Donald Trump, who used to be skeptical about cryptocurrency, raised $25 million at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville this past weekend, according to Bitcoin Magazine CEO David Bailey.
The bulk of the money came in during a special fundraiser at the Music City Center on Saturday, right after Trump’s big speech. This event turned out to be Trump’s “second largest fundraiser ever.” Bailey mentioned that the donations came from a mix of crypto industry insiders and major investors.
The Nashville event was star-studded, with celebrities like Kid Rock, Jake Paul, and Billy Ray Cyrus in attendance, and crypto giants like Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss also showed up. Some tickets for the fundraiser cost as much as $844,600, and a photo with Trump could set you back at least $60,000.
Bailey had earlier stated that the goal was to raise $100 million and mobilize over 5 million voters for Trump’s re-election, showing strong support from the crypto community. Before the conference, Trump had already raised over $4 million through digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, and USDC, with the Winklevoss twins each donating about $1 million worth of Bitcoin.
Trump, who had previously criticized Bitcoin as being “based on thin air” and worried about its use in illegal activities, seems to have shifted his stance. His campaign has now raised a total of $216 million, with $128 million in cash, according to Federal Election Commission data.
