Bitcoin rose on Friday for the third session in a row after the $8000 support held on, amid strong investment demand on cryptocurrencies, with market value of cryptocurrencies hitting five-week highs. 

At Bitstamp, bitcoin rose $73, or 0.9% to $8,346 from the opening of $8,273, with a session-high at $8,390, and a low at $8,216. 

Bitcoin rose 1.2% on Thursday, the second profit in a row, after marking three-week highs earlier this week at $8,425. 

Market value of cryptocurrencies rose $11 billion on Friday to a total of $369 billion, the highest since March 14. 

Cryptocurrencies added over $55 billion of market value last week as short-traders close positions rapidly to collect profits, with value surging another $44 billion this week. 

Several reports indicated improved demand in the short and medium terms, but holding the momentum for the long term would be a challenging process. 

In a piece of positive news, global investment bank Barclays is reviewing the possibility of launching a cryptocurrency trading platform, with the bank studying whether clients seek such a move. 

Monex group, which acquired Coincheck recently in a deal worth $33.5 million, has put a clear plan to revive an exchange that was one of the largest in Japan before a $500 million hack.

The group asserted the name or logo of the company won't change, as they wait for new registration in two months from the Financial Services Agency. 

In South Korea, authorities launched an investigation into three local banks for their anti-money laundry measures, which were mandated recently for all banks that operate cryptocurrency accounts. 

Yen fell to the lowest this week against the dollar after inflation data from Japan showed another drop in prices, keeping the pressure on Bank of Japan to carry on its stimulus plans. 

USD/JPY rose to 107.62 from the opening of 107.35, with an intraday low at 107.35, and a high at 107.73. 

Japan's consumer prices rose 1.1% y/y in March as expected, down from 1.5% in February, while core prices, excluding fresh food, rose 0.9% as expected, down from 1%. 

The data shows the struggle facing Bank of Japan to achieve its 2% inflation target after five years of ultra easy monetary policies. 

Analysts expect core consumer prices to reach their peaks later this year, before pressure on food and energy prices subsidizes, putting up even more obstacles in BoJ's path to normalize policies. 

Litecoin kept rising for the fourth straight session to three-week highs as cryptocurrencies recovered en masse after the long selloff wave that hammered the market for weeks. 

Bithumb, a notable South Korean cryptocurrency exchange, announced plans to issue its own cryptocurrency called Bithumb Coin through an Initial Coin Offering. 

Bithumb Coin will be issued in Singapore since South Korea banned ICOs, however, Bithumb hasn't announced the timing of the ICO or the size of the project yet. 

Litecoin rose on Friday to $147.30 from the opening of $146.34, with a session-high at $150.88, and a low at $146.10. 

Silver prices dipped in Asian trade on Friday away from eleven-week highs hit yesterday as traders close positions to collect profits. 

Silver witnessed a surge this week for a variety of factors, which in turn triggered sell operations and corrections before the weekend. 

Silver gave up ground as the dollar recovered against a basket of major rivals, while commodities declined overall ahead of the weekend. 

Asian stock indices were heavily mixed this week, with tech shares dragging many indices down, while otherwise, higher US treasury yields held the white metal down as liquidity moved to bonds. 

Silver prices slipped to $17.17 an ounce from the opening of $17.20, with a session-high at $17.24, and a low at $17.15.