This morning, Donald Trump’s publicly-traded Reality Social operator introduced that it has picked Crypto.com as a launch companion for ETFs containing bitcoin (BTC), Cronos (CRO), and different crypto property “with a Made in America focus.”
The partnership is curious for a lot of causes, not least of all Crypto.com’s very not-Made-in-America historical past in Asia and Europe.
CEO Kris Marszalek spent most of his profession in Singapore and Hong Kong, and Crypto.com’s present world headquarters is in Singapore. (Its North American division has a headquarters in Texas.)
The large crypto change as soon as supplied a debit card powered by Germany-based Wirecard and established a regional headquarters in France.
Nonetheless, Crypto.com’s non-USA operations are far much less attention-grabbing than its doubtful monetary historical past.
Un-burning CRO to inflate the availability 156%
Simply this month, a Crypto.com subsidiary proposed the reversal of its 70 billion CRO token burn. That will not solely renege on a promise however greater than double right now’s circulating provide of roughly 27.4 billion.
This unbelievable reversal of a 2021 promise will supposedly assist with “Making America the world capital of crypto.”
That about-face on probably the most necessary traits of a crypto asset — its provide — is simply the newest instance of Crypto.com making doubtful guarantees.
For instance, the corporate as soon as promised after which declined to submit audited proof of reserves after Mazars Group distanced itself from one among its attestations.
Not solely did a proper audit by no means arrive, however the change has subsequently didn’t launch weaker proof of reserves since 2022.
The corporate additionally as soon as marketed as much as 8% cashback on debit card purchases and 12% rewards for individuals who staked giant quantities of CRO. These rewards, nevertheless, would by no means compensate somebody who staked CRO close to its peak worth of $0.98 on November 24, 2021.
Round that point, Crypto.com introduced its intention to rename the Los Angeles Lakers’ stadium.
CRO is nice sufficient for Trump, apparently
Examples embrace the corporate as soon as selecting Wirecard as a card issuer earlier than that firm declared insolvency in June 2020. Wirecard is now broadly thought to be one of many greatest frauds in German historical past.
In 2009, a decide known as Marszalek’s testimony unreliable. Elsewhere, Marszalek additionally led a multi-million greenback firm that failed solely in 2016.
Understandably enraged about this month’s reversal of a neighborhood vote to pressure 156% dilution onto token holders, individuals have been bewildered that the president of the USA would companion with the corporate and select its token for an ostensibly “Made in America-focused” ETF.
Protos has reached out to Crypto.com and Trump Media & Expertise Group however by publication time had not obtained a reply.
