Crypto firms pour millions into Trump’s inauguration in hopes of seeing regulatory change

01/10/2025 10:44
Crypto firms pour millions into Trump’s inauguration in hopes of seeing regulatory change

After years of regulatory hurdles, the digital asset industry is optimistic about Trump's pro-crypto pledges.

President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming January 20 inauguration has attracted millions of dollars in donations from the crypto industry, according to Decrypt.

Crypto firm Ripple, which is currently embroiled in a high-profile lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, has donated $5 million in XRP tokens to Trump’s inauguration, while Coinbase, America’s largest registered crypto exchange, has given $1 million to the inauguration fund.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco-headquartered crypto exchange Kraken has donated $1 million to the swearing-in ceremony. Founder Jesse Powell — who was previously investigated by the FBI over hacking allegations — personally donated $845,000 in crypto to Trump’s election campaign, according to Decrypt.

USDC stablecoin issuer Circle also extended $1 million in USDC stablecoins to the Trump inauguration fund, while decentralized finance platform Ondo Finance gave $1 million.

Additionally, Robinhood, which has beefed up its crypto business in recent years, has donated $2 million.

Non-crypto firms in Silicon Valley have also invested heavily in Trump's inauguration, with Google and Meta each recently announcing their own $1 million donations.

The crypto industry has given more than $119 million to Trump's historic re-election campaign, with Coinbase and Ripple serving as major corporate donors, according to the D.C.-based watchdog group Public Citizen. While Trump previously labeled bitcoin "a scam against the dollar," he shifted his stance last year, pledging to transform the U.S. into a "crypto capital" at the 2024 Bitcoin Conference in Nashville.

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