(Yicai Global) June 6 -- Bitcoin trading in China surged in May and turnover reached USD3.2 billion (CNY21.7 billion), four times that of the previous month, a report released yesterday by the China National Committee of Experts on the Internet Financial Security Technology shows. The cryptocurrency hit an all-time high of CNY19,200 last month, the report said.

The world's bitcoin market capitalization grew 61 percent month-on-month to USD37.48 billion by the end of May, but bitcoin's share of the global virtual currency market fell to 45.6 percent from 62.3 percent as competing currencies rallied, the report said.

Bitcoin was released in 2009. Its introduction led to a worldwide virtual currency ecosystem centered around its generation, storage, trading and application. Hundreds of digital currencies have followed in its footsteps. Bitcoin is very actively traded for yuan on the secondary market.

Earlier this year, China's central bank carried out a bitcoin market inspection with a focus on implementing foreign exchange management and anti-money laundering concerns.