Crypto stocks, bitcoin drop, reversing direction after Trump touts US crypto reserve

03/04/2025 04:23
Crypto stocks, bitcoin drop, reversing direction after Trump touts US crypto reserve

Crypto stocks seesawed Monday after Trump said in a post on Truth Social that his administration will create a US crypto reserve.

Crypto stocks seesawed Monday after President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that his administration will create a US crypto reserve.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said the US crypto reserve would include bitcoin, ether (ETH-USD), XRP (XRP-USD), solana (SOL-USD), and cardano (ADA-USD). Trump had previously issued an executive order to create a national crypto “stockpile” but did not name which cryptocurrencies would be included.

Strategy (MSTR), formerly known as MicroStrategy and the largest corporate holder of bitcoin, rose 12% early Monday before reversing direction. The stock closed the trading day down 1.8%.

Crypto miners Riot Platforms (RIOT) and MARA Holdings (MARA), formerly known as Marathon Digital, jumped 7% and 9%, respectively, but also changed course later in the day. Riot ended the trading session Monday down 4.5%, while MARA fell 1%. Crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) dropped 4.6%.

“A U.S. Crypto Reserve will elevate this critical industry after years of corrupt attacks by the Biden Administration, which is why my Executive Order on Digital Assets directed the Presidential Working Group to move forward on a Crypto Strategic Reserve that includes XRP, SOL, and ADA,” Trump wrote in the Truth Social post. “I will make sure the U.S. is the Crypto Capital of the World. We are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

“And, obviously, BTC and ETH, as other valuable Cryptocurrencies, will be the heart of the Reserve. I also love Bitcoin and Ethereum!” he added in a separate post.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) rose nearly 9% Monday to more than $92,000 but reversed direction to end the trading day down more than 8%.

The decline comes after bitcoin saw its worst month in February since June 2022, dropping roughly 17% as the so-called Trump trade lost steam.

Trump's announcement sparked a $300 billion global crypto rally Sunday that faltered late Monday.

“What was expected to be a ‘Bitcoin national stockpile’, has turned out to be a ‘Crypto strategic reserve’ covering multiple digital assets,” Bernstein analysts wrote in a note Monday morning. “[The] Crypto community was surprised to see digital assets beyond Bitcoin in the U.S crypto reserve.”

The idea of a national crypto reserve was first floated by US Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a Republican from Wyoming, in a bill she introduced in 2024 that directed the US Treasury to establish a strategic bitcoin reserve for the secure storage of US bitcoins.

“It is not clear, if the strategic reserve can be created merely by President’s executive order," the Bernstein analysts wrote. "If the Fed balance sheet is involved, it would require a specific bill to be passed by the Congress. It is also unlikely, the government can pull off the reserve under the Treasury, without involving the Fed balance sheet.”

Lawyers with Duane Morris wrote in a January analysis that "Trump's proposal for a crypto reserve — whether aimed at enhancing financial stability, curbing inflation, managing the national debt or fostering innovation — would require strategic collaboration, with the Fed being the most appropriate agency to pave the path forward."

President Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference, July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

President Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference on July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) · ASSOCIATED PRESS

Trump’s crypto-friendly stances have ushered in a much looser regulatory environment for the crypto industry than that of former President Joe Biden's administration, under which the Securities and Exchange Commission led by Gary Gensler cracked down on pervasive fraud in the sector. Last week, the SEC dropped investigations into Coinbase (COIN), Robinhood (HOOD), and other crypto firms as Trump looks to reverse the Biden-era clampdown.

Cryptocurrencies fell across the board Monday after rallying earlier in the day. Ether fell nearly 15%, while Solana dropped 18% after rising 4.6% and 13%, respectively. XRP rose nearly 18% to a still-low level of about $2.60, before reversing direction and dropping 16%. Cardano rallied nearly 50% to roughly $1 before shedding 16% late Monday afternoon.

Laura Bratton is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Bluesky @laurabratton.bsky.social. Email her at [email protected].

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