Bitcoin surpasses $96,000 for the first time on Trump election optimism

Bitcoin has reached over $96,000 for the first time, driven by optimism about a more favorable regulatory environment under President-elect Donald Trump. The cryptocurrency has more than doubled in value this year and is up 40% since the election. Investors are hopeful that Trump's pro-crypto stance will lead to significant growth in the market. More than $4 billion has flowed into U.S. bitcoin exchange-traded funds since the election, boosting related stocks. Crypto-related companies are also seeing gains, with shares of bitcoin miner MARA Holdings rising nearly 14% and MicroStrategy increasing by 10%. This surge reflects growing interest in the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors.