XRP, SOL, ADA, Bitcoin, and Ether selected for US government reserves

Washington, D.C.: US President Donald Trump has identified five cryptocurrencies to be included in a new strategic reserve, essentially forming government-owned crypto holdings.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump announced that his January executive order on digital assets would establish a stockpile of XRP, SOL, and ADA. The move surprised traders, as these three lesser-known tokens saw their prices surge following the announcement.

Later the same day, Trump confirmed that bitcoin and ether, the two largest cryptocurrencies, would also be part of the reserve.

Here’s a closer look at the selected tokens, in the order Trump named them:

1. XRP

Created by US-based Ripple, XRP ranks as the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency, with $140 billion in circulation and a current price of around $2.40 per token, according to CoinGecko.

Ripple promotes XRP as a faster and cheaper alternative for global fund transfers compared to bitcoin. However, like other cryptocurrencies, XRP has experienced price volatility.

Ripple has been a major force in crypto lobbying, donating $45 million to a political action committee that advocated for pro-crypto policies in the US elections, according to OpenSecrets.

In January, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse shared a photo of himself with Trump, stating they had a “Great dinner.”

The company was previously engaged in a legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over whether its 2012 XRP sales constituted an unregistered securities offering. While Ripple largely prevailed, the SEC secured a partial victory.

Asked for comment on Monday, a Ripple spokesperson directed Reuters to a tweet from Garlinghouse in which he praised Trump’s “vision of a government digital asset reserve representative of the industry.”

Ripple President Monica Long told Reuters in June that the company’s political donations were bipartisan and aimed at supporting candidates advocating for crypto-friendly regulations.

2. SOL

SOL is the native token of the Solana blockchain, which is widely used for launching meme coins—including Trump’s own cryptocurrency, introduced in January.

With around $73 billion worth of tokens in circulation, SOL ranks as the sixth-largest cryptocurrency, according to CoinGecko.

The token’s value plummeted in 2022 due to its association with former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. While Solana had no direct ties to the collapsed crypto exchange, Bankman-Fried frequently endorsed it.

Solana gained popularity in 2021 as a potential rival to Ethereum and as a preferred blockchain for non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

According to its website, Solana is overseen by the Solana Foundation, a non-profit entity based in Zug, Switzerland. Executive directors Lily Liu and Daniel Albert are listed as key divs, though Reuters was unable to reach them for immediate comment.

3. ADA

ADA operates on the Cardano blockchain, which was founded in 2015 by Charles Hoskinson, a well-known US entrepreneur and Ethereum co-founder.

With $31.4 billion in circulation, ADA is the eighth-largest cryptocurrency, according to CoinGecko.

Following Trump’s announcement, ADA’s price saw the biggest spike among the five tokens, briefly surging over 70% from its Friday levels.

Cardano’s website lists five key entities, including the Switzerland-based non-profit Cardano Foundation and the for-profit arm Emurgo. The company has not yet responded to requests for comment.

4. Bitcoin

The first and most valuable cryptocurrency, bitcoin, has been in circulation since 2009 and was created by an anonymous individual or group known as Satoshi Nakamoto.

Like other digital currencies, bitcoin facilitates peer-to-peer transactions without traditional financial intermediaries.

A single bitcoin is currently valued at around $86,000, with a total market capitalization of $1.7 trillion, according to CoinGecko. This means bitcoin alone accounts for more than half of the $3 trillion global cryptocurrency market.

Bitcoin’s price surged last year, bolstered by the SEC’s approval of bitcoin-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January 2024 and Trump’s election victory in November, which raised expectations for crypto-friendly regulations.

5. Ether

Ether (ETH) is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain, which plays a significant role in decentralized finance (DeFi)—a movement that enables financial services without traditional banks.

Founded between 2013 and 2014 by Vitalik Buterin and others, Ethereum competes with bitcoin but operates as a versatile blockchain platform for smart contracts and decentralized applications.

Ether’s price is lower than bitcoin’s, but it remains the second-largest cryptocurrency.

Trump’s family-backed crypto company, World Liberty Financial, has issued digital tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. The firm has raised over $500 million in token sales and, in February, announced the creation of a strategic token reserve to support bitcoin, ether, and other cryptocurrencies shaping the future of global finance.

The Ethereum Foundation has not yet responded to requests for comment.