The world's most popular cryptocurrency has surged by nearly half since breaking $20,000 for the first time on Dec. 16.

Based on a "very limited review of Einstein Groups’s books and records,” the receiver says the company only has about $15,000 in cryptocurrency assets and $30,000 in cash.

In the past 24 hours, the price of Bitcoin has surged from around US$7,000 to $8,200 — twice as much as it was trading for six weeks ago.

Bitcoin tumbled 18 per cent on Tuesday after reports that a ban on trading of cryptocurrencies in South Korea was still an option drove fears grew of a wider regulatory crackdown.