The price of bitcoin on the CoinDesk USD Bitcoin Price Index (BPI) rose to its highest level since September today, reaching a press time high of $

The total is the highest observed on the CoinDesk USD BPI since 17th September, , when the price reached a high of $

At the time, the price of bitcoin had been in decline since July, a move that coincided with the release of the New York BitLicense.

The price of bitcoin has been trending up amidst the latest saga in the media hunt for elusive bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, as well as increased activity on the Coinbase exchange.

According to data from TradeBlock, Coinbase accounted for as much as 80% of USD trade volumes on 14th December, up from between 10% and 20% the day prior.

Coinbase volumes have since returned to around 18% of US trade volumes at press time, with Hong Kong-based Bitfinex capturing the leader-share it has held for much of December.

Prices hit a monthly high of $ on 12th December, three days after the release of articles by Wired and Gizmodo connecting Nakamoto to Australian businessman Craig Wright, in what has became one of the year’s most widely covered bitcoin events.

Coinbase did not respond to requests for comment on the exchange’s uptick in activity.