Bitcoin is Approaching New Highs for the Year Because of India’s Demonetization Author: Timothy Sohn Last Updated: 12 December 2016 (Quartz) – India’s cash crunch is sending one currency soaring. Since prime minister Narendra Modi pulled Rs500 and Rs1000 notes from circulation on Nov. 8 in a bid to fight corruption and terrorism, the weekly volume of Bitcoin trading in India has nearly doubled from prior levels.