Hong Kong Crypto Ties Give China Leverage Over Trumps' $2.9B Net Worth

China's influence over the Trump family's crypto wealth has become a significant factor in the global financial and political landscape. As Donald Trump's stance on Bitcoin shifted from skepticism to acceptance, the family's financial strategy increasingly relied on cryptocurrency. This shift came in response to banking restrictions following the Jan. 6 events, pushing the family into the crypto space as a means of maintaining liquidity and economic viability. By 2025, the Trump family's crypto ventures accounted for 40% of their $2.9 billion net worth, including memecoins like TRUMP and MELANIA, as well as Eric Trump's involvement with American Bitcoin [1].

This financial pivot has placed the Trump family's wealth under the influence of global crypto markets, many of which are centered in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Web3 Association notes that China’s control over liquidity in the region grants it leverage over crypto assets, including those held by politically exposed individuals like the Trump family [1]. This dynamic has broader implications, as it intertwines the financial fates of powerful U.S. political figures with China's strategic control over virtual asset markets.

China's crypto liquidity strategy is multifaceted, involving both regulatory frameworks and state-backed initiatives. The LEAP Digital Assets Policy 2.0 and the national team—a group of sovereign wealth funds and state-backed entities—play critical roles in shaping market dynamics. The national team, with reported assets exceeding $1 trillion, can manipulate market supply and demand, stabilizing or influencing asset values in accordance with Beijing’s objectives [1]. This approach allows China to control valuations with precision, enabling it to either support or hinder the financial interests of key players, including the Trump family, depending on their political alignment.

The broader geopolitical context reveals a deliberate and calculated strategy by China to leverage digital assets for strategic influence. The Trump family's increasing exposure to crypto, particularly through Hong Kong-based exchanges, situates them in a market that is deeply integrated with China's liquidity strategies. Eric Trump’s participation in a Hong Kong crypto conference symbolizes this interconnectedness, highlighting how the First Family’s financial and political fortunes are now inextricably linked to the evolving power structures in the digital asset space [1].

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Chinese approaches to digital currency underscore a fundamental tension in the global monetary system. The U.S. GENIUS Act has created a regulatory framework for dollar-backed stablecoins, aiming to expand the global reach of the dollar while maintaining a strict reserve-based model. In contrast, China has focused on its central bank digital currency (e-CNY), alongside private yuan-backed stablecoins, as a means of preserving financial control and internationalizing the yuan [3]. This divergence reflects broader competition over the architecture of global finance, where monetary sovereignty and technological innovation intersect.

China’s cautious yet strategic shift toward stablecoin experimentation—particularly in Hong Kong—signals a recognition of the growing influence of digital assets in global finance. By creating a controlled environment for stablecoin issuance and regulation, China aims to harness the benefits of digital currencies while mitigating risks such as capital flight and loss of monetary sovereignty. This dual strategy, combining state-led CBDC development with carefully managed private stablecoin initiatives, positions China to maintain financial influence in a rapidly evolving digital economy [4].

The interplay between these factors—China’s strategic control over crypto liquidity, the Trump family’s increasing reliance on digital assets, and the broader geopolitical implications—suggests a new era of financial interconnectedness. In this framework, digital currencies are not merely financial tools but instruments of influence, capable of shaping political and economic outcomes on a global scale.

Source:

[1] China could leverage crypto control over Trump family wealth (https://cointelegraph.com/news/china-control-trump-family-wealth)

[2] The US-China digital rivalry as a test of monetary discipline (http://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/new-currency-war-us-china-digital-rivalry-test-monetary-discipline)

[3] Everybody wants a stablecoin, even China (https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/econographics/everybody-wants-a-stablecoin-even-china/)