(Nov 13): A surge in Bitcoin that paused earlier Wednesday is regaining steam, sending the original cryptocurrency above US$90,000 (RM400,360) for the first time, as traders assess the remaining market impact of President-elect Donald Trump’s rhetorical support for crypto.

The digital asset is up more than 30% in the wake of Trump’s Nov 5 election victory, reaching a record of US$91,085 at 9.33am in New York with a more-than 3% gain for the day.

Trump has pledged to create a friendly regulatory framework for crypto, set up a strategic Bitcoin stockpile and make the US the global hub for the industry. A one-time crypto sceptic, Trump reversed course after digital-asset companies spent heavily during election campaigning to promote their interests.

His stance spread optimism across crypto, lifting the value of the market to an all-time peak. But thorny questions remain about whether Trump and his Republican lawmakers will be focused first on larger matters like China policy and the US economy, pushing digital-asset legislation down the pecking order.

“While we wouldn’t rule out further gains, a heck of a lot of good news is now priced in,” IG Australia Pty Market Analyst Tony Sycamore wrote in a note.

One of the strongest performers recently in crypto is Dogecoin, a token promoted by billionaire Elon Musk and a meme-crowd favourite. The Shiba Inu-themed coin, also known as DOGE, rose 80% or so in the past five days.

Before the election, Musk suggested he could lead a Department of Government Efficiency, whose initials are an apparent nod to the cryptocurrency. Trump on Tuesday announced the creation of the department to cut wasteful spending, saying Musk would be its co-head. Dogecoin briefly jumped after the statement before following Bitcoin lower.

In global markets, the spotlight is turning to upcoming US inflation data, which may colour views on the Federal Reserve’s scope for further interest-rate cuts.

Treasury yields and the dollar are climbing, an indication that investors expect inflationary pressures from Trump’s plan to impose trade tariffs and cut taxes. Stocks dipped against that backdrop given that comparatively higher borrowing costs are a potential hurdle for riskier investments, including crypto.

“Relatively muted” leverage in the crypto market “mitigates the risk of a sharp correction”, according to Noelle Acheson, author of the Crypto Is Macro Now newsletter. “A market breather would be welcome, but it is likely to be short. The tailwinds are still strong.”

Bitcoin briefly exceeded US$90,000 on some trading venues on Tuesday, such as Coinbase Global Inc’s platform. Bullish options bets are concentrated on the largest token reaching US$100,000, based on data from Deribit. Inflows into US Bitcoin exchange-traded funds topped US$1 billion at the start of the week.

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