Bitcoin hits record high after Trump's decisive win

The price of a bitcoin soared to a record high of more than $87,000 on Monday, continuing its surge in value since Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the presidential election spurred excitement about the digital currency.

Unlike President Biden, whose administration has sought to rein in cryptocurrencies, Trump has done an about-face from earlier skepticism to embrace them, having even promoted a crypto-based business in September, World Liberty Financial. There are reports that Trump’s sons will run it, but the company’s website says otherwise. The president-elect vowed on the campaign trail to put the country at the center of the digital-asset industry and to oversee the accumulation of a bitcoin stockpile.

Crypto backers who spent more than $100 million promoting crypto-friendly political candidates are now celebrating the promise of a pro-crypto White House.

Bitcoin was trading at about $87,740, up 9% for the day, around 1:30 p.m. Pacific time Monday and has risen 98% this year, in part thanks to demand for U.S. exchange-traded funds and interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Giddy crypto investors have added to the run with bets that the cost of the world’s largest cryptocurrency will reach $100,000 by the end of the year. In London on Monday, there were $780 million worth of investments riding on the price hitting the milestone by Dec. 27, Bloomberg reported.

Trump’s win, along with the prospect of pro-crypto lawmakers in Congress, has boosted smaller digital currencies as well. Dogecoin, a currency promoted by one of Trump’s most vocal and deep-pocketed supporters, Elon Musk, has risen nearly 63% in the last five days. Another currency, Litecoin, has climbed 10% in the same period.

“With the dust from Trump’s victory still settling down, it was only a matter of time before a run-up of some sort occurred given the perception of Trump being pro-crypto, and that’s what we’re seeing now,” Le Shi, managing director of market-making firm Auros, told Bloomberg.

Trump’s broader agenda of cutting taxes and regulations and bolstering domestic economic growth also triggered a buying spree across stocks, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 index hitting a record last week. The rise in bitcoin, meanwhile, exceeds the returns from investments including stocks and gold.

Crypto-related companies also got a boost from Trump’s win. Shares of Microstrategy, a software maker that buys cryptocurrency as part of its financial strategy, and U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase were each up more than 22% on Monday and have been rising throughout Trump’s candidacy. Crypto-miners MARA Holdings and Riot Platforms saw shares climb Monday by 30% and 18%, respectively.

Under Biden, Securities & Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler characterized the cryptocurrency industry as rife with fraud and misconduct. Trump was initially skeptical about digital assets as well, but changed his tune on the campaign trail and earned the support of crypto investors.

Trump will almost certainly replace Gensler and has promised to soften federal oversight of cryptocurrency. Republicans also will control the Senate under Trump and are on the brink of getting the majority in the House, potentially clearing the way for the passage of new pro-crypto bills.

Bloomberg contributed to this report.