Trump’s first White House Crypto Summit has VIPs pushing for favorable laws
Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, slammed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He also said the cryptocurrency exchange is looking to invest more outside of the U.S.
Carlos Jasso | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Now that President Trump has announced plans for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, crypto industry leaders can focus on what else they want to hear from the new administration on Friday.
Just over six weeks into his second White House term, Trump is hosting his first Crypto Summit, a nod to an industry that played a major role in his election victory in November. No executive was more central to that effort than Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.
Once a Silicon Valley entrepreneur focused on onboarding the world to digital assets, Armstrong has spent the last year transforming himself into crypto’s ambassador in Washington, D.C., funneling millions into elections, building alliances, and ensuring the digital currencies market has a seat at the table.
“My goal in attending this is really just, first of all, to thank President Trump for helping make the United States the crypto capital of the world,” Armstrong told CNBC ahead of the meeting. “I think he’s lived up to that campaign promise so far, and we’ve seen a lot of work getting done here in a positive way.”
Joining Armstrong at Friday’s summit, which is being led by White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, will be Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, and Chainlink’s Sergey Nazarov, among others. They’re planning to discuss digital asset regulation as well as the mechanics of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which Trump announced late Thursday by way of executive order.
Armstrong, whose company helped the crypto sector raise and direct $250 million into the 2024 election cycle, outpacing Wall Street banks and the oil industry, has been instrumental in shaping the new administration’s approach to digital assets. Crypto’s push to unseat opposition lawmakers and install pro-crypto candidates paid off handsomely, flipping key seats and cementing the sector as a major political force in Washington.
Several million dollars were funneled directly to Trump’s campaign and inaugural fund, a sign of just how much was riding on his victory.
At Friday’s summit, Armstrong says his top priority will be pushing forward new laws.
“From our point of view, the next step in the United States that’s the most urgent is getting legislation passed,” he said. He specifically pointed to stablecoin regulation and broader market structure reforms.
Momentum for regulatory clarity is already shifting in crypto’s favor. The Senate this week voted, with strong bipartisan support, to overturn two Biden-era regulations that the industry opposed. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, called the wins a gateway for more comprehensive legislation.
Crypto’s wish list
For Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink, a key issue is how the U.S. can use blockchain technology to maintain its dominance in global finance.
“Really what matters for financial systems is assets,” said Nazarov, whose company provides a blockchain-based platform for digital assets. “Does the U.S. generate the largest collection of the best base assets that are then wrapped, rewrapped, and repackaged by others? That’s how I define global leadership of a financial system in this new model.”
Nazarov said the U.S. must ensure that key financial markets – treasuries, investment funds, and real estate – are tokenized. He sees that as the defining financial shift of the next 50 years, similar to the move from paper-based markets to internet-based financial products.
Robinhood’s Tenev has emerged as one of the most vocal advocates for tokenization, arguing that blockchain technology can democratize private markets and break down barriers to investment in the world’s most valuable companies. In a Washington Post op-ed, he pointed out that companies like OpenAI, SpaceX, and Stripe are worth hundreds of billions of dollars combined but remain inaccessible to everyday investors, with profits concentrated among a small group of insiders.
“Crypto technology can unlock new ways to trade and invest in all assets, from digital to real-world,” he told CNBC ahead of the event. “Tokenization will transform investing, but we need regulatory clarity to make it happen.”
Under current SEC rules, only accredited investors, people with over $1 million in net worth or $200,000 in annual income, can participate in private markets. Tenev says that reforming these outdated rules and creating a security token registration framework would level the playing field for retail investors, giving them access to high-growth opportunities that have long been reserved for venture capitalists.
Robinhood CEO and co-founder Vlad Tenev and co-founder Baiju Bhatt pose with Robinhood signage on Wall Street after the company’s initial public offering in New York City on July 29, 2021.
Andrew Kelly | Reuters
Prior to Thursday’s executive order, the big debate in the industry was what kind of strategic reserve Trump would propose. The announcement ends speculation over whether the reserve would include multiple cryptocurrencies. While Trump’s initial post on Truth Social named five tokens — bitcoin, ether, XRP, Solana’s SOL token and Cardano’s ADA coin — the final order limits the reserve to bitcoin.
SOL, ether and bitcoin all fell around 5% late Thursday, while ADA plunged nearly 12%.
The order marks the U.S. government’s first formal recognition of bitcoin as a strategic asset. The reserve will be funded exclusively through bitcoin seized in criminal and civil forfeiture cases, ensuring taxpayers bear no financial burden.
Non-bitcoin assets will be placed in a separate Digital Asset Stockpile managed by the Treasury Department.
Nic Carter of Castle Island Ventures said the decision cements bitcoin’s status as a global asset, “somewhere in the realm of gold.”
Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley, who will also be at Friday’s summit, called the development “a huge moment for both crypto and American leadership on the global stage.”
“By holding bitcoin and other digital assets for the long term, the White House is taking a future-forward approach to bolstering American economic competitiveness — not just for the decade ahead, but for the next century,” said McCauley.
The bitcoin audit
For David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc. and one of the key figures credited with influencing Trump’s embrace of bitcoin, the priority is understanding the size of the country’s bitcoin ownership.
“One is to figure out how much bitcoin America holds, and what we can do as an industry to help the government secure it,” he said.
The Treasury Department must now conduct a full audit of the government’s holdings, estimated at 200,000 bitcoin. Sacks confirmed that the government will not sell any bitcoin from the reserve, positioning it as a permanent store of value.
Bailey, who convinced Trump to keynote the biggest bitcoin conference of the year in Nashville in July, is also pushing for bitcoin-backed Treasury bonds, arguing that integrating bitcoin into the U.S. debt system could strengthen the country’s balance sheet and attract more buyers.
“If we mix bitcoin reserves with U.S. bonds, we could create significant demand by giving investors exposure to bitcoin’s performance,” he said.
Armstrong told CNBC that Coinbase would “absolutely” step up to be a crypto custodian for the government in the context of a national reserve, adding that the company already works with various parts of the government on crypto custody and trading.
“We’re always happy to continue doing that,” Armstrong said.
Ryan Gilbert, a fintech investor, said the reserve will send a strong message to institutions that bitcoin is here to stay.
“We’re also seeing that this is going to be the mirror image of a lot of corporations that have looked at their treasuries and started to invest in bitcoin,” he said, pointing to Saylor and Strategy as early adopters. “I think this will spark a whole new wave of confidence in the asset, both from corporations and the U.S. government.”
Saylor’s company has amassed a roughly $43 billion stash of bitcoin, accounting for almost all of its market cap.
“I think this executive order is well considered and auspicious for the United States, the crypto industry, and bitcoin,” Saylor told CNBC.
The move faces some pressure from Democrats. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, sent a letter to Sacks ahead of the meeting, raising conflict-of-interest concerns and questioning whether Sacks had advance knowledge of Trump’s Truth Social post that initially floated a multi-coin strategic reserve.
Warren called on Sacks to disclose any financial holdings in bitcoin, ether, solana, and other assets included in the reserve, noting that his firm, Craft Ventures, was heavily invested in these tokens through Bitwise as of Jan. 1. She also pressed for public disclosure of his government ethics filings, which, as an unpaid special government employee, he has to file but isn’t required to make public.
Sacks said this week on X that he sold “all my cryptocurrency and my crypto-focused funds” before joining the administration.
After the summit, many of the attendees will regroup at an off-the-record event hosted by Coinbase, along with invited members of the administration. Armstrong is gearing up to play the long game.
“The fight for crypto here is more urgent than ever,” Armstrong said. “If the U.S. leads on this front, I think the rest of the G20 could be pretty inspired by it, and that has a lot of domino effects downstream.”
The feces-filled freight train of dystopian horrors rolls on with the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill and the untimely demise of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. But if you’re ready to pull the trigger on a new EV this month, you’re in luck! There are plenty of great options with zero interest financing to choose from … and one with zero interest in general.
You know how we usually do these lists – some pictures, a few punchy paragraphs, and an invitation to explore local deals.
We’re doing things a little differently this month. Instead of brief write-ups, we’re highlighting the most significant 0% deal of the month (yes, that is largely opinion-based – thanks for noticing), and an “honorable mention” that doesn’t quite fit the 0% EV deal template … but might still be worth checking out.
Enough talk! Here are the deals.
Most significant new 0% offer
Demand for Tesla Cybertrucks has been a long, long way from the “conservative” 250,000 per year projections Elon was making just a few years ago. Demand for the low-poly electric pickup is so dismal, in fact, that Tesla is offering 0% financing on a new Cybertruck for up to 60 months – if you’re willing to spring for the company’s Full Self Driving (Supervised) level 2 ADAS.
Not quite a 0% EV deal
Don’t act surprised – my Twitter handle is VolvoJo, after all, and I’m on my fifth consecutive long-roof Swede as I type this. As such, when trying out a new format for this monthly column it made perfect sense to check out the Ironmark’s offers … and I found a good one: a new, not perfect but getting there seven-passenger EX90 at 1.99% financing plus $1,000 in “Summer Safety Bonus Cash.”
Is zero interest financing good enough to overcome the fact that most people seem to have zero interest in buying a CT these days? Is the Volvo worth a look at 1.99% with an additional $1,000 cash back? Let us know your take in the comments – but before you do that, check out the full list of 0% interest EV deals for July 2025 and click the links for additional local deals.
July 0% interest EV deals
Disclaimer: the vehicle models and financing deals above were sourced from CarsDirect, CarEdge, and (where mentioned) the OEM websites – and were current as of 07JUL2025. These deals may not be available in every market, with every discount, or for every buyer (the standard “with approved credit” fine print should be considered implied).
Check with your local dealer(s) for more information.
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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The new Lectric XP Trike2, just unveiled today, is the hands-down winner in the best-bang-for-your-buck category of electric trikes. And as perhaps the longest-running electric bike reviewer in the industry, I can say that with confidence. I’ve seen a lot of electric bikes in my time. I’ve spent a lot of butt-in-saddle hours on e-trikes. But I’ve never before seen a value like this roll by on three wheels.
As an able-bodied, mid-30s electric bike rider (and writer), I’ll be the first to say that electric trikes aren’t just for older folks. They’re fun e-bikes in their own right. But let’s face it – the vast majority of the market for electric three-wheelers are those who just aren’t as comfortable on two wheels due to age, accessibility, or other reasons. And so if you’re a senior or otherwise on the hunt for a fun and affordable electric trike, the Lectric XP Trike2 is probably the one you’re going to end up getting, and deservingly so!
If you don’t know Lectric eBikes, they’re the Phoenix-based e-bike company that took the US by storm in the early 2020s, quickly growing into the #1 best-selling e-bike company on the continent. They started with the ultra affordable, high-value XP line of e-bikes, and then took that same recipe to other types of e-bikes, from cargo bikes to off-roaders, and now to trikes.
The new XP Trike2 is the latest generation of their best-selling e-trike, and it’s absolutely better than ever.
First of all though, let’s look at what stayed the same. The ultra-affordable price of $1,499 remains untouched, keeping this not only one of the best e-trikes on the market, but also the most affordable. It also keeps the low step-over height for easy mounts and dismounts, the folding frame to help riders transport it more easily, and the powerful motor that makes it a great hill climber.
Other than those features, basically everything else has received an upgrade.
First of all, we now get included suspension with a 50mm suspension fork up front. The frame has been redesigned with a new hydroformed aluminum downtube and a more stable footprint. The stem angle has been modified to make it more comfortable and allow a more upright, relaxed riding posture. A more powerful and longer-range version of the Trike2 is also available, upgrading the motor with 50% more power for even better hill climbing, as well as including a torque sensor for more responsive pedaling and a longer-range battery.
The included TFT color screen is a major upgrade over the older model, and there are even six new colors to choose from, which is a major improvement over the original XP Trike’s color option list of… one.
Base model versus the long-range upgrade
Both the base model (Lectric XP Trike2 500) and the higher-spec option (XP Trike2 750) are compelling options, but they’ll likely serve different types of riders.
Even the base model comes with a reasonably large 13 Ah (624 Wh) battery, which is already going to give most riders at least 30 miles of range (or a claimed 50 miles if using low power pedal assist and riding slower). Plus, the 500W motor is actually much more powerful, likely peaking at closer to 1,000W of actual power. That’s the “oomph” that riders will feel when climbing hills. And for many folks, that’s plenty. Plus, the $1,499 price of the XP Trike2 500 is quite attractive.
But riders who want to upgrade to the XP Trike2 750, the higher price of $1,799 does come with some nice upgrades. First of all, the higher power 750W motor will be that much better at climbing hills, helping riders up steeper inclines, or just maintaining higher speeds up the same slopes. Next, the larger 17.5 Ah (840 Wh) battery is going to give more range, to the tune of nearly 50 miles with mixed riding (or the claimed 70 miles if using lower power pedal assist and staying off the throttle). The other benefit of a bigger battery is that it simply doesn’t need to be charged as often. Even if you’re riding around at 10 mph for an hour each day, that’s a week of riding before you have to think about recharging the battery.
The last significant upgrade on the 750W model is a torque sensor, which is a more refined pedal assist sensor that results in a more natural feeling ride when pedaling. For riders who only use the throttle, there’s not much benefit to a torque sensor. But for anyone who actually wants to pedal along and get a bit of fitness in, the torque sensor means the acceleration and the riding just better mimic the natural feel of bicycle pedaling, making it more like real pedaling – albeit if you had the legs and muscle definition of a professional cyclist.
All of this is to say: The base model with 500W of power is likely sufficient for most riders, but that extra $300 does offer better hill climbing, more power, longer range, and a nicer pedaling experience – which may be important for some riders.
Lectric may have announced the XP Trike2 today, but they aren’t quite ready to ship. In something of a throwback to Lectric’s early days, the bikes are available on pre-order. Orders placed now get priority, with the 500W model shipping later this month (July 2025). The 750W models will take a bit longer, with current orders expected to ship by September.
It’s a bit of a delayed gratification situation, but if the XP Trike2 is anything like the original (and it looks to be even better), then these bikes are absolutely going to be worth the wait!
Electrek’s Take
Once again, Lectric has left all the other e-bike makers fighting over second place. My hat is off to the company – time and again they have surprised us with increasingly better e-bike generations at increasingly the same price. Each time they roll out a bike, they give us more and more, all without touching the price tag.
The XP Trike2 follows that strategy perfectly, though it definitely looks like they’re hoping the XP Trike2 750 will bring slightly fatter margins – perhaps making up for just how ridiculously affordable the XP Trike2 500 is. And while I think the lower power model will be sufficient for most people, that bigger battery, beefier motor, and nicer torque sensor do sound like a tempting upgrade.
I haven’t ridden the XP Trike2 yet, but I will be on it soon and I can’t wait to share the experience with you guys. In the meantime, let’s hear what you think about the new e-trike in the comment section below!
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Japanese equipment giant Kubota brought 22 new or updated machines to the 2025 bauma expo earlier this year, but tucked away in the corners was a new retrofit kit that can help existing customers decarbonize more quickly, and more affordably.
No matter how badly a fleet may want to electrify, harsh economic realities and the greater up-front costs typically associated with battery electric remain high hurdles to overcome, but new retrofit options from major manufacturers are popping up to help lower those obstacles.
The latest equipment maker to put its name on the retrofit list is Kubota, who says its kit can be installed by a trained dealer in a single day.
That’s right! By this time tomorrow, your diesel-powered Kubota KX019 or U27-4 excavator (shown) could be fitted with an 18 or 20 kWh li-ion battery pack and electric drive motors and ready to get to work in a low-noise or low-vibration work environment where emissions are a strict no-no. Think indoor precision demolition or historic archeological excavation.
Then, if necessary, it can go right back to diesel power.
From diesel to electric and back again
If that sounds familiar, that’s because we’ve talked about a similarly flexible power solution from ZQUIP. The battery packs and diesel engines are much larger in that application, but the basic sales pitch remains the same: electric when it benefits your operation, diesel it doesn’t.
Kubota says its modular retrofit kits is a response to the increasing global demand for sustainable alternatives by focusing on making machinery that’s flexible and repairable enough to be “reusable,” and offer construction fleet managers a longer operational lifespan, superior ROI (return on investment), and lower TCO (total cost of ownership) than the competition.
Kubota’s solution also notably reduces maintenance costs and operational overheads. With no engine and associated components, servicing time and expenses are considerably reduced, saving customers both time and money. Additionally, with electricity costing far less than fossil fuels, it offers a highly economical advantage.
International Rental News reports that other changes to the excavators include a more modern cab controls with a digital instrument cluster, a 60 mm wider undercarriage for more stability, and an independent travel circuit allows operators to use the boom, dipper, bucket, and auxiliary functions without an impact on tracking performance.
Kubota’s new kit, first shown at last year’s Hillhead exhibition in the UK, will officially be on sale this summer – any day now, in fact – though pricing has yet to be announced.
Electrek’s Take
If you’re wondering how it is that we’re still talking about bauma 2025 a full quarter after the show wrapped up, then I haven’t done a good enough job of explaining how positively massive the show was. Check out this Quick Charge episode (above) then let us know what you think of Kubota’s modular power kits in the comments.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Kubota, via International Rental News.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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