Mohamed A. El-Erian , Columnist

What Last Week Tells Us About Bitcoin

It will take time to understand the currency's full array of costs and benefits.

September 18, 2017 at 6:00 AM UTC

Mohamed A. El-Erian is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A former chief executive officer of Pimco, he is president of Queens’ College, Cambridge; chief economic adviser at Allianz SE; and chair of Gramercy Fund Management. He is author of “The Only Game in Town.”

Volatility jitters.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

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Last week was relatively eventful for bitcoin, the cryptocurrency that has been attracting growing attention from investors, speculators and regulators. Considerable price volatility was accentuated by reactions to commentary (some constructive and some less so) about a "disruptive technology" that responds to specific client needs, is here to stay, and will likely gain greater systemic influence, but is still early in its maturation process and subject to localized shocks and sudden government interference.

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