Bitcoin extends retreat from record high to hit lowest in 20 days

FILE PHOTO: Representation of the virtual currency Bitcoin is seen on a motherboard in this picture illustration taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

(Reuters) - Bitcoin dropped 6.39% to $43,165.78 on Sunday, losing $2,944.20 from its previous close.

Bitcoin, the world's biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, has fallen 26% from the year's high of $58,354.14 on Feb. 21 when it soared amid increasing confidence that it will become a mainstream investment and payments vehicle.

Major firms such as BNY Mellon, asset manager BlackRock Inc and credit card giant Mastercard Inc have backed cryptocurrencies. Tesla Inc, Square Inc and MicroStrategy Inc have invested in bitcoin.

Ether, the coin linked to the ethereum blockchain network, dropped 8.88% to $1,329.46 on Sunday, losing $129.57 from its previous close.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)