Trump’s Inaugural Fund Received $18M from Crypto Industry, Ripple Among Top Donors

In Brief:

Crypto firms and executives contributed $18M to Trump’s $239M inauguration fund.

Ripple Labs donated $4.9M, second only to food giant Pilgrim’s $5M.

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Donald Trump’s record-breaking $239 million inaugural fund received $18 million in donations from cryptocurrency companies and executives, according to Fortune and Federal Election Commission filings released April 22.

The crypto sector emerged as a significant backer of Trump’s return to the presidency, with Ripple Labs contributing nearly $4.9 million—ranking as the second-largest donor overall. Ripple continues to face regulatory pressure from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Pilgrim’s, a major poultry producer, led all contributions with a $5 million donation. Robinhood, whose platform sees substantial revenue from crypto trading, added $2 million to the total.

Other notable contributors include Coinbase, Kraken, Crypto.com, stablecoin issuer Circle, and venture capital firm Paradigm. Both Circle and Paradigm donated $1 million each, highlighting growing alignment between the crypto industry and U.S. political influence.

The influx of crypto-linked funding underscores the sector’s expanding role in American politics, especially as regulation and policy debates intensify in the lead-up to 2025.

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