Welcome to Cointelegraph’s live coverage of Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States. The crypto world is bracing for potential changes in regulation, innovation and adoption. This live blog brings you minute-by-minute updates, expert insights and commentary on how the new administration might shape the future of blockchain and digital assets.
Catch up quick
Donald Trump was sworn into office as the 47th president of the United States. His inaugural address ignored digital assets.
The White House unveiled Trump’s “America First Priorities” following the inauguration—none mentioned crypto or Bitcoin.
Trump’s first batch of executive orders he signed also didn’t include any pertaining to crypto.
SEC Commissioners Peirce, Crenshaw and Uyeda have issued an official statement on Gary Gensler’s departure as chair.
Crypto market volumes surged on Jan. 20, with Bitcoin briefly hitting all-time highs and Trump’s controversial memecoin approaching $11 billion in market cap.
Crypto absent from first batch of EOs signed by Trump
Jan. 21, 12:22 am UTC: Trump signed a slate of executive orders on stage at a post-inauguration celebration at the Capital One Arena — none were about crypto or making a Bitcoin reserve.
Instead, several executive orders were signed to address immigration, the US-Mexico border, federal workforce hiring and withdrawing from the climate change-focused Paris Agreement, which Trump claimed would save the country “trillions.”
Orders to “end the weaponization of the federal government” and restore freedom of speech were also signed.
A Trump aide said on stage that the president would be signing more executive orders through the evening in Washington, DC. Reports have said the president will sign up to 100 orders on his first day in office, with one expected to cover crypto.
Trump nominates Paul Atkins to SEC, names Mark Uyeda as acting chair
9:29 pm UTC: In one of the first official announcements by the Trump White House, the US President has officially nominated former SEC commissioner Paul Atkins to serve the remainder of former chair Gary Gensler’s term, ending in June 2026. He also chose SEC commissioner Mark Uyeda, a Republican, to serve as acting chair until the US Senate could confirm a replacement chair.
Under Gensler and Jay Clayton — the SEC chair during Trump’s first term — the regulator filed multiple enforcement actions against crypto firms, some alleging they offered and sold unregistered securities. It’s unclear what the status of these cases will be in the next administration.
Trump’s priorities don’t mention crypto
8:00 pm UTC: For all the euphoria surrounding Trump’s pro-crypto presidency, his “America First Priorities” omitted any mention of digital assets or their role in boosting American innovation and the economy.
According to a White House briefing, the key priorities of Trump’s second term include energy independence, public safety, reforming the government bureaucracy and promoting “American values.”
The briefing said all government agencies “will take emergency measures to reduce the cost of living” and that “President Trump will announce the America First Trade Policy.”
CFTC names Caroline Pham as acting chair
6:44 pm UTC: Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) member Caroline Pham will become the acting chair of the financial regulator under President Donald Trump.
In an announcement shared with Cointelegraph on Jan. 20, a representative of Commissioner Pham said she would replace former CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam temporarily until Trump could nominate a permanent head of the regulator whom the Senate could confirm.
She has been serving as a CFTC commissioner since April 2022 after being nominated by former US President Joe Biden.
Trump’s inaugural address silent on crypto
5:51 pm UTC: President Donald Trump’s first address to the nation made no mention of digital assets, disappointing those who expected the alleged pro-crypto president to address token regulations and make cryptocurrency a national priority.
In his 40-minute speech, Trump focused on immigration, declaring a national emergency at the southern border, and briefly referenced the ongoing hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. He also introduced his proposal for the so-called “External Revenue Service,” a plan to collect tariffs and duties from foreign sources.
Trump concluded his inaugural speech by asserting that under his leadership, “America will be respected again and admired again.”
SEC gives statement on Gensler’s departure
5:47 pm UTC: The US Securities and Exchange Commission issued a statement on Gary Gensler’s resignation as chair of the federal regulator.
SEC Commissioners Hester Peirce, Caroline Crenshaw and Mark Uyeda lauded Gensler for his “extensive experience and knowledge of the financial markets.”
The securities regulator’s official statement on Gensler’s exit. Source: SEC
“Although as Commissioners we approached policy issues from different perspectives, there was always dignity in our differences,” the statement read. “Chair Gensler has been committed to bipartisan engagement and a respectful exchange of ideas, which has helped facilitate our service to the American public.”
On Nov. 22, Gensler announced his intent to step down as chair shortly after Trump’s election victory. His tenure was marked by fierce battles against the crypto industry, including lawsuits against crypto exchanges Coinbase and Binance, as well as a crackdown on unregistered securities offerings.
On Dec. 4, Trump nominated the pro-crypto Paul Atkins to head the SEC as Gensler’s replacement.
Related: Biden’s crypto legacy: A mixed bag as Trump takes office
Trump is sworn into office as the 47th president
5:10 pm UTC: Trump was officially sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, making history as the second leader to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first convicted felon to hold the office.
US President Donald Trump delivers inaugural speech. Source: Donald Trump
Trump’s World Liberty Financial sells more marked-up tokens after sold-out presale
4:53 pm UTC: The Trump-backed decentralized finance (DeFi) platform World Liberty Financial announced in the early hours of Jan. 20 that it had completed the initial sale of its token, along with the offer of an additional supply at a 230% markup due to “massive demand.”
“We’ve completed our mission and sold 20% of our token supply,” World Liberty Financial said in a Jan. 20 X post. “Due to massive demand and overwhelming interest, we’ve decided to open up an additional block of 5% of token supply.”
The Trump family’s DeFi platform launched in September and initially aimed to sell 20% of the 100 billion total World Liberty Financial (WLFI) tokens it created. The project’s website shows it has now added an additional 5 billion tokens for sale at $0.05 each.
WLFI token sale announcement. Source: World Liberty Financial
On Jan. 20, rumors surfaced alleging that the platform was engaging in a TWAP (Time-Weighted Average Price) buying strategy for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).
Tech billionaires appear for inauguration
4:06 pm UTC: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook were reported to have entered St. John’s Church next to the White House as part of a pre-inauguration proceeding.
Before Trump announced his swearing-in ceremony would take place inside the US Capitol Building, several executives from cryptocurrency companies who donated to the inauguration fund were expected to attend. Reports suggest that anyone watching from the grounds of the National Mall will not be able to view the ceremony on jumbotron screens.
Trump’s pre-inauguration weekend marked by memecoin mania
3:58 pm UTC: Just days before his inauguration, Trump launched the OFFICIAL TRUMP memecoin on Solana, triggering a spike in trading volume on the blockchain.
The price of the token soared immediately after launch, reaching an all-time high above $74. Despite giving back some of its gains, the TRUMP token has a total market capitalization of around $10.8 billion in the hours before the inauguration. Trading volumes over the last 24 hours reached $41 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.
Trump token’s wild ride over the past 72 hours. Source: Gecko Terminal
The Trump memecoin has spurred allegations of insider trading amid reports that a crypto wallet was funded with $1 million in the hours before the token’s launch. The same wallet purchased $5.9 million worth of TRUMP tokens in the first minute the memecoin started trading and later sold $20 million.
Preetam Rao, CEO of Web3 security company Preetam Rao, told Cointelegraph that 10 holders own 89% of the TRUMP token’s supply.
Rao said, “We can see some insider traders involved, but I feel if the US government is supporting projects to set a roadmap for innovation in the country, maybe it’s a rug pull, but it lays the foundation for innovation.”
BTC price nears $110,000 after Trump Bitcoin reserve odds spike to 60%
3:40 pm UTC: Bitcoin spiked to new all-time highs on Jan. 20 as analysis warned of a BTC price reversal and the possibility of Trump “creating a Bitcoin reserve in first 100 days” spiked on Polymarket.
Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView confirmed a new Bitcoin (BTC) record high of $109,356 on Bitstamp.
BTC/USD 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView
Trump’s inauguration set the tone for more instability on the day. Pro-crypto policy announcements and new all-time highs had long been anticipated.
Vivek Ramaswamy to exit Trump’s DOGE task force
3:19 pm UTC: Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump’s pick to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) alongside Elon Musk, is expected to step down soon, CBS News reported on Jan. 20.
Multiple sources confirm that Ramaswamy plans to launch a campaign for Ohio governor by the end of January. His departure follows allegations of internal friction, with Musk’s allies frustrated over his lack of involvement. Sources suggest Ramaswamy was subtly encouraged to exit due to tensions with DOGE staff.
The DOGE is set to face a lawsuit alleging violations of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972. The legal action is expected to be filed shortly after President Trump’s inauguration.
Trump’s inauguration
2:23 pm UTC: Trump will take his oath of office on Jan. 20 at 12:00 pm ET. He announced last week that the Inauguration Address will take place indoors due to extreme weather caused by the “Arctic blast sweeping the country.”
“Therefore, I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather,” said Trump.
Source: Donald Trump
According to NPR, Trump’s inauguration will be attended by tech moguls Musk, Zuckerberg, Bezos, Sam Altman and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. Trump’s transition team also confirmed that Chinese Vice President Han Zheng will also attend the ceremony.