Dogecoin: what is the cryptocurrency, why has its shares soared by 1000% - and where ...

Its inventors, software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, wanted to create an instant payment system free from traditional banking fees. Just weeks after it was launched, in December 2013, its value jumped by 300% as China banned its banks from investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It experienced its first market crash three days later, dropping by 80% in value, due to China's restrictions and was hacked, leading to large sums being stolen. It has seen its value rise and fall over time, along with other cryptocurrencies, which enjoyed a mini boom during 2017 and a decline in 2018. At its peak value, Dogecoin was...