Bitcoin advanced to nearly a six-week high as investors returned to riskier assets on optimism that market turmoil tied to the Middle East conflict may be starting to ease. The largest cryptocurrency climbed about 4% to $74,512, the highest since Feb. 4 before paring some of the gains. Bitcoin is still down around 40% from a record high reached in October. Other smaller, more volatile, digital assets saw even greater increases. Solana and XRP rose as much as 8% and 9%, respectively. Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, rose as much as 10%, more than twice Bitcoin’s advance. The increase by Ether is the largest ... (full story)