Connect with us

Donald Trump

Trump crypto venture WLFI is a ‘huge mistake,’ investor says

Published

on



The latest Trump family business venture — originally pitched as a DeFi platform dubbed “The Defiant Ones,” but has since been rebranded as World Liberty Financial — is fraught with controversy just days after it was unveiled.

While Trump’s eldest sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., are “ambassadors” of World Liberty Financial, CoinDesk reports that the once “Defiant” company is also linked to individuals involved in liquidity protocol Dough Finance.

Recall how Dough Finance lost $1.8 million in Ethereum (ETH) and USD Coin (USDC) to a flash-loan attack on July 12.

Zachary Folkman and Chase Herro – the duo that built Dough Finance — are bosses at the new Trump-led firm, too. They started the companies Date Hotter Girls LLC and crypto-focused Pacer Capital, respectively.

Trump first endorsed the decentralized finance project in an Aug. 22 post on Truth Social. He posted about it again on Aug. 29 (by then it was dubbed World LibertyFi).

The X accounts of two of his family members were subsequently compromised and used to promote a fake Solana-based memecoin. One of the targets was Lara Trump, who is co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

The whole initiative sounds fishy to crypto venture capitalist and Trump supporter Nic Carter, who didn’t mince words on the matter. “This is a huge mistake,” he said per Politico. “It looks like Trump’s inner circle is just cashing in on his recent embrace of crypto in a kind of naive way, and frankly it looks like they’re burning a lot of the goodwill that’s been built with the industry so far.”

“Goodwill?” It’s worth mentioning that some of the sector’s most famous names have been found guilty of fraud.

Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao received a four-month sentence in prison; crypto entrepreneur Do Kwon spent more than six months in a Montenegrin prison; and FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Trump is also no stranger to having his business ventures marred by illegalities (see Donald J. Trump Foundation and Trump University). He is also the first former U.S. president to be convicted of felony crimes.

Trump, crypto and trust

Trump, who once said he was “not a fan” of Bitcoin (BTC), has been weaving pro-crypto policies into his stump speeches in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.

In May, he became the first major political candidate to accept crypto donations. Crypto celebrants then received a flurry of promises should Trump be re-elected: a government-backed crypto reserve and the firing Gary Gensler, the oft-critiqued current Securities and Exchange Commission chair.

His one-eighty won him the support and financial backing of such deep pockets as Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss — founders of the Gemini exchange — who gave $1 million in Bitcoin each to the former president.

But since then, fraudsters have targeted his so-called “MAGA” base with fake crypto websites and misleading donation centers. In June, a London-based cybersecurity company called Netcraft began monitoring several attacks surrounding the Trump campaign, discovering fraudulent donation schemes and phishing attempts.

The latest scrutiny surrounding World LibertyFi and its World Liberty Coin is no different.

For weeks, the Trump brothers teased a financial venture that would challenge traditional banking. And when it debuted, scammers had plenty of new fodder to work with.

Carter, who remains a Trump supporter (because “Trump himself is only tangentially involved”) warns that the World Liberty project “genuinely damages” the Republican nominee’s electoral prospects. Polls indicate that the presidential race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is extremely tight.

“It’ll be the juiciest DeFi target ever and it’s forked from a protocol that itself was hacked. [It’s] also an obvious target for the SEC,” he wrote on Sept. 3. “At best it’s an unnecessary distraction, at worst it’s a huge embarrassment and source of (additional) legal trouble,”





Source link

cryptocurrency

TRUMP, MAGA, and other Trump-themed tokens crash after election day

Published

on



Donald Trump-themed meme coins TRUMP, MAGA, TREMP, and STRUMP have tanked, with their total market capitalization down over 21% on the day, after Trump secured a victory in the U.S. election.

MAGA (TRUMP), the largest Trump-themed meme coin in terms of market cap fell 50.7% over the past 24 hours, exchanging hands at $1.71 when writing. The altcoin’s market cap fell from $212 million seen on Nov. 6 to $79 million when writing.

MAGA Hat (MAGA) a meme token inspired by Trump’s iconic red hat worn during his political campaigns also collapsed by 51% with its market cap falling to $39 million. 

Dark MAGA (DMAGA) which saw the highest gains on Nov. 5, climbing from $0.008 to $0.0018 overnight. The meme coin has since plunged by 62% from its pre-election level and was trading at $0.0045, wiping out over $13.5 million from its market cap. Similarly, Super Trump (STRUMP) also faced a sharp drop of 54.9%, with its market cap shedding $11 million.

Other popular meme coins that previously capitalized on Trump’s presidential victory but have crashed at press time, include Doland Tremp (TREMP), TRUMPCOIN, TRUMP 47 (47), and Pepe Trump (PTRUMP) which suffered losses between 50-65%.

Traders seemed to have sold the news, a familiar trend for meme coins, which often experience sharp sell-offs after hype peaks—just as with Dogecoin (DOGE), the industry’s first and largest meme coin.

Dogecoin’s meteoric rise leading up to Elon Musk’s Saturday Night Live appearance in May 2021 became a classic case of traders selling the news. DOGE rallied to an all-time high of $0.73 ahead of the May 8 airing date as Musk, an avid Dogecoin supporter, teased his role on SNL. 

However, the hype fizzled quickly during and after the broadcast, as traders rushed to offload their holdings with the price of DOGE dropping over 30% within hours. At current prices, the token remains 74% below its all-time high.

This pattern also seems evident in PolitiFi tokens, which are often referred to as “event coins,” as they move in tandem with political developments. However, the downturn comes despite Trump’s victory, which could mean the hype around this meme coin subset is waning.

A likely scenario is that a lot of the liquidity from these PolitiFi tokens is flowing into Bitcoin (BTC) and other altcoins as the flagship crypto has been printing new highs over the past day fueling hopes that the bull market is starting.

Prominent altcoins like Ethena (ENA) and Raydium (RAY) have posted double-digit gains, while the overall meme coin market is up over 13%, suggesting that PolitiFi tokens are facing an isolated sell-off now that the elections are over.



Source link

Continue Reading

bull market

How Trump’s Promises Could Influence BTC $250k forecast

Published

on



As analysts predict Bitcoin could reach $250K, how might Trump’s promises influence this potential? What should you be watching for in the coming months?

Trump triumphs

Donald Trump is back in the Oval Office, officially winning the 2024 U.S. presidential election as the 47th president. After a high-energy election night celebration at Mar-a-Lago with guests including Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., digital asset markets surged in response.

Bitcoin (BTC) rocketed past $75,000, reaching a fresh all-time high, while crypto-linked stocks like Coinbase and MicroStrategy saw strong after-hours gains.

For crypto supporters, Trump’ win signals more than just another GOP presidency, especially as he has made bold commitments to protect crypto, a notable departure from the past, when Trump’ stance on digital assets was anything but warm.

Moreover, with Trump’ Republican allies securing a Senate majority, the path is now open for the policies he hinted at throughout his campaign—policies that could reshape the future of crypto in both the U.S. and globally.

So, what promises has he made, and what should we expect from his term? Let’s find out.

Trump’s promises to the crypto industry

Bold vision for a national crypto stockpile

One of Trump’ biggest promises to the crypto world is to create what he calls a “strategic national crypto stockpile.” In simple terms, Trump aims to prevent the government from auctioning off seized Bitcoin, instead holding onto it as a national asset.

Trump believes that, just as countries hold reserves of gold or oil, the U.S. should secure a portion of Bitcoin to hedge against future financial uncertainties.

Currently, the U.S. government often auctions off Bitcoin seized from criminal cases, such as after the Bitfinex hack, but Trump has suggested putting a halt to these sales.

This promise is crucial, given that the U.S. Marshals Service has regularly auctioned Bitcoin holdings, sometimes causing temporary market dips. Earlier this year, Germany’s sale of hundreds of millions in seized Bitcoin led to similar price swings.

While Trump hasn’t provided a concrete plan for how this reserve would be managed, some view it as a step toward positioning the U.S. as a global crypto leader.

Creating a strategic Bitcoin reserve

One of Trump’ more intriguing promises is to establish a “strategic Bitcoin reserve” for the U.S. His idea is to retain Bitcoin seized from criminal activities, rather than auctioning it off, to gradually build a substantial national Bitcoin reserve.

This proposal gained further traction when Senator Cynthia Lummis introduced a bill to create a “Bitcoin strategic reserve,” aiming to accumulate one million BTC over five years as a hedge against the national debt.

If realized, this reserve could signal a shift in the U.S. approach to crypto, positioning Bitcoin as a strategic asset on par with gold or foreign currency reserves.

Promise to fire SEC Chair Gary Gensler “on day one”

Trump has also set his sights on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, pledging to fire its current chair, Gary Gensler, on his first day in office.

Appointed by President Joe Biden, Gensler has led an aggressive crackdown on the crypto industry, initiating over 100 enforcement actions against crypto companies for alleged securities violations since he 

Gensler’ stance — that much of the crypto industry falls under SEC jurisdiction — has sparked frustration among industry players, who argue they need clearer guidelines, not constant lawsuits.

However, Trump’ promise may not be as straightforward to execute. While the president can appoint the SEC chair, dismissing one requires valid grounds, like neglect or inefficiency, due to the SEC’ independent status.

Legal experts caution that firing Gensler “on day one” could prompt a lengthy review and may not happen as swiftly as Trump suggests.

Still, if Trump does manage to appoint a new SEC chair, it could mark a shift toward more crypto-friendly policies — though how much freedom the new leadership would truly have remains uncertain.

A national push for Bitcoin mining

Another bold promise from Trump is his call to ensure that all remaining Bitcoin is mined within the U.S. He envisions Bitcoin mining as “Made in the USA,” aiming to establish America as a global hub for the industry.

This vision was echoed during a private Mar-a-Lago meeting with key figures in U.S. crypto mining, including executives from major companies like Riot Platforms, Marathon Digital, and Core Scientific.

Trump’ goal aligns with his broader agenda of “energy dominance” for the U.S., believing that Bitcoin mining could boost energy production and decrease reliance on foreign energy sources.

However, the path to this goal is challenging. Bitcoin mining is decentralized by nature, relying on thousands of miners across the globe. Centralizing it within one country would contradict the decentralized ethos on which Bitcoin was built.

Moreover, about 90% of Bitcoin’ total supply has already been mined, leaving only a small yet symbolically significant portion — around 10% — that Trump hopes to bring under U.S. control.

Stopping the central bank digital currency development

Trump has also pledged to block any progress toward a central bank digital currency in the U.S. He made his stance clear: “There will never be a CBDC while I’m president”, citing that CBDCs pose a potential threat to financial privacy.

Unlike decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, a CBDC would be fully controlled by the government, potentially allowing for extensive surveillance of citizens’ transactions.

Trump’ position aligns with other Republican leaders, such as Ron DeSantis, who recently signed a bill in Florida to limit CBDC use within the state.

Opposition to CBDCs is also building in Congress. Representative Tom Emmer introduced the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, aiming to prevent the Federal Reserve from issuing a CBDC without congressional approval.

The right to self-custody

Trump has also pledged to enshrine self-custody rights for crypto users into federal law, reinforcing the principle that “not your keys, not your coins” should be protected by the U.S. government.

Self-custody allows crypto holders to manage their private keys independently, ensuring they fully control their digital assets without relying on third parties like exchanges.

This promise aligns with recent legislative efforts by Republican Senator Ted Budd, who introduced the Keep Your Coins Act in 2023. The bill aims to safeguard Americans’ ability to transact with self-hosted crypto wallets, making it harder for regulators to impose restrictions on self-custody.

However, the proposal has sparked debate. Critics argue that self-custody could enable bad actors to evade anti-money laundering regulations, a concern highlighted by Senator Elizabeth Warren’ 2022 Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act, which advocates for tighter controls.

While the crypto community largely views self-custody as an essential right, questions remain about how such laws might affect the balance between personal freedom and regulatory oversight.

A crypto-friendly advisory council

One of Trump’ more structural promises is to establish a dedicated “crypto advisory council” to guide his administration’s approach to crypto policy.

The goal of this council would be to create clear, industry-friendly regulations that support crypto growth rather than stifle it. 

As Trump puts it, he wants “the rules to be written by people who love your industry, not hate it,” ensuring that crypto policies reflect a deep understanding of the industry’s needs and challenges.

Many industry insiders have voiced concerns that current regulations lack clarity, making it difficult for companies to operate within legal boundaries.

However, setting up such a council presents its own challenges, such as ensuring a diversity of perspectives and maintaining unbiased oversight.

Commuting Ross Ulbricht’s sentence

In a more controversial promise, Trump has vowed to commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road marketplace.

Ulbricht, a first-time nonviolent offender, received a double life sentence plus 40 years without parole—a punishment many view as excessively harsh. Silk Road, the darknet marketplace he created, facilitated the trade of illegal goods, from drugs to weapons, with Bitcoin as the primary currency.

Ulbricht’ case has become a rallying point within the crypto and libertarian communities, where advocates argue that his sentence was disproportionate to the nature of his crime.

Critics, however, contend that his involvement in Silk Road fueled illegal activities and harmed individuals, making any consideration of leniency a sensitive issue.

What to expect from Trump’s crypto term

Recent tweets from crypto analysts reflect a mood of optimism as Trump’ presidency begins.

Michaël van de Poppe, a prominent crypto analyst, describes the current state of crypto as the end of the “longest and heaviest Altcoin bear market.” 

He suggests we’re on the brink of a new “Dot.com bubble in Crypto,” hinting that this cycle could “go way higher than we all expect.”

If this outlook proves accurate, Trump’ pro-crypto stance could pave the way for a strong market rebound, benefiting from a more supportive regulatory environment.

Meanwhile, technical analyst Gert van Lagen forecasts that Bitcoin is on its “final ascent,” with a target of $250,000 by February next year.

He points to the recent reversal of the 10-2 yield curve — a classic precursor to recessions — as a sign that economic conditions could fuel a BTC rally.

For now, the industry watches to see if Trump’s bold promises can translate into action. If he delivers, the U.S. could emerge as a leader in crypto adoption, creating jobs and establishing financial alternatives that could leave a lasting mark on the entire crypto space.





Source link

Continue Reading

Bitcoin

Trump victory creates over 11k new Bitcoin millionaires

Published

on



Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory has created over 11,000 new Bitcoin millionaires.

According to data from Finbold, the number of Bitcoin wallets valued at $1 million or more rose to 132,842 on November 6, as Bitcoin prices increased by 7.8% in just 24 hours.

Last month, there were 121,061 Bitcoin addresses worth over $1 million. This figure has now grown by 11,487 wallets, indicating significant wealth gains among Bitcoin holders, per Finbold.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin (BTC) has passed its all-time high and is currently trading at $75, 428. 

Can Bitcoin go higher?

This spike follows a strong month for Bitcoin, which has risen 20% over the past 30 days. With Trump’s win and an overwhelming lead in the electoral college, Bitcoin saw renewed interest and broke past previous high prices. 

Analysts suggest that Trump’s pro-crypto stance might lead to a supportive regulatory shift, potentially boosting market conditions. Technical analyst Gert van Lagen predicts Bitcoin could reach $250,000 by early next year. 





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement [ethereumads]
Bitcoin Magazine Pro2 hours ago

The Bitcoin Report: Key Trends, Insights, and Bitcoin Price Forecast

Blockchain3 hours ago

Eclipse launches public mainnet of first SVM L2 on Ethereum

Cardano (ADA) Price4 hours ago

How Far Can Cardano Price Rise in November?

Bitcoin4 hours ago

Bitcoin Indicator Signals Equilibrium After Trump Victory – A Clear Path To New Highs?

Digital Age6 hours ago

Satoshi Nakamoto: The Robin Hood of the Digital Age, But He Stole from Himself

Partner Content7 hours ago

Following SHIB’s success, XYZ coin could bring 19,900% gains: $1,000 could yield $200k

Bitcoin8 hours ago

Benjamin Cowen Issues Bitcoin Alert, Says Potential Plunge ‘That Scares People’ Incoming – Here’s His Outlook

24/7 Cryptocurrency News8 hours ago

Trump Memecoins Tanked More than 50%: Is It The End or Just A Temporary Downfall?

cryptocurrency10 hours ago

TRUMP, MAGA, and other Trump-themed tokens crash after election day

24/7 Cryptocurrency News11 hours ago

Dormant Ethereum Whale Returned With Donald Trump’s Win Making $30M

Law and Order12 hours ago

SEC Seeks Court Approval to Dismiss Kraken’s Major Legal Defenses

bull market13 hours ago

How Trump’s Promises Could Influence BTC $250k forecast

24/7 Cryptocurrency News14 hours ago

Polymarket Faces French Ban After Massive Bets On US Election Results

Bitcoin16 hours ago

Bitcoin (BTC) Price Hits $76K as Crypto Liquidations Soar, Coinbase (COIN) Rockets 30% Higher on Trump Sweep

Bitcoin16 hours ago

Trump victory creates over 11k new Bitcoin millionaires

Trending

    wpChatIcon