Bitcoin touched a 21-month peak of $45,532, having gained 156% last year in its strongest yearly performance since 2020. It was last up 2.5% at $45,318 but remains far off the record high of $69,000 it touched in November 2021. Ether, the coin linked to the ethereum blockchain network, was 1.45% higher at $2,386 on Tuesday, having surged 91% in 2023.