Bitcoin trading enters new era with Stockholm exchange

Investors can now bet on the value of bitcoins through a new stock exchange after Nasdaq launched an index Monday in Stockholm, Sweden.

The new index on the Stockholm Stock Exchange allows investors to speculate on bitcoin’s value without owning the cybercurrency, which marks a new era in trading as investors will no longer have to go through less-secure websites or online exchanges.  

Bitcoins are a virtual currency that can be used to buy and sell some goods and services without a governmental backer. Created by computers that are used to resolve complex algorithmic formulas, bitcoins also allow people to conduct transactions anonymously, which can make it difficult to regulate.

Read more from The Associated Press.