Bitcoin leaps to record high as traders lean towards Trump victory

New York (Reuters) Bitcoin surged to a record high in Asian trade as investors leaned towards Donald Trump winning the US presidential election.

The world's biggest cryptocurrency rose 7% to $75,060, topping March's peak, with the prospect of Trump's return to the White House seen ushering in a softer line on cryptocurrency regulation.

Republican Trump won 15 states while Democrat Kamala Harris captured seven states and Washington, DC, Edison Research projected, and though the race remained too early to call financial markets began moving in the Asia session to price a victory for the former president.

Matthew Dibb, chief investment officer at cryptocurrency asset manager Astronaut Capital, said markets expected a change in attitude at the US Securities and Exchange Commission to remove a choke point for crypto innovation and speculation.

"(A) Democrat win would have felt like a short term nail in the coffin," he said. "Probably not the case long term but the market is placing high importance on it."

Smaller cryptocurrency ether also jumped 7.5% but at $2,593 remained well below its 2021 high of $4,867.