Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures at the Bitcoin 2024 event in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., July 27, 2024.
Kevin Wurm | Reuters
LAS VEGAS — Trump Media on Tuesday announced a $2.5 billion raise from institutional investors to bankroll one of the largest bitcoin treasury allocations by a public company.
Shares of the company fell about 10% following the news.
It’s the latest and most ambitious move in its evolution from a free-speech social platform to a financial services player.
The deal includes $1.5 billion in common stock and $1 billion in convertible notes, with proceeds earmarked for the purchase of bitcoin, which the company will now hold as a core treasury asset. The company said it has subscription agreements with about 50 institutional investors.
The company also confirmed the bitcoin will be held with Anchorage Digital and Crypto.com — the same platform that recently signed a deal to help Trump Media launch its first exchange-traded funds.
The announcement comes as bitcoin nears record highs and the year’s biggest gathering of digital asset enthusiasts gets underway on the Las Vegas Strip: Bitcoin 2025. The conference helped solidify President Donald Trump‘s image as the country’s first “crypto president.”
This year, it’s a full-court press from the Trump White House at the conference, with Vice President JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, crypto czar David Sacks, and other top officials attending.
Trump Media’s stock remains volatile, with shares down nearly 30% this year so far. The company has a market cap of about $5.3 billion, despite reporting just $3.6 million in revenue and a $400 million loss in 2024.
Devin Nunes, the company’s CEO and a former California congressman, called bitcoin an “apex instrument of financial freedom” and said this was just the first of many “crown jewel” acquisitions the firm would pursue.
He framed the move as a defensive strategy, saying it would help protect the company from what he described as ongoing “discrimination by financial institutions” against conservative businesses.
The firm has already signed a partnership with Crypto.com to bring a series of ETFs and digital asset products to market later this year, pending regulatory approval.
Those funds will include baskets of crypto such as bitcoin and Crypto.com’s native token, cronos, alongside traditional securities. They will be branded under Trump Media and offered to global investors across major brokerage platforms and on the Crypto.com app, which has more than 140 million users worldwide.
The move deepens Trump’s crypto footprint: World Liberty Financial, another Trump-affiliated entity, has already amassed a significant crypto stockpile, and the president signed an executive order earlier this year designed to establish a bitcoin reserve and a separate crypto stockpile for the federal government.
The expansion into financial services builds on rising Republican anger over perceived banking discrimination against conservatives.
Crypto industry leaders have also been testifying on Capitol Hill about the industry’s struggle with debanking during President Joe Biden’s administration.
Trump himself voiced frustration with Bank of America and JPMorgan executives during a recent appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, accusing them of “locking out” conservative clients.
The launch of Truth.Fi, along with the growing popularity of Trump-linked cryptocurrencies, appears to be the private sector response.
The $2.5 billion bitcoin treasury move also follows a growing trend among politically aligned businesses that are converting their corporate treasuries into bitcoin-heavy vehicles. It’s a strategy popularized by Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy in 2020 — but now turbocharged by Trump’s political movement and crypto allies.
Jack Mallers is looking to rival Strategy with a new bitcoin company backed by Tether and SoftBank, and David Bailey, the architect behind another Trump-linked bitcoin play — Nakamoto Holdings — recently led a $710 million merger with health-care firm KindlyMD, which will pivot from holistic opioid recovery to a crypto-first strategy.
Bailey, a trusted crypto advisor to the Trump administration, described the play as: “Strategy, squared.”
“Our total focus is on increasing the bitcoin per share,” Bailey previously told CNBC, outlining plans to acquire bitcoin-native companies across every major capital market.
Blink Charging (Nasdaq: BLNK) has struck a deal with Hubject to make charging easier for EV drivers across North America.
The agreement will bring Blink into Hubject’s intercharge eRoaming platform as a charge point operator. That means electric mobility service providers (eMSPs) and their customers in the US, Canada, and Mexico will soon have access to Blink’s charging stations through their existing apps. In turn, Blink drivers will gain better access to stations connected through Hubject’s network.
Hubject, which already connects more than 1 million charging points and 2,750 partners worldwide, expects the integration to strengthen its North American presence by adding Blink’s wide-ranging network of chargers, from Level 2 workplace stations to DC fast charging. Blink, meanwhile, anticipates more customers will plug in, thanks to Hubject’s reach.
“Our collaboration with Blink marks an important step in expanding our North American intercharge network,” said Trishan Peruma, CEO of Hubject North America. “By integrating Blink’s network into our eRoaming platform, we aim to help reduce barriers that have historically complicated EV charging and to support the continued growth of EV adoption across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.”
Advertisement – scroll for more content
Blink Charging’s president and CEO Mike Battaglia added, “Connecting the Blink Network to Hubject’s platform will allow more drivers to benefit from interoperable charging while traveling.”
The integration will use the industry-standard OCPI protocol to keep billing and communication between networks secure and reliable. Deployment is planned in phases throughout 2025, with full integration targeted for the end of the year.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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.
Hyundai wants to make the electric sports car for everyone. Not just those who can afford it. The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Essentials trim was launched in Korea on Monday, offering a lower price tag but the same thrilling drive.
Hyundai launches new IONIQ 5 N Essentials in Korea
The IONIQ 5 N is Hyundai’s first EV sports car under the IONIQ series. Initially launched in 2023, the IONIQ 5 N marked a new era for Hyundai’s high-performance N division.
Hyundai’s electric hot hatch not only looks the part with added sporty “N” branded elements scattered inside and out, but it’s also packed with fun features, advanced tech, and a host of drive modes.
Based on a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain, the IONIQ 5 N delivers up to 641 horsepower when N Grin Boost is engaged. Even without it, the electric sports car packs 601 hp.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
It also draws power from an 84 kWh battery, good for an EPA-estimated range of 221 miles. On the WLTP scale, it’s rated with an official range of 278 miles (448 km). The added power results in a lower range than other IONIQ 5 trims.
The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 Essentials trim (Source: Hyundai)
Although it was already one of the most affordable sports cars, EV or gas-powered, Hyundai is lowering the price even further.
After launching the new Essentials model in South Korea on Monday, Hyundai said the new trim “is characterized by lowering the barrier to entry so that customers can experience the overwhelming driving performance of the IONIQ 5 N at a reasonable price through optimized specifications.”
The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 Essentials trim (Source: Hyundai)
Hyundai focused on core convenience features while including the same high-performance motors, battery, and N-specific elements as the base model.
A Hyundai official said, “The Essential trim of the IONIQ 5 N is a new trim that offers greater cost-effectiveness to lower the barrier to entry for high-performance electric vehicles.”
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (Source: Hyundai)
The IONIQ 5 N features advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including highway driving assist and navigation-based smart cruise control. Hyundai has also added an exclusive new “Parking Assist Lite” package, offering safety and convenience features such as surround view monitoring and rear parking assistance.
The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Essentials trim starts at 74.9 million won ($54,000), including tax benefits. Hyundai said it will continue to make competitive products so more buyers can experience high-performance EVs.
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (Source: Hyundai)
Although the Essentials trim is not available in the US, the IONIQ 5 N is still more affordable than most sports cars. The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N starts at $66,200. But, with the $7,500 tax credit, which is set to expire on September 30, leases are currently listed as low as $549 per month.
A federal judge has cleared the way for Ørsted’s nearly complete 704-megawatt (MW) Revolution Wind offshore wind farm to restart construction, overturning a stop-work order imposed by the Trump administration.
Reagan-appointed senior US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth granted a preliminary injunction in Washington, DC, calling the government’s conduct “the height of arbitrary and capricious government conduct.” He added, “If Revolution Wind cannot meet benchmark deadlines, the entire project could collapse. There is no doubt in my mind of irreparable harm to the plaintiffs.”
Ørsted welcomed the ruling and said in a statement, “Revolution Wind will continue to seek to work collaboratively with the US Administration and other stakeholders toward a prompt resolution. Revolution Wind will resume impacted construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority.”
The decision marks a significant setback for the Trump administration’s attempts to stall offshore wind development. Revolution Wind is already about 80% complete, with all turbine foundations and 45 of 65 turbines successfully installed, and expected to power 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Earlier this month, the two states’ attorneys general announced they were suing the Trump administration to overturn its “baseless” decision to halt Revolution Wind. That underlying lawsuit challenging the stop-work order will continue to progress.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
Oceantic Network CEO Liz Burdock said, “Today’s decision allowing work to resume on Revolution Wind is welcome news for the hundreds of skilled workers who can now return to their jobs while the legal process continues. This Made in America energy project is putting Americans to work building reliable, affordable power to communities across New England that desperately need it.”
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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.