Key Points
- Donald Trump’s return as US President in 2025 marks a significant shift in crypto policy.
- Under Trump’s administration, Bitcoin’s price soared, and the crypto industry experienced significant growth.
Donald Trump was officially inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025. He reclaimed the White House after defeating Kamala Harris in the November 2024 elections.
His return signifies a major shift in US policy, particularly for the crypto industry, which has faced years of regulatory uncertainty under previous administrations.
Impact of Trump’s Victory on Crypto
Since Trump’s decision to run for US president for the second time, the crypto industry has seen significant changes. The prospect of a crypto-friendly administration reinvigorated the industry, pushing Bitcoin to new heights after two years of a seemingly unrecoverable downturn.
Before Trump’s victory against Harris in November, Bitcoin traded around $68,000. However, the leading crypto asset shot up above $100,000, with analysts attributing Trump’s victory as a primary contributor to the performance. Bitcoin’s price reached $109,000 for the first time in history.
During his campaign, Trump promised to transform the United States into a global hub for crypto innovation. At the Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, he expressed his intention to make America “the crypto capital of the planet and the Bitcoin superpower of the world.” He also pledged to reduce regulatory burdens on the crypto industry and halt the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) enforcement actions against crypto firms.
He proposed integrating Bitcoin into the US Strategic Reserve alongside traditional assets like Treasury bills. Recently, he introduced a proposal to approve exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for cryptocurrencies such as XRP and SOL, aiming to provide more investment avenues and enhance market legitimacy for participants.
Leadership Changes at the SEC
In line with his pro-crypto stance, President Trump initiated significant leadership changes at the SEC. On January 20, 2025, SEC Chair Gary Gensler stepped down from his position, which began in April 2021.
Under Gensler’s leadership, the SEC aggressively pursued enforcement actions, making it increasingly difficult for crypto firms to operate in the US. His departure signals a potential end to this adversarial stance.
To foster a more supportive regulatory atmosphere, President Trump appointed Mark Uyeda as acting chair of the SEC, according to Reuters. The new chair has pledged to rewrite the SEC’s story towards the industry.
Before now, Trump had nominated Paul Atkins to run the agency and take over from Gensler. Furthermore, the administration has placed crypto advocates in key regulatory positions, indicating a commitment to integrating digital assets into the broader financial system.
In November, Trump appointed former SEC Chair Jay Clayton to serve as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan. Clayton, who previously served as SEC Chair from 2017 to 2020, is recognized for his balanced approach to regulation and openness to financial innovation. His reappointment is anticipated to signal a shift towards more crypto-friendly policies innovation within the industry.
Institutional Adoption and Market Response
In addition to all the positive changes so far, the industry has also experienced a significant influx of institutional investors through Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Last month, spot Bitcoin ETFs crossed $129 billion in assets under management, surpassing gold ETFs for the first time, with firms like BlackRock, Fidelity, and ARK Invest leading the charge.
Trump’s re-emergence as the 47th US president has also seen many corporate entities enter the crypto sector. Companies like Rumble and Metaplanet embrace Bitcoin as a treasury reserve.
With a pro-crypto administration now in place, the industry stands at a turning point. Whether Trump’s policies will fully deliver on his promises remains to be seen, but for now, the crypto market is surging with optimism.