Bitcoin clobbered in market sell-off

Bitcoin is quickly losing the refuge designation that some advocates bestowed on it in recent weeks as the largest cryptocurrency joins the global slide in riskier assets. Smaller rivals tumbled even further. After rallying while U.S. equities plunged earlier in the month, Bitcoin followed stocks lower this week, with the digital asset tumbling about 14% to push its price to around $10,200. [Recommended video: What's the No. 1 challenge advisers face over the next five years?]​ The token, which last traded below $10,000 on Aug. 1, had climbed as high as $13,852 on June 26. Ether slumped as much as 12% Wednesday, while XRP slumped as much as 20% in a sudden early afternoon sell-off.https://cdn-res.keymedia.com/investmentnews/uploads/assets/graphics src="/wp-content/uploads2019/08/CI120456815.JPG"

"Predictably and rationally, Bitcoin gave back much of last week's gains and now sits right back where we started," said Jeff Dorman, chief investment officer of Arca, a Los Angeles-based asset manager that invests in cryptocurrencies and other digital tokens. [More: IRS is tracking down 10,000 cryptocurrency owners who may have failed to pay taxes]​ Advocates had been pointing to the increased negative correlation with U.S. equities as proof that investors were turning to Bitcoin as a haven. That narrative is unraveling this week as the inverse relationship erodes. "It's of course not practical to believe that every participant in global risk markets is using Bitcoin as a hedge or a flight to quality, and they are therefore not selling Bitcoin when markets go back to 'risk on,'" Mr. Dorman said. "But since Bitcoin is such a small asset relative to the rest of the markets, it doesn't take much to push Bitcoin one way or the other." [More: Decision on Bitcoin ETF put off again by SEC]​