New Delhi, Jun 18, 2022, IANS

New Delhi, June 18 (IANS): As foreign portfolio investors continue to pull out money from the Indian equity market, the sell-off in the crypto market and the digital asset space has also accelerated in the wake of global economic meltdown.

More than $200 billion were wiped off the entire cryptocurrency market this week and the globally crypto market capitalisation fell below $1 trillion for the first time since February 2021, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

The already sinking cryptocurrency market in India is also witnessing a huge sell-off as the prices of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies nosedive amid volatile market conditions triggered by factors like high inflation, rising interest rates, the Russia-Ukraine war, and China lockdowns.

According to experts, crypto investors and traders in India are currently exercising caution and a distinct dip in crypto buying has been noticed.

Nischal Shetty, co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange WazirX, said: "Indian investors are cautious and are taking the 'wait and watch' approach."

Bitcoin (BTC), the world's largest cryptocurrency, has plunged about 70 per cent since its record high of $69,000 in November last year.

It was hovering around Rs 20,000-Rs 21,000 per coin this week.

According to analysts, Bitcoin may hit a grim $14,000 this year at this rate.

Smaller cryptocurrencies, which tend to move in tandem with Bitcoin, also fell.

Ethererum, the second-largest digital token, fell as much as 12 per cent to $1,045, a new 15-month low.

The current decline means that Ethererum has shed 77 per cent of its value since November 2021.

According to Cointelegraph, Ethereum sell-off resumed this week, with its price risking another 25 per cent decline in June.

However, in such a gloomy scenario, India's own Gari digital token by short-video making app Chingari has risen about 40 per cent.