Trump proposes a strategic national crypto stockpile; Bitcoin 2024 organizers say they were in talks to have Kamala Harris appear, but she ultimately declined

NASHVILLE — Former President Donald Trump said that if he were returned to the White House, he would ensure that the federal government never sells off its bitcoin holdings.

CNBC 2024-07-29 MacKenzie Sigalos

Context & Ripple Effects

The Nashville appearance paired a pledge to retain federal bitcoin holdings with a broader crypto-focused campaign message; related conference coverage also described promises to make the US a crypto leader and replace the SEC chair. That broader policy pitch at Bitcoin 2024 made the stockpile proposal more than a standalone conference line.

The proposal became part of a longer policy arc: subsequent reporting described planned executive action and industry input on a bitcoin stockpile, followed by an executive order creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile using forfeited assets.

First-order effects

Trump’s campaign gives bitcoin holders and the conference’s industry audience a clear political commitment: federal bitcoin holdings would be retained rather than sold if he returned to office.
Kamala Harris’s decision not to appear leaves the event’s visible political engagement centered on Trump, while no federal holdings policy changes at the time of the proposal.

Second-order effects

Crypto firms and advocates gain a concrete policy benchmark for evaluating candidates and pressing campaigns on custody, sales of seized assets, and the federal government’s role in crypto markets.
The contrast in conference participation increases pressure on rival campaigns to clarify whether they will engage the crypto sector, even if they reject a reserve-style approach.

Third-order effects

If such pledges translate into policy, forfeited digital assets could shift from being treated chiefly as assets to liquidate toward being managed as strategic public holdings.
This is a data point in crypto’s legitimacy gap narrowing through electoral and state policy: industry influence increasingly turns on whether governments treat digital assets as a regulated market, a strategic asset class, or both.

The trend: Crypto policy is moving from a narrow enforcement debate toward competition over whether governments should actively steward digital-asset holdings.

Discussion

@martinsfp @martinsfp on threads
Haha. Crypto is: — 1. clunky tech that needs a lot of work — 2. sometimes a way to get rich quick — 3. libertarian blah — It's only really 2 that makes anyone pay attention — Quantum tech is far more interesting than crypto — RE: https://www.threads.net/...
@ianb@mastodon.well.com Ian Betteridge on mastodon
This would, of course, make a lot of Trump's billionaire techbro weasel backers even more rich. — https://www.cnbc.com/...
@bitcoinpierre Pierre Rochard on x
BREAKING: Democrat politicians have written a letter to the DNC, asking the party to pivot away from the anti-bitcoin policies of Elizabeth Warren. This is likely in response to polling data, the GOP pro-bitcoin policies, and President Trump speaking at @TheBitcoinConf [image]
@tyler Tyler Winklevoss on x
In June, @cameron and I were invited to a crypto round table in DC with the White House in attendance. Two weeks later, we were disinvited because we publicly endorsed @realDonaldTrump . The Biden-Harris Administration did not want us there and refused to attend the event if we…
@matthewstoller Matt Stoller on x
Elizabeth Warren's one goal is to not have another financial crisis and the collective response seems to be that she's such a mean teacher for wanting to stop their completely legitimate gambling and money laundering operation.
@holden_culotta Holden Culotta on x
RFK Jr. pledges FOUR executive orders related to Bitcoin on day 1 as President: 1. “I will sign an executive order directing the US Treasury to purchase 550 Bitcoin daily until the US has built a reserve of at least 4 million Bitcoin” 2. “I [will] sign an executive order ... [vid…
@said_mitch @said_mitch on x
Kamala will feel the pain when the bitcoin community donates several hundred million dollars to Trump. No wait, 5 million dollars. No, a trillion. Actually $16.48
@yueqi_yang Yueqi Yang on x
Last crypto pledge from Trump: his government will hold 100% of all bitcoin currently owned by US into the future, as part of strategic national bitcoin stockpile.
@teroterotero Tero Kuittinen on x
It's all so dumb it's stunning. Just the stupidity. And they are applauding this eagerly.
@acyn @acyn on x
Trump: Staple Stable Coin [video]
r/marketpredictors r on reddit
Trump proposes strategic national crypto stockpile: ‘Never sell your bitcoin’
r/centrist r on reddit
Trump proposes strategic national crypto stockpile: ‘Never sell your bitcoin’
r/Bitcoin r on reddit
Trump proposes strategic national crypto stockpile: ‘Never sell your bitcoin’
r/politics r on reddit
Trump proposes strategic national crypto stockpile: ‘Never sell your bitcoin’
r/wallstreetbets r on reddit
Trump proposes strategic national crypto stockpile: ‘Never sell your bitcoin’
r/Buttcoin r on reddit
Trump, easily the dumbest man to ever run for President, proposes strategic national crypto stockpile: ‘Never sell your bitcoin’
@wileynickelnc Congressman Wiley Nickel on threads
Fact check: Did I tell a crowd full of Trump supporters that Trump is “totally full of sh-t”? Answer: Yes I did https://www.theblock.co/...
@tomgara Tom Gara on x
I don't mind the idea of the government being less hostile to Bitcoin and maybe even pro-Bitcoin, but the fact that one of the big asks of the Bitcoin lobbyists appears to be that the government should buy 70 billion dollars worth of Bitcoin is so insane https://www.coindesk.com/…
@apompliano Anthony Pompliano on x
President Trump is at the Bitcoin Conference rattling off all the bitcoin supporters in attendance who hold positions of power and influence. This feels like an awakening of the political class to the new digital world.
@molly0xfff Molly White on x
lol trump promising not to sell bitcoin seized from criminal activity and portraying it as a strategic reserve (after RFK's promise) and then *immediately* describing that very same bitcoin he plans to hold as bitcoin that was unfairly seized from “you” (the audience)
@literaryeric Eric Nelson on x
Well, if Donald Trump likes Bitcoin, it must really be the completely legitimate business everyone keeps saying it is.
@balajis Balaji on x
AMERICA AND BITCOIN A historical speech. Here is Donald Trump's full speech at the Bitcoin Conference with timestamps and transcript. TIMESTAMPS 1:36 - Shoutouts to David Bailey, Winklevosses, Michael Saylor, Cathie Wood, Ron Paul and Rand Paul, Vivek, and the victims of the [vid…
@kbandersen Kurt Andersen on x
A Few Questions for Trump •What is crypto? •Why are you so enthusiastic—how does it help the U.S. economy long-term or most Americans? •Why should the U.S. government create a “strategic national Bitcoin stockpile”? •Have you invested in it? https://www.nytimes.com/... [image]
@molly0xfff Molly White on x
Trump signs off with “Have a good time with your bitcoin and your crypto and everything else you're playing with”
@molly0xfff Molly White on x
the trump speech seems to be going well [image]
@kelsientaggart Kelsie Taggart on x
This was Donald Trump biggest applause line of his speech and it's a complete lie.
@acyn @acyn on x
Trump: Most of the Bitcoin currently held by the government was obtained through law enforcement action. You know that they took it from you. Let's take that guy's life. His Bitcoin, we'll turn it into Bitcoin. It's been taken away from you.. It's a fascist regime. [video]
@american_bridge @american_bridge on x
Trump can't remove Gary Gensler from the SEC. No president can fire the appointed commissioners. [video]
@ronfilipkowski Ron Filipkowski on x
He said this was going to happen in 2021. Then he said it was going to happen in 2022, Then again in 2023. Then again in 2024. Now it's next year apparently, although not one real economist in the world would agree.
@acyn @acyn on x
Trump on Bitcoin: And I don't think you've ever seen anything like it. And most people have no idea what the hell it is. You know that, right? So what happens when they figure it out? That's going to really be something [video]
@acyn @acyn on x
Trump: You're going to be crushed if you don't elect me. I hate to tell you. You don't elect me, you're going to be crushed... [video]
@acyn @acyn on x
Trump: It will be the policy of my administration. United States of America, to keep 100% of all the Bitcoin the U.S. Government currently holds or acquires into the future. This will serve as the National Bitcoin Stockpile [video]
@acyn @acyn on x
Trump: if they win this election, every one of you will be gone. They will be vicious, they will be ruthless. They will do things that you wouldn't believe. But right now, because of me, they're leaving you alone. So please say thank you. [video]
@teroterotero Tero Kuittinen on x
Imagine all those brainy Bitcoin boys sitting there, realizing what they are supporting
@acyn @acyn on x
Trump: We will be creating so much electricity that you'll be saying, please, please, president, we don't want any more electricity. We can't stand it. You'll be begging me. No more electricity, sir. We have enough. We have enough. [video]

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