Bitcoin Popular

An estimated 1.8 million Bitcoin， a digital currency， were traded through BTC China in November， the platform with the highest trading volume in the world， according to statistics gathered by bitcoincharts.com， which provides financial and technical data related to the Bitcoin network.

Some economists said Bitcoin has heated up at a time when Chinese people are searching for new investment channels.

Bitcoin first came into the Chinese public eye in April this year， when movie star Jet Lis One Foundation received a donation of several hundred Bitcoin to help quake-stricken Sichuan Province. Chinese financial institutions are banned from trading in Bitcoin.

The price of one Bitcoin stood at about$1，117 on December 4 on Mt. Gox， the worlds best-known Bitcoin trading platform. At the same time， the price of gold per ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange was around $1，214.

Yuan Services in HK

On December 4， Unionpay International declared that it will launch direct yuan clearing services outside Chinas mainland， with Hong Kong to be the first place to receive the services.

Sogo， Chow Tai Fook， and Oriental Watch are among the first batch of Hong Kong merchants that will enjoy direct yuan clearing services.

UnionPay International CEO Cai Jianbo said that launching the services will reduce exchange losses for merchants， and make them more willing to accept Unionpay cards.

In the long run， the services will help expand the yuan capital pool in Hong Kong， and promote the development of offshore yuan business， Cai said.