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Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, the co-founders of the cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, announced they have contributed over $21 million in Bitcoin to a political action committee (PAC) aimed at advancing US President Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency agenda, particularly with a Republican-controlled Congress.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Tyler Winklevoss stated that they donated more than 188 Bitcoin (BTC), roughly valued at $21 million during that period, to the Digital Freedom Fund PAC.
The Winklevoss brothers explained that their objective was to “back President Trump and his Administration’s initiatives” connected to crypto policy, aiming to sway the 2026 US midterm elections, support legislation on market structure, and advocate for other digital asset and blockchain-related issues.
“The Digital Freedom Fund will collaborate with other pro-crypto organizations and strive to identify and promote issues such as the de minimis tax exemption for Bitcoin [which provides tax-free status to certain gains] and additional crypto transactions, that would unlock the potential of these technologies, our industry, and America,” the Winklevoss brothers remarked. “Our private stance will always align with our public one on these issues.”
This Bitcoin donation occurs over a year before the next major federal elections in the US, scheduled for November 2026. After losing control of the US Senate and numerous House of Representatives seats to Republicans in 2024, alongside the presidency, many Democrats are focusing on the upcoming election to regain influence.
Records from the Federal Election Commission indicate that the Digital Freedom Fund PAC was founded on July 11, with Janna Rutland serving as treasurer. She is reportedly affiliated with various other PACs and organizations, including a nonprofit associated with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
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The Winklevoss twins previously contributed around $2 million in Bitcoin to Trump’s 2024 campaign. Their recent $21 million donation appears to reflect Bitcoin’s capped supply of 21 million coins.
In addition, they donated about $5 million to the Fairshake PAC, which invested over $130 million backing congressional candidates deemed “pro-crypto” while opposing others labeled as “anti-crypto” during the 2024 elections. Fairshake announced in July that it had raised $141 million for use in upcoming US elections, including the 2026 midterms.
Is Gemini attempting to secure influence?
Following their public endorsement and financial support for Trump’s 2024 candidacy, both Winklevoss brothers received invitations to inauguration events and participated in a White House crypto summit in March. In July, the president acknowledged their backing during a signing ceremony for the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, which passed Congress with bipartisan support.
Moreover, it’s reported that the Winklevosses strengthened their financial ties to Trump by investing in American Bitcoin, a crypto mining firm linked to the president’s family.
There are reports suggesting that the Gemini co-founders diverged from Trump’s crypto agenda by urging him to reconsider the appointment of Brian Quintenz as chair of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The president nominated Quintenz in February; initially, both brothers had expressed support for this decision through social media.
This report surfaced shortly after the Senate Agriculture Committee indicated that the White House had sought a postponement for the consideration of Quintenz’s nomination. The Winklevosses’ stance seemingly opposed several crypto and blockchain organizations, which wrote a letter endorsing Quintenz’s confirmation on Wednesday.
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