** BERLIN **
Germany is carefully monitoring the impact of cryptocurrencies on markets, a finance ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, as bitcoin surged and the futures of the best known cryptocurrency made their world debut on a U.S. stock exchange.
"The finance ministry, the (Federal Financial Supervisory Authority) BaFin and the Bundesbank are monitoring developments on financial markets attentively and this applies to bitcoins," Dennis Kolberg told a news conference.
He added that he would not comment on the value developments of bitcoin on markets.
"Generally speaking I can say that bitcoins are no legal means of payment and subject to no deposit guarantee," Kolberg added.