Is Trump the first crypto-president?

Yes. In the worst possible way.

Donald Trump promised to make the US the ‘crypto capital’ of the world. Given crypto is full of chancers, snake-oil merchants, and hot air, let no-one say Donald hasn’t delivered. Promises made, promises kept!

It’s been a couple of months since he took over, and here’s the rundown of exactly what he’s achieved.

Releases top crypto criminal mastermind

Within days of assuming office, Donald Trump pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who’d been convicted in 2015 for distributing narcotics, computer hacking and money laundering. For two years Ulbricht ran the world’s first functioning dark net market – which relied on bitcoin as the payment mechanism – during which he made millions and disrupted the entire drugs eco-system. But Ross was also a hero to libertarians and crypto-bros: so despite having done more than almost anyone to enable fentanyl to enter the US, Donald Trump set him free. There are now rumours notorious FTX scammer Sam Bankman-Fried is next. In a bizarre interview from prison with Tucker Carlson, he appeared to suggest he’s been lobbying Trump for it.

Oh and Justin Sun, a crypto-businessman who put $75 million into one of Trump’s earlier crypto projects,suddenly found that federal regulators are pausing their civil fraud case against him. Much coincidence! Many wow!

Launches dodgy coins which rips everyone off

Just before inauguration in January, Trump released a new cryptocoin, called TRUMP, which he pushed on his various social accounts. The price surged of course, from nothing to $75. And then, just like a Tsunami, it quickly receded again.