Trump Teases Crypto Plan, But Leaves Supporters Hanging

On Thursday morning, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump took to X, promising his 90 million followers that they would soon hear his plan to make the United States the “crypto capital of the planet.” The announcement generated a buzz among his supporters, particularly those in the crypto community, who eagerly anticipated the details of his vision for digital assets.

However, after a day filled with a rally in Michigan and a town hall in Wisconsin, Thursday ended with no mention of the much-anticipated crypto plan. Even during a town hall moderated by former Congressman and bitcoin supporter Tulsi Gabbard—an ideal platform for such an announcement—Trump remained silent on the issue, leaving many of his supporters puzzled and disappointed.

Earlier in the day, Trump had fueled expectations by promoting the Trump Organization’s newly rebranded crypto platform, now called “World Liberty Financial,” formerly known as “The DeFiant Ones.” In a video shared on X, Trump declared, “This afternoon, I’m laying out my plan to ensure that the United States will be the crypto capital of the planet. They want to choke you. They want to choke you out of business. We’re not going to let that happen.” However, he did not clarify who “they” referred to, adding to the intrigue.

The new crypto venture appears to be a family affair, involving Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. Eric Trump announced the launch of World Liberty Financial on X, proclaiming, “A new era in finance is here.” The project’s accompanying Telegram channel quickly gained traction, amassing over 57,000 subscribers by Thursday evening.

The timing of this crypto initiative coincides with Trump’s release of a new round of NFT trading cards, another private Trump family enterprise in the digital currency space. Although not officially connected to his presidential campaign, these ventures align with Trump’s broader political brand and are marketed to his supporters, blending the lines between his business interests and political ambitions.

For Trump, these crypto enterprises represent a dual opportunity: to attract crypto-savvy voters and donors while simultaneously generating revenue. The former president has increasingly positioned himself as the pro-crypto candidate, delivering bullish talking points on the industry and capitalizing on donations from the crypto voting bloc. The Trump campaign recently reported a total crypto-related fundraising haul of $25 million.

Yet, despite the buzz, details about the World Liberty Financial platform remain scarce. It is unclear what the platform will offer or if it is even operational. Trump’s sons have provided conflicting information about the project’s focus. Donald Trump Jr. suggested the platform could challenge traditional banking by offering decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions, while Eric Trump hinted at ventures involving digital real estate, potentially through tokenizing real-world assets or selling digital assets in the metaverse.

Last week, Trump described the project on Truth Social as a way to “take a stand—together,” framing it as a populist response to the financial elites who, in his words, have “squeezed” the average American for too long.

As Trump continues to blend his political brand with private crypto enterprises, his supporters are left waiting for the details of his promised plan to transform the U.S. into the global leader in digital assets. For now, the crypto community remains in suspense, with the former president’s next move in the digital currency space eagerly anticipated.

Thomas Lin
Digital Assets Desk