Bitcoin investors could pay the price as the Federal Reserve tightens bank lending rules

The central bank of the United States, which sets US interest rates and supervises banks.

Because the dollar is used worldwide, its rate decisions affect borrowing costs and markets in many other countries.

The first and largest cryptocurrency, created in 2009, with a fixed maximum supply and no central issuer.

Its price swings and adoption by funds and companies make it a bellwether for the whole crypto market.

A digital currency secured by cryptography and recorded on a blockchain, without a central bank issuing it.

Crypto prices are volatile, and governments are still deciding how to regulate it.