Connect with us

Published

on

Zenefits CEO David Sacks speaks at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco, Calif.

Paul Chinn | San Francisco Chronicle | Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

Venture investor and podcaster David Sacks will join the Trump administration as the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar,” President-elect Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Thursday.

Sacks will guide the administration’s policies for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, Trump wrote. Some of that work includes creating a legal framework for crypto, as well as leading a presidential council of advisors on science and technology.

“David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump wrote. “He will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.”

The appointment signals that the second Trump administration is rewarding Silicon Valley figures who supported his campaign. It also indicates that the administration will push for policies that cryptocurrency entrepreneurs generally support.

Sacks became a major Trump booster earlier this year, hosting a fundraiser for the then-Republican nominee at his San Francisco mansion. Tickets sold for $50,000 a head, with a $300,000 tier that included perks like a photo with Trump.

It was a stark change of tone for Sacks, who was sharply critical of Trump after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Sacks said on an episode of his All-In podcast soon after that Trump was “clearly” responsible for the events of Jan. 6, and that he had “disqualified himself from being a candidate at a national level.”

In July, Sacks spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Sacks is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur who sold Yammer, to Microsoft for $1.2 billion in 2012. He’s also affiliated with the “PayPal mafia,” an unofficial club of prominent technology figures and investors, including Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, who worked at PayPal in the 1990s.

In recent years, Sacks has been best known for hosting the All-In podcast alongside fellow investors Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, and David Friedberg. In his post, Trump called it the “top podcast in Tech, where he and his friends discuss economic, political and social issues.”

Continue Reading

Technology

Bitcoin jumps to new record above $109,000 as traders cheer Trump inauguration, meme coins

Published

on

By

Bitcoin jumps to new record above 9,000 as traders cheer Trump inauguration, meme coins

Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Bitcoin hit a new all-time high overnight after the incoming first couple launched a pair of meme coins and as traders await the inauguration of incoming President Donald Trump.

On Monday the flagship cryptocurrency was last higher by nearly 1% at $106,622.54, according to Coin Metrics. Earlier, it rose as high as $109,350.72, after briefly dipping below the $100,000 mark Sunday.

Stock Chart IconStock chart icon

hide content

Bitcoin hits a new record ahead of Trump inauguration

Over the weekend, Trump launched the “Official Trump” meme coin, which has risen to a $10.6 billion market cap and surged more than 659% since Friday night, according to data from CoinGecko and Coinbase. On Monday it was down about 27% from its record price of around $73 a coin, after returning First Lady Melania Trump launched her own “Melania” meme coin Sunday — nearly halving the Trump coin in value at one point.

Melania Meme, which began trading Sunday evening, has hit a $1.3 billion market cap and 14% price increase since its launch. It has attracted $7.3 billion in trading volumes over the last day, compared to the Trump meme’s $31 billion.

Although meme coins are considered the riskiest corner of the already risky cryptocurrency market, the Trumps’ coin launches over the weekend gave traders further conviction that the incoming administration will be positive for the industry.

“The move highlights President Trump’s embrace of crypto and belief that Americans should have the freedom to operate in the emerging asset class,” said Joel Kruger, market strategist at LMAX.

“There is a logic here that would suggest that putting a stamp of approval on what could be perceived as the wildest of crypto assets, meme coins, is the best way to send a message of just how supportive the market should expect the administration to be when it comes to embracing crypto and making America a major player in the space.”

Noelle Acheson, economist and author of the “Crypto is Macro Now” newsletter, echoed that sentiment, calling the meme drops net positive and “a sign he is very much in favor of new ideas [and] new markets.”

Bitcoin started gaining steam last week as speculation started to build that Trump might announce an executive order on crypto early in his new term. Gracy Chen, CEO crypto exchange Bitget, said that optimism is having a greater effect on its price.

“Rumors that cryptocurrency may be declared a national interest by the United States during the inauguration are having a positive effect on the price of bitcoin,” she told CNBC. “I don’t believe the rise in bitcoin’s price is due to the launch of new meme tokens. Rather … without the release of the Trump family tokens, bitcoin’s price would have grown more. Instead, capital shifted to new coins, limiting overall growth.”

The broader crypto market, as measured by the CoinDesk 20 index, fell 1% on Monday and has gained less than 1% since Saturday. The token tied to Solana is down more than 7% on Monday but up 15% since Saturday, benefitting from the Trump meme coin being launched on the popular Ethereum alternative network. Ether has lost 5% since Saturday.

Bitcoin’s new record opens the door to a possible upside extension to $130,000, LMAX’s Kruger added.

Don’t miss these cryptocurrency insights from CNBC Pro:

Continue Reading

Technology

TSMC is confident its CHIPS Act funding will continue under Trump, says CFO Wendell Huang

Published

on

By

TSMC is confident its CHIPS Act funding will continue under Trump, says CFO Wendell Huang

TSMC Arizona’s first chip fab on November 7, 2024

Katie Tarasov

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has accused Taiwan of “stealing” his country’s chip industry. But Taiwan’s biggest chip company is confident the Trump administration will continue funding its projects in the U.S.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co has been promised $6.6 billion under the Joe Biden administration’s CHIPS and Science ACT to help build three cutting-edge chip fabrication plants in Arizona as part of U.S. efforts to onshore chip manufacturing.

Speaking to CNBC’s Emily Tan in an exclusive interview, TSMC Chief Financial Officer Wendell Huang said the funding was expected to continue to roll in gradually under Trump as the fabrication plants pass construction and production milestones. 

“As a matter of fact, in the fourth quarter, we already received the first batch of government support,” Haung said, revealing the contract chip manufacturer had got $1.5 billion in funds. 

Following some production delays, the first fabrication plant in Arizona started producing advanced chips in the fourth quarter of last year, Huang said. He added that the construction of two plants in Arizona was on track, with the second expected to be operational in 2028.

TSMC’s first investment in Arizona was announced in May 2020, with the company’s total investment in the its three projects there eventually standing at over $65 billion.

TSMC is the 'only game in town' for AI chips: Analyst

Much of the investments were committed after the Biden administration signed the bipartisan CHIPS Act in August 2022, committing almost $53 billion to invest in the domestic semiconductor supply chain and counter China.

While the incoming President is also expected to make competition with China and onshoring manufacturing a priority in his second term, there has been debate as to whether Trump and the Republican-led House would re-examine the CHIPS Act. 

During his campaign for the White House, Trump publicly criticized the bill and its price tag, arguing instead that tariffs were a more effective strategy to onshore chip manufacturing. The President-elect also accused Taiwan of “stealing” U.S. chip business.

However, industry experts have told CNBC that they expect Trump to leave the policy mostly intact due to its bipartisan support in Washington. 

TSMC on Thursday reported record profit for the fourth quarter on strong demand for its AI chips, sending its shares up nearly 4%. Shares closed 1.36% higher on Friday.

In an earnings call following the esults, CEO and Chairman C.C. Wei highlighted TSMC’s “long-standing and good relationship” with the U.S. government and the commitment and support it has received on the federal, state and city levels. 

“Let me assure you that we have a very frank and open communication with the current government and with the future one also,” he said in response to an investor question. 

On Thursday, Wei also said that the company would not attend Trump’s inauguration as it prefers to keep a low profile.

Continue Reading

Technology

TikTok restoring U.S. service after Trump provided ‘assurance’

Published

on

By

TikTok restoring U.S. service after Trump provided ‘assurance’

Dado Ruvic | Reuters

TikTok was available to some U.S. users on Sunday after President-elect Donald Trump said that he would sign an executive order on Monday to delay a federal ban of the app.

In a statement on X, the company wrote that it would bring back access to its American users.

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service,” TikTok wrote. “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”

The decision is “a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship,” the company added. “We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”

This came after Trump wrote on his social media app Truth Social he would “issue an executive order on Monday” to extend the period of time before the ban was set to take place.

“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” Trump wrote on Sunday morning.

Although TikTok was shut down for American users late Saturday night, and also removed from Apple and Google’s app stores, some were able to log on to the platform on Sunday through their desktops.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Continue Reading

Trending