Crypto Industry Cheers Trump Era with Rap Superstar Snoop Dogg

Cryptocurrency leaders celebrated the imminent inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump with cocktails and live performances by rap icon Snoop Dogg on Friday night. The event, held at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, marked a significant moment for an industry anticipating policy shifts under the new administration.

Executives from firms like Crypto.com, Kraken, and Exodus attended the first-ever crypto inauguration ball, hosted beneath the venue’s towering 62-foot (19-meter) columns. Guests, dressed in black-tie attire, enjoyed miniature lobster rolls and Trump’s favorite McDonald’s burgers and fries, as shown in social media posts and confirmed by attendees. Alongside Snoop Dogg, the entertainment lineup featured rappers Rick Ross and Soulja Boy.

The gala, one of many Washington celebrations ahead of Trump’s Monday swearing-in, underscores a dramatic reversal for the cryptocurrency sector. Once targeted by stringent regulatory crackdowns under the Biden administration—most notably during the FTX collapse—crypto is now finding favor under Trump.

Though absent from the event, Trump gained traction within the crypto community by positioning himself as a "crypto president." He is expected to sign executive orders aimed at easing regulations and encouraging broader adoption of digital assets.

“There were a lot of dark years,” said Les Borsai, co-founder of Wave Digital Assets. “If this is a glimpse of the future, it’s the optimism we’ve been waiting for.”

Swag distributed at the event included "Make Bitcoin Great Again" caps and pins featuring the Gemini logo, sponsored by the exchange’s founders, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who supported Trump’s campaign.