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A spokeswoman for RBC declined to comment on the matter, saying that the bank does not comment on individual clients.

Meanwhile the Canadian Bankers Association said it has no position since Bitcoin “is essentially an electronic currency that operates outside of the traditional national currency system.”

The Bank of Canada also has yet to take an official position, said Dale Alexander, a spokesman for the central bank. But in an emailed statement he went on to quote the Currency Act which defines legal tender as any bills or coins issued under the auspices of the Bank of Canada or the Royal Canadian Mint. The note also included a link to a European Central Bank study warning that virtual currencies such as Bitcoin are “inherently unstable,” “not regulated or closely supervised,” and “could have a negative impact on the reputation of central banks.”

As critics point out the currency has been extraordinarily volatile, with the value of a single Bitcoin ranging from less than $1 back in 2008 when it was first created to as much as $260 earlier this month. There have been several major corrections but each time it has recovered. That’s because enthusiasts refused to give up on the market, and the faithful will likely rush to buttress their virtual tender again if there’s another correction.

Bitcoin has no shortage of proponents.

“Bitcoin and similar electronic currencies have great advantages,” said Finn Poschmann, vice president of research at the C.D. Howe Institute. “First is that they are electronic — they can be easily exchanged, at low cost. Moreover, they can be exchanged among people and between people and businesses without the infrastructure associated with debit and credit cards, or wire transfers.”

Such currencies also come with “potentially great risks,” Mr. Poshmann cautions, adding that it is the job of regulators and monetary authorities to address those risks.