Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) closed a deal with Crypto.com to acquire 684.4 million Cronos (CRO) tokens, marking one of the largest corporate commitments to the digital asset so far.

The transaction, valued at roughly $178 million at current prices, was structured as a 50% stock and 50% cash exchange, according to the Sept. 5 announcement.

TMTG said it paid about $0.15 per token for the assets, which represent roughly 2% of CRO’s circulating supply.

Strategic partnership

The agreement expands a partnership designed to integrate CRO into Trump Media’s Truth Social and Truth+ platforms. The token will be used in a rewards system powered by Crypto.com’s wallet infrastructure.

The company said the arrangement also strengthens plans for its newly formed subsidiary, Trump Media Group CRO Strategy Inc., which has a pending merger with Yorkville Acquisition Corp. to create a digital asset treasury business focused on accumulating CRO.

Crypto.com will provide custody for the tokens under its institutional-grade storage program. Both the CRO tokens and Trump Media shares involved in the swap are subject to a lockup period.

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Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek said:

“This is the first of many steps to driving utility and value for CRO and the Cronos blockchain.”

Market and political backdrop

The purchase comes as Trump-linked ventures accelerate their push into digital assets.

Earlier this week, Trump-backed American Bitcoin began trading on the Nasdaq, while World Liberty Financial tokens made their public debut. Meanwhile, another affiliated firm, Thumzup, has outlined plans to acquire thousands of Dogecoin mining rigs.

Despite the fanfare, markets had a muted reaction to the development. DJT shares fell 1.5% to $16.51, while CRO dropped about the same percentage to $0.26.

The deal, first reported in August, could ultimately grow to $6.4 billion if Trump Media draws down additional capital from its credit line. If fully executed, it would create the largest CRO-focused treasury firm to date.

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Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) has filed its first amended registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the Truth Social Bitcoin ETF, advancing plans to enter the fast-growing spot Bitcoin ETF market.

The ETF, to be listed on NYSE Arca under the ticker B.T., will hold Bitcoin (BTC) directly and seek to track the flagship crypto’s market price. Crypto.com will act as the exclusive custodian, prime execution agent, and liquidity provider, while Yorkville America Digital will serve as the ETF’s sponsor.

The ETF’s structure allocates 70% of its assets to Bitcoin, with 15% in U.S. Treasury securities and 15% in cash or cash equivalents, aiming to balance exposure to the crypto with traditional financial instruments.

The launch remains subject to SEC approval of both the updated Form S-1 registration and a separate Form 19b-4 listing application. The company has not provided a specific launch date but indicated it expects the fund to go live before year-end.

TMTG, parent of the Truth Social social platform, streaming service Truth+, and fintech brand Truth.Fi, said the ETF forms part of a broader Bitcoin-focused strategy.

The strategy includes building a corporate Bitcoin treasury and expanding into digital asset products through its financial services division. The company has already committed substantial capital to Bitcoin acquisitions this year, positioning itself among the more aggressive corporate entrants into the sector.

If approved, the Truth Social Bitcoin ETF would enter a competitive landscape dominated by heavyweight issuers such as BlackRock, whose spot Bitcoin ETF has drawn billions in inflows since the first U.S. approvals in January and set multiple records.

The ETFs have attracted a mix of institutional and retail investors seeking regulated exposure to Bitcoin without the need for self-custody.

The filing also highlights the political dimension of TMTG’s crypto ambitions. President Donald Trump, the company’s majority shareholder, has made digital assets a policy priority, pledging to roll back what he calls restrictive regulations and promote U.S. leadership in the crypto economy.

A spot Bitcoin ETF tied to a political brand of Trump’s profile would be unprecedented in the market, potentially attracting a distinct investor base but also intensifying public and regulatory scrutiny.

The timing of the filing reflects an environment where spot Bitcoin ETFs are gaining mainstream acceptance and competitive differentiation is becoming critical. While the SEC has approved multiple products this year, new entrants face the challenge of building liquidity and investor trust in a market already served by established issuers.

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