We saw Bitcoin surge above $9,000 today (it's currently at $9,453.65) and it may be the Lightning Network that is causing the sustained rise over the past week. So, what is the Lightning Network?
"The Lightning Network is a "second layer" payment protocol that operates on top of a blockchain (most commonly Bitcoin). It enables instant transactions between participating nodes and has been touted as a solution to the bitcoin scalability problem. It features a peer-to-peer system for making micropayments of digital cryptocurrency through a network of bidirectional payment channels without delegating custody of funds or trust to third parties." - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_Network
Check out their website: https://lightning.network/
Here's an interview with Timothy Lee, a reporter at the tech news site Ars Technica, on Marketplace (NPR) by Molly Wood, Stephanie Hughes, and Shaheen Ainpour (February 12, 2018 | 5:40 AM):
https://www.marketplace.org/2018/02/12/tech/marketplace-tech-blogs/bitcoin-hassle-maybe-not-long
Finally, there's a new app, called Lightning Ramp, that has debuted its alpha demo for Coinbase users by Wilma Woo (February 14, 2018 9:30 AM):
https://bitcoinist.com/new-app-links-coinbase-lightning-network-frustration-continues/
Statistics from www.coinmarketcap.com:
Feb 14 2018 00:02:00 UTC
$433,126,000,000 USD: Total Market Capitalization
$18,819,200,000 USD: 24-Hour Volume
34.75%: Bitcoin Dominance