Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) closed a deal with Crypto.com to acquire 684.4 million Cronos (CRO) tokens, marking one of the largest corporate commitments to the digital asset so far.
The transaction, valued at roughly $178 million at current prices, was structured as a 50% stock and 50% cash exchange, according to the Sept. 5 announcement.
TMTG said it paid about $0.15 per token for the assets, which represent roughly 2% of CRO’s circulating supply.
Strategic partnership
The agreement expands a partnership designed to integrate CRO into Trump Media’s Truth Social and Truth+ platforms. The token will be used in a rewards system powered by Crypto.com’s wallet infrastructure.
The company said the arrangement also strengthens plans for its newly formed subsidiary, Trump Media Group CRO Strategy Inc., which has a pending merger with Yorkville Acquisition Corp. to create a digital asset treasury business focused on accumulating CRO.
Crypto.com will provide custody for the tokens under its institutional-grade storage program. Both the CRO tokens and Trump Media shares involved in the swap are subject to a lockup period.
Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek said:
“This is the first of many steps to driving utility and value for CRO and the Cronos blockchain.”
Market and political backdrop
The purchase comes as Trump-linked ventures accelerate their push into digital assets.
Earlier this week, Trump-backed American Bitcoin began trading on the Nasdaq, while World Liberty Financial tokens made their public debut. Meanwhile, another affiliated firm, Thumzup, has outlined plans to acquire thousands of Dogecoin mining rigs.
Despite the fanfare, markets had a muted reaction to the development. DJT shares fell 1.5% to $16.51, while CRO dropped about the same percentage to $0.26.
The deal, first reported in August, could ultimately grow to $6.4 billion if Trump Media draws down additional capital from its credit line. If fully executed, it would create the largest CRO-focused treasury firm to date.