** Shares of cryptocurrency and blockchain-related companies advance premarket as bitcoin trades above $81,000 for the first time; BTC last at $81,414
** Bitcoin soared recently on expectations that cryptocurrencies will boom in a favourable regulatory environment after the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president and pro-crypto candidates to Congress
** "His pledge to go all in on crypto has sent Bitcoin to fresh heady heights ... He's made an about-turn on supporting the industry and is now vowing to turn the U.S. into the crypto capital of the world," said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown
** Other cryptocurrencies like Ether rose to above $31,000, while Dogecoin stood at an over three-year high
** Crypto exchange Coinbase Global jumps 15.5%, while Blockchain farm operator Bitfarms rises 13.8%
** Crypto miners: Riot Platforms , MARA Holdings
, U.S.-listed shares of Hut 8 , and Bit Digital
up 12.1% - 15.4%
** Software firm and BTC bull MicroStrategy gains 9.7%, BTC mining machine maker Canaan up 14.3%
** ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF adds 6.7%, iShares Bitcoin Trust rises 6.6%
** BTC has risen more than 90% so far this year
(Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru)
((Shashwat.Chauhan@thomsonreuters.com))