Bitcoin falls 25 percent to $10,200 on Bitstamp exchange

FILE PHOTO: A collection of Bitcoin (virtual currency) tokens are displayed in this picture illustration taken December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Illustration/File Photo

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Bitcoin had lost a quarter of its value in early Asian trading on Wednesday as fears grew of a regulatory crackdown after reports that South Korea's finance minister said banning trading in cryptocurrencies was still an option.

Bitcoin was last down 25 percent at $10,182.00 <BTC=BTSP> on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange.

(Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Sandra Maler)