Bitcoin News Today: Winklevoss Twins Donate $21M in Bitcoin to Pro-Trump PAC for 2026 Midterms

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, co-founders of Gemini, have donated 188.4547 BTC—valued at $21 million—to the Digital Freedom Fund PAC, a Republican-aligned political action committee supporting pro-crypto candidates ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections [1]. The Winklevoss twins, long vocal advocates for Bitcoin and digital assets, are now leveraging their influence in the political arena to advance a deregulatory and innovation-friendly crypto policy agenda [2]. The donation, one of the largest of its kind in political history, is intended to support candidates who align with President Donald Trump’s vision of making America the “crypto capital of the world” [3].

The Digital Freedom Fund PAC is focused on promoting legislative policies that favor the crypto industry, including opposing the creation of a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC), advocating for a “Bitcoin and Crypto Bill of Rights,” and protecting developers from legal liability in open-source projects [4]. The PAC also seeks to push for a de minimis tax exemption for small crypto gains, a policy the Winklevosses believe will unlock the industry’s full potential [5]. Their strategy is rooted in the belief that a GOP-controlled Congress is the only viable path to achieving these objectives, given their criticisms of what they describe as “bad-faith” tactics by Democratic lawmakers [6].

The Winklevosses’ move highlights a broader shift in how the crypto industry is engaging with politics. No longer content to remain neutral or bipartisan, major industry figures are now aligning more directly with political movements and parties. While some firms have maintained a more balanced approach, the Winklevosses are taking a clear stance by linking their support to Trump’s 2026 midterm strategy [7]. This strategy, however, introduces a degree of political risk, as it aligns them closely with a party that has become increasingly polarized [8].

The impact of this donation will largely depend on the PAC’s success in the 2026 midterms. If it helps secure Republican victories, it could lead to a more favorable regulatory environment for crypto firms and developers. If it fails, it may indicate a struggle for the industry to maintain political influence in a rapidly changing landscape [9]. In the immediate term, the donation has reinforced Bitcoin’s role as a tool for political influence, signaling that digital assets are no longer just speculative investments but also instruments of political power [10].

Source:

[1] Cointelegraph – [https://cointelegraph.com/news/winklevoss-twins-bitcoin-donald-trump-us-midterms](https://cointelegraph.com/news/winklevoss-twins-bitcoin-donald-trump-us-midterms)

[2] AInvest – [https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-winklevoss-twins-donate-21m-btc-pro-trump-pac-2026-midterms-2508-1/](https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-winklevoss-twins-donate-21m-btc-pro-trump-pac-2026-midterms-2508-1/)

[3] Cryptopolitan – [https://www.cryptopolitan.com/winklevoss-brothers-pour-21m-btc-into-pac/](https://www.cryptopolitan.com/winklevoss-brothers-pour-21m-btc-into-pac/)

[4] CryptoSlate – [https://cryptoslate.com/winklevoss-twins-donate-21m-to-new-crypto-pac-targeting-2026-midterms/](https://cryptoslate.com/winklevoss-twins-donate-21m-to-new-crypto-pac-targeting-2026-midterms/)

[5] AInvest – [https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-winklevoss-twins-donate-21m-bitcoin-pro-trump-pac-2508/](https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-winklevoss-twins-donate-21m-bitcoin-pro-trump-pac-2508/)

[6] Coindesk – [https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/08/20/winklevoss-twins-heave-usd21m-toward-republicans-in-next-year-s-congressional-battles](https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/08/20/winklevoss-twins-heave-usd21m-toward-republicans-in-next-year-s-congressional-battles)

[7] TradingView – [https://www.tradingview.com/news/cointelegraph:62f292f90094b:0-winklevoss-twins-donate-21m-in-btc-to-pro-trump-pac-ahead-of-us-midterms/](https://www.tradingview.com/news/cointelegraph:62f292f90094b:0-winklevoss-twins-donate-21m-in-btc-to-pro-trump-pac-ahead-of-us-midterms/)