In a historic pivot, the Trump administration unveiled plans for a U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve, naming Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA) as its core holdings. This bold move—part of an executive order titled “Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology” —propelled the selected cryptocurrencies to immediate double-digit gains, while critics questioned the motives behind the controversial picks.
Bitcoin and Ethereum emerged as the backbone of the reserve, with Trump declaring they’d sit “at the heart” of U.S. crypto holdings. Bitcoin surged 11% to $94,164 post-announcement, while Ethereum jumped 13% to $2,516. Analysts attribute their dominance to Bitcoin’s “digital gold” status and Ethereum’s smart contract ecosystem, which powers decentralized apps globally.