The price of Bitcoin has fallen by more than 25% over the past 24 hours, and prices of other cryptocurrencies have also dropped, according to data from trading platforms.

The price of Bitcoin fell below $10,000 today. According to the aggregator Coindesk, the cryptocurrency was below this level for about three minutes — at its minimum, the price was $9,985. Then Bitcoin again exceeded $10,000. At the time of publication, it cost just under $10,411.

However, according to Coinmarketcap, Bitcoin has not yet fallen below $10,000.

Ethereum fell by more than 20%, Ripple by more than 25%. This happened against the backdrop of news that South Korea's financial regulator continues to discuss the possibility of banning cryptocurrency trading. And the People's Bank of China called for even more stringent restrictions on cryptocurrencies and block access to any Internet platforms and mobile applications for the circulation of digital currency for the population.

Bitcoin's price peaked at $19,895.1 in December 2017, according to Coinmarketcap. Coindesk has slightly different figures: the peak was $19,343. Bitcoin's rate first exceeded $10,000 in late November, and continued its rapid growth in December.

Bitcoinstarted the new year with a fall for the first time since 2015. The decline in the price of the most popular cryptocurrency may be influenced by expert forecasts, as well as news about the tightening of cryptocurrency turnover in some Asian countries.

As Bitcoin fell, gold coin sales jumped on Tuesday. CoinInvest, one of the largest online gold sellers in Europe, sold almost 30 kilograms (or $1.2 million) worth of coins in a day, five times more than usual, the company's CEO Daniel Marburger told Bloomberg. "Yesterday was a crazy day," Marburger said from Frankfurt. "The phones were ringing off the hook, the emails were pouring in, with customers asking how they could convert their crypto into gold."

Bitcoin peaked on Dec. 17. It has fallen nearly in half since then. Interestingly, gold has seen a significant increase over almost the same period. Since Dec. 12, when it was around $1,240 an ounce, it has risen almost nonstop to $1,340. Physical gold and bitcoin have similarities, Marburger told Bloomberg: a limited supply, the ability to easily trade it, and the ability to store it in a decentralized manner. “But gold has the advantage of having no passwords to lose, much lower volatility, consistent growth, and, ultimately, you can hold your investment in your hands.”

The mood on cryptocurrency forums in recent days has ranged from despair to defiant resilience, writes the Financial Times. “Being in Bitcoin and crypto is like the Wild Wild West. Survival of the fittest. Don’t think short term, always think long term,” wrote one user on Reddit. “The crypto market will continue to fall into the pit with or without you. Avoid panic selling, stay strong and learn from your experience!”

At the other end of the spectrum are complaints about the falling price: At least two users wrote on a Bitcoin Reddit forum that they had invested a significant portion of their college savings. “I invested my college savings in Bitcoin. Is this a crash or a dip?” one wrote. “I’m scared because I have no money to pay for college since March. It’s all in crypto.”

"I lost my college savings because of this price drop. I won't be able to pay for next semester unless the price goes back up, which I'm sure it will," wrote another.

Market Bubbles: From Tulips to Bitcoin 1 / 23

The first market bubble – in tulips , which had become a luxury item and a status symbol in the Netherlands – inflated between 1634 and 1637. Tailors, craftsmen, merchants and officials were involved in the trade. In the photo: the painting “The Fools’ Wagon”, where tailors who have abandoned their jobs rush to fetch the goddess Flora, decorated with tulips / Hendrik Gerritsz. Pot

Bitcoin Falls Below $10,000