same moment are usually both correct — they are simply weighting venues differently.

It is also worth knowing what a quote is denominated in. Some exchanges price Bitcoin against a dollar-pegged stablecoin rather than dollars themselves, which is close to the dollar price but not identical to it.

Reading the 24-hour figures

• High and low are rolling: they cover the last 24 hours, not the calendar day.
• Volume tells you how much conviction sits behind a move. A large move on thin volume deserves more scepticism than a small move on heavy volume.
• Percentage change is measured against the price 24 hours ago, so it shifts as that reference point rolls forward.

Where to go next

For the shape of the move rather than a single number, open the chart page. For the reporting behind it, the Markets section carries the day's coverage.