What happens when Trump, Crypto.com, and Wall Street all walk into the same room? You get something strange, loud, and maybe a bit game-changing. On March 24th, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) and Crypto.com dropped a surprise — they’re teaming up to launch new ETFs under a brand called Truth.Fi.
This isn’t just some side project. These Truth.Fi ETFs are aiming to mix digital assets like Bitcoin and Cronos (CRO) with more traditional sectors — energy, manufacturing, American-made stuff. Sound like a weird combo? It kinda is. But people are paying attention.
So what exactly are they doing?
Let’s keep it simple.
TMTG, which runs Truth Social and is heavily tied to former President Trump, signed a not-yet-final deal with Crypto.com. Together, they plan to launch crypto-focused ETFs and ETPs for global markets by the end of 2025. Yes — including the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
These ETFs won’t just be Bitcoin. They’ll include a mix: Bitcoin, Cronos (CRO), and some unnamed others. TMTG’s putting its money where its mouth is too — up to $250 million in cash will be dropped into these funds. Charles Schwab is on board as custodian for the separately managed accounts (SMAs) that go along with the ETFs.
Crypto.com, for its part, will handle the backend stuff — custody, tech, and the crypto itself.
But… why now?
The timing’s not random. Trump’s been warming up to crypto lately — pretty fast, actually. In March, he signed an executive order to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. That came not long after he launched his own meme coin, which stirred up a mess of controversy online.
So this ETF move fits that larger pattern. Trump is clearly leaning into the digital asset space, and he’s dragging his media empire with him.
And don’t forget: Crypto.com’s CEO Kris Marszalek just showed up at the first White House Crypto Summit earlier this month. That alone raised eyebrows. Now this partnership? It’s not subtle.
The market didn’t sit still
Soon as the news hit, TMTG stock (ticker: DJT) jumped 9% in after-hours trading on March 24. That’s no small move. CRO, Crypto.com’s native token, shot up 24% in a single day — landing at $0.1008.
Traders didn’t wait to read the fine print. They just saw “Trump + ETFs + Bitcoin” and hit the buy button.
But some of them might be asking the same thing you are: What’s really going on with CRO?
CRO controversy: what’s the deal?
The buzz around CRO isn’t just because of the ETF news. There’s baggage.
Back in the day, Crypto.com promised to burn 70 billion CRO tokens. People were hyped. A burn like that cuts supply — usually good for price. But now? The company walked that back.
Instead of burning, they’re keeping the tokens.
The CRO community, often called #CROFam, isn’t happy. Some are accusing Crypto.com of manipulating governance votes to block the burn. They say it’s a move that benefits the company, not the holders.
So now you’ve got two things happening at once: a bullish ETF launch and a trust-breaking token decision.
People on X (yeah, still weird calling it that) are split. Some are calling Crypto.com shady. Others think the ETF move could boost CRO enough to make up for the damage. Depends who you ask.
What’s next?
Here’s what we know:
This ETF move gives Trump Media a new revenue path. Truth Social hasn’t exactly taken over the internet, so financial products like this give them something fresh.
For Crypto.com, it’s a shot at redemption. Being tied to Trump’s brand — for better or worse — gets them attention and legitimacy, at least in some circles.
But look, it’s not a done deal yet. The agreement is non-binding. That means either party could still walk. There’s also regulation to think about. Getting this thing live in late 2025 won’t be easy, especially with all the scrutiny on crypto right now.
Should you care?
If you’re in crypto, yeah. This isn’t just noise. It’s a sign that traditional finance and crypto are getting more tangled up. And with Trump’s name on it, it’ll be hard for regulators and media to ignore.
But CRO holders might be feeling uneasy. It’s hard to celebrate a win when you’re still dealing with a broken promise.
Will the ETFs launch? Will they actually include CRO? Will the backlash kill the hype?
We don’t know yet. But as of today, the market’s betting yes.
And in crypto, sometimes that’s all it takes.
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