Trump Crowned Crypto Person of the Year; BTC Dives to $87K
Trump named “Crypto Person of the Year” as bitcoin ends 2025 at $87,000 after a volatile cycle
Donald Trump has been named “Crypto Person of the Year” following a year in which he publicly championed the cryptocurrency industry while his family’s crypto ventures expanded, drawing renewed scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest.
Trump, the majority shareholder of Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), spent the campaign pledging to be a “crypto president,” helping bring the sector further into mainstream political debate. His posture marked a sharp change from earlier comments: in 2021 he said cryptocurrency “seems like a scam” and later called it a “disaster waiting to happen,” before adopting a more supportive stance during his campaign to return to office.
That political shift coincided with a strong run in the market. Bitcoin nearly doubled from when Trump was elected in November 2024 to an all-time high of around $126,000 per coin in October. But the rally proved fragile.
The October peak was short-lived. Bitcoin fell just days later after Trump announced 100% tariffs on China on 12 October, a move that sent shockwaves through markets. The broader crypto market saw $19 billion liquidated in 24 hours, described as the largest liquidation event on record.
By year-end, prices had not recovered to the highs many prominent industry voices had predicted. At midnight on Dec. 31, bitcoin ended the year at $87,000. The following month brought renewed strength, with bitcoin rallying to $102,000 in early January, underscoring the market’s ongoing volatility even after the sharp reversal.
Trump’s involvement in crypto is not limited to messaging. His family’s company, World Liberty Financial, has been highlighted as directly benefiting him and as an example of an unprecedented mixing of private enterprise and government policy, according to the information provided.
TMTG has also moved deeper into digital assets. The company said it would issue a new cryptocurrency to shareholders with unnamed perks, a development that pushed TMTG shares higher. The planned token would add to a growing set of Trump-linked crypto initiatives that have generated hundreds of millions of dollars, while raising questions about how closely business incentives and public policy are intertwined.
Other data points show that not all Trump-associated crypto positions performed well over the year. The crypto holdings associated with a public wallet address attributed to President Trump declined by approximately $9.22 million in 2025, according to the information provided.
Separately, Trump has denied certain personal connections within the industry. In a 60 Minutes interview, he dismissed any personal connection to Zhao.
For the crypto market, the episode illustrates how quickly macro policy announcements can spill into digital assets, particularly during heavily leveraged periods. For Washington, it adds a new layer to a familiar debate: how to manage conflicts of interest and transparency when senior political figures simultaneously advocate for an industry and benefit from related private ventures.
