Donald Trump's Views on Cryptocurrencies from Past to Present

US president Donald Trump is one of the most important names for the crypto sector. Unlike other leaders, Trump frequently mentions Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies and includes cryptocurrencies in his policies. So, let’s examine what Donald Trump said about cryptocurrencies from yesterday to today.
Trump’s views on cryptocurrency have also changed over time. Trump, who called Bitcoin a “scam” in 2021, now describes himself as the “first Crypto President” and is active in the crypto sector with his family.

Controversies and Criticisms

Donald Trump’s first and clearest comment on cryptocurrencies came in July 2019. During this period, Trump has openly expressed his skepticism about cryptocurrencies. In his posts on his personal Twitter account, he implied a bubble for cryptocurrencies. Some excerpts from his statements at the time;
• “I’m not a fan of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, they are not money and their value is highly volatile and weather-based.”
• “Unregulated crypto assets can facilitate drug trafficking and other illegal activities.”
• “Facebook’s Libra Virtual Currency will have little or no credibility. If Facebook and other companies want to become banks, they will have to be subject to a new bank charter and comply with all banking regulations.”
• “In the United States, our only real currency has always been and will always be the strong and reliable US Dollar. It is by far the most dominant currency in the world and always will be.”
Although the original tweets became inaccessible after Trump’s Twitter account was suspended, these statements were widely reported at the time by many international news agencies and financial media outlets. For example, the archives of organizations such as Reuters and the BBC contain news stories referring to these tweets.

First Presidential Term: Uncertainty and Pressure

Trump continued to distance himself from cryptocurrencies throughout his first presidential term. The lack of a clear and supportive legal framework for cryptocurrencies was perceived as a negative by the sector. Although not directly negative, the lack of regulatory clarity and some restrictive decisions have had the effect of slowing the growth of the sector.
In 2018, the Trump administration banned Venezuela’s state-backed cryptocurrency, the Petro, on the grounds that it could allow Venezuela to circumvent sanctions imposed on the country. It was a decision that reflected concern that cryptocurrencies could be seen as a means of evading international sanctions.
Furthermore, regulatory bodies such as the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) have been slow to act and have generally taken a cautious approach to the classification and supervision of crypto assets. This has led to legal uncertainties in the market and worried some investors and companies.

The Biggest U-Turn in Crypto History

The first and most obvious sign of Trump’s changing views on cryptocurrencies was the launch of his own NFT collection.
Trump Digital Trading Cards NFTs, which Trump issued in December 2022 with the slogan “America needs a superhero,” came as a big surprise to many. Despite his previous skepticism about cryptocurrencies, this collection attracted a lot of attention and quickly sold out.
This step showed that Trump recognized the financial potential of digital assets and how he could leverage his brand in this space. It made a direct entry into the crypto ecosystem through NFTs.
Following the initial success, new NFT series were launched in 2023 and 2024. This constant interest proved that his perspective on crypto technologies has changed.

Crypto-Friendly Discourse Driven by Political Calculations

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Trump’s rhetoric is taking on a more crypto-friendly tone. It is during this period that the crypto community began to realize its voting potential and political influence.
Trump has started to make statements supporting cryptocurrency and blockchain technology in his campaign speeches. With the number of crypto investors on the rise, it has sought to attract this constituency to its side.
One of his most striking promises was to make the US the “crypto center of the world”. This was a radical departure from the old “not much money” view and included a commitment to creating a regulator-friendly environment.

Second Presidency and Concrete Policies

After his 2025 inauguration, Trump’s positive stance on cryptocurrencies has translated into concrete policy steps.

November 2024 - Appointment of Howard Lutnick

He chose Howard Lutnick as Secretary of Commerce. Lutnick was known to have significant personal holdings in cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin. This appointment was a strong signal that the Trump administration is building a crypto-friendly staff and will take steps to support the growth of the sector.

December 2024 - The Promise of “Something Wonderful”

Trump stated that they will “do a great thing about cryptocurrencies” and that the US wants to be a leader in this field. This statement further cemented the former president’s support for the crypto industry.

January 2025 - Bitcoin Ordinals NFT Collection

He launched the new NFT collection “Trump Bitcoin Digital Trading Cards” using the Ordinals protocol on the Bitcoin network. The move was an indication of his interest not only in the overall crypto ecosystem, but also in Bitcoin’s technical innovations.

January 2025 - “Crypto Center of the World” Promise and Executive Appointments

After his re-election to the presidency, he reiterated his promise to make the US “the crypto center of the world”. He also emphasized that he would appoint “crypto-friendly” names to the economic administration. This was a clear statement of intent to create a more regulatory friendly environment for the crypto industry.

January 2025 - Presidential Decree

In his first week in office, he signed a Presidential Decree aimed at supporting the growth of the US crypto sector and encouraging the responsible growth of digital asset and blockchain technology. This decree showed an acknowledgment of the overall potential of blockchain technology, rather than just NFTs or individual investments.

$TRUMP Token

The $TRUMP meme coin was launched on January 17, 2025, three days before the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. Originally hosted on the Solana blockchain platform, the coin was promoted as the official cryptocurrency of Donald Trump and was created in collaboration with CIC Digital LLC and the Trump Organization called Fight Fight Fight LLC.
Just hours after its launch, its market capitalization soared to over $5.5 billion, and by January 19, it had risen to $9.36 billion. Melania Trump’s posts about her meme coin $MELANIA on X further fueled this trend.
But this interest did not last long. Its price, which peaked at 75 dollars in January, fell below 8 dollars in April. At the time of writing, it is trading around 9.25 dollars.

Crypto State Strategy

March 2025 (March 3) - Crypto Reserve Announcement

With the goal of making the US the “Capital of the Crypto World”, Trump announced that the reserve will not only be limited to Bitcoin, but will also include other major cryptocurrencies such as Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Ripple (XRP) and Ethereum (ETH). This showed his broad perspective on the crypto ecosystem.

March 2025 (March 6) - Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Decree

President Trump signed a historic Executive Order establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the US Digital Asset Stockpiling System. This decree had the potential to recognize Bitcoin as a national reserve asset and enable the government to hold Bitcoin for this purpose. This was a crucial step in the integration of cryptocurrencies into the traditional financial system.

March 2025 - Regulatory Softening

Two federal banking regulators, the OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency) and the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation), announced that banks no longer need prior authorization to engage in cryptocurrency activities. This regulatory relief was a move that would accelerate the growth of the sector by making it easier for banks to offer crypto services.

March 2025 - Digital Asset Summit

Trump organized a “Digital Asset Summit” at the White House, attended by representatives of major American crypto companies. This summit aimed to strengthen the dialog between the government and the crypto industry and set a common roadmap.

April 2025 - Deployment of the National Cryptocurrency Implementation Team

The US Department of Justice has disbanded the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), citing a Trump order that allows citizens to access blockchain networks without prosecution. This was an important step towards reducing regulatory pressure and encouraging innovation in the crypto space.

June 2025 - Crypto ETF Move by Trump Media

Trump Media and Technology Group Corp., the operator of the Trump-owned Truth Social platform, announced that it has filed its first registration statement for Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This indicated Trump’s intention to accelerate the integration of his own companies into the crypto market.

Conclusion

Trump’s unfavorable views on cryptocurrencies have essentially changed with the commercial interest that began with the launch of NFT collectibles. This beginning was later reinforced by his realization of the political power of the crypto community during his presidential campaign and finally culminated in concrete policies and regulatory steps during his second presidential term. This transformation is the result of both pragmatic political calculations and a better understanding of the financial and technological potential of digital assets.