The hottest crypto currency rose by 36,000 percent last year. And bitcoin is now emerging as a means of payment for housing in Florida, for example.
Despite warnings for a bubble, the digital money continues its spectacular raid.
New so-called virtual currencies are launched weekly. No one else can match the most famous bitcoin, in dissemination - but in value escalation.
Although bitcoin rushed from about 1,000 US dollars to around $ 14,000, ie, 1,300 percent, last year, it's not even the top ten among crypto-ups in 2017, the AFP news agency says.
One on the list is ripple, whose exchange rate rose unprofitable 36,000 percent in 2017.
In addition to such numbers raising astonishment and interest worldwide, they make the currencies increasingly important economic factors. The total value of all ripples has occasionally been at the same level as, for example, the global cosmetics giant L'Oréal's market capitalization.
This means about EUR 100 billion (SEK 1,000 billion). Bitcoin is by far the largest, currently three times as high in total market value. Between the two are the ethereum, which at the end of last week rose while the other two cheered, according to the site Coin market cap.
The reason for the growing number, and its varying popularity, is that the new currencies are designed differently. For example, some are built for as fast transactions as possible over the network, others have anonymity as the top priority.
"It's impossible for a crypto currency to be best at all," said Alexandre Stachtchenko, at the analytical firm Blockchain Partners in France, to AFP.
Especially in California and Florida, where many made themselves fortunes in price increases, bitcoin now comes as little as payment in the real estate market. At year-end, the realtor company Redfin found 75 properties or apartments for sale with the term "bitcoin accepted" in the advertisements.
"Drivers seem to come from international investors, thus circumventing ineffective banks and currency restrictions at home, and by cryptic investors in the United States," said economist Charles Evans at Barry University, Florida.
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