Bitcoin, the red-hot cryptocurrency, had a wild run in 2017. Here's a look back at some of the significant events that drove big price swings in the market known for extreme volatility. To say bitcoin had a wild 2017 would be an understatement. The digital currency, which started the year under $1,000, has skyrocketed by more than 1,300% to more than $14,500 by December 29 — a rise that's grabbed the attention of Wall Street.