Bitcoin topped the US$100,000 mark as a massive rally in the world's most popular cryptocurrency sparked by the election of Donald Trump as US president rolls on.

The milestone comes just hours after the president-elect signalled a lighter regulatory approach to the crypto industry with his choice of Paul Atkins to be the next chair the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Trump said on Wednesday that he intends to nominate Atkins, a former SEC commissioner during the presidency of George W. Bush.

In the years since leaving the agency, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation.

Bitcoin has soared to unprecedented heights since Trump won the election on November 5.

The cryptocurrency has climbed dramatically from US$69,374 on Election Day and rose as high as US$101,512 Wednesday, just two years after dropping below US$17,000 following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX.

How long bitcoin will stay above the coveted US$100,000 mark is uncertain.

As with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is impossible to predict. And while some are bullish on future gains, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. (AP)