Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, the billionaire co‑founders of the cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, liquidated more than 158 Bitcoin and donated the proceeds—amounting to over $10 million—to MAGA Inc., the super‑PAC that actively supports former President Donald Trump, according to a Federal Election Commission filing.

The contribution arrived just weeks after Gemini and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) jointly petitioned a federal judge to vacate a prior settlement. That action rekindled scrutiny of the close ties between cryptocurrency firms and Washington lawmakers.

Donation Details

The FEC filing shows each brother sold 79.35 Bitcoin. Cameron’s liquidation produced $5,006,604, while Tyler’s yielded $5,011,860, both of which were transferred to MAGA Inc.

The $10 million gift was made 23 days after CFTC and Gemini requested a Southern District of New York judge to set aside a $5 million settlement. The settlement had resolved a CFTC lawsuit alleging Gemini misrepresented its Bitcoin futures product. The settlement was struck the day after Trump’s January 2025 inauguration, avoiding a jury trial.

CFTC Chair Michael Selig criticized the case as relying on an unreliable whistleblower claim and deemed it unwarranted. Gemini, however, will not receive a refund of the civil penalty it already paid. Seligويت remains the agency’s sole commissioner, amplifying the significance of his comments as CFTC operates with a lean ელექტ್ರೆ leadership structure.

Political Involvement

Throughout the 2024 presidential campaign, each Winklevoss brother donated $1 million to Trump’s campaign. They also contributed $21 million worth of Bitcoin to the Digital Freedom Fund PAC, which backs candidates favoring cryptocurrency‑friendly policiesommes. This latest contribution cements their status among MAGA Inc.’s largest individual donors, which has raised over $400 million ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

On the Flipside

  • Critics question the timing of the donation, which arrived only three weeks after the CFTC moved to abandon its case against Gemini.
  • States such as Maryland, Michigan, and North Carolina have imposed restrictions on cryptocurrency political contributions due to transparency concerns.

Why This Matters

The Winklevoss donation underlines the increasingly close relationship between the cryptocurrency industry and U.S. politics. As lawmakers contemplate major cryptocurrency legislation, large contributions from industry leaders will likely continue to attract scrutiny from regulators, legislators, and campaign‑finance watchdogSQL_SCHEMA organizations.

The timing of the donation—shortly after developments in Gemini’s regulatory case—raises questions about the interplay of money, influence, and policy in this evolving relationship between crypto companies and Washington.

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