Trump Jr. Backs Polymarket as Pantera Launches $1.25B Solana Treasury

Donald Trump Jr.’s 1789 Capital Invests Tens of Millions in Polymarket, Joins Advisory Board After QCEX Acquisition Clears Path for US Return

Donald Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm 1789 Capital has invested “tens of millions of dollars” into Polymarket, Axios reported on Aug. 26, 2025. Trump Jr., who became a partner at the firm in late 2024, will also join Polymarket’s advisory board while continuing as a strategic advisor to rival Kalshi. The move comes after the DOJ and CFTC closed their investigations into Polymarket in July, clearing regulatory hurdles that had restricted its U.S. operations since 2022. Shortly after, Polymarket acquired CFTC-licensed derivatives exchange QCEX for $112 million, establishing a pathway to return to the U.S. market. The investment highlights Trump Jr.’s growing influence in prediction markets as legal clarity emerges and sports leagues raise concerns over event-based wagering.

Trump Media, Crypto.com and Yorkville Form $6.4B CRO Treasury Firm, DJT Stock Jumps 6% as CRO Surges 25%

Trump Media & Technology Group, Crypto.com, and Yorkville Acquisition Corp. have signed a $6.4 billion agreement to launch Trump Media Group CRO Strategy, a digital asset treasury firm focused on the Cronos blockchain’s native token, CRO. The deal involves $1 billion in CRO tokens, $200 million in cash, $220 million in warrants, and a $5 billion equity line of credit from Yorkville affiliate YA II PN Ltd. Trump Media also struck a separate agreement to buy 684 million CRO ($105 million) from Foris Holdings in exchange for $50 million cash and 2.8 million DJT shares. The new firm will stake CRO holdings, operate a validator node on Cronos, and use CRO as a utility token across Trump Media’s Truth Social and Truth+ platforms. Shares of DJT rose more than 6% while CRO surged over 25% following the announcement.

CFTC Commissioner Kristin Johnson to Depart Sept. 3, Leaving Acting Chair Caroline Pham as Sole Leader Amid Quintenz Confirmation Battle

CFTC Commissioner Kristin Johnson will leave the agency on September 3, making Acting Chair Caroline Pham the sole remaining commissioner. Johnson’s exit follows a wave of departures, including Christy Goldsmith Romero and Summer Mersinger, leaving the derivatives regulator in a leadership vacuum. President Trump has nominated Brian Quintenz as CFTC Chair, but his confirmation process has faced delays due to White House intervention and pushback from industry figures such as the Winklevoss twins. Despite controversy, major crypto lobbying groups support Quintenz’s confirmation, as the CFTC is set to play a key role in shaping U.S. Bitcoin and crypto regulation.

MetaMask Adds Google and Apple Social Login to Simplify Wallet Setup, Retains Recovery Phrase Backup

MetaMask has launched a new “social login” feature allowing users to create, back up, and restore wallets using Google or Apple accounts, powered by Web3Auth. The update removes the need to manage the traditional 12-word recovery phrase, making onboarding easier for new users while still allowing the recovery phrase as a backup. The feature is available on the browser extension, with mobile support coming soon, and automatically syncs networks, tokens, and accounts across devices. While simplifying access, the approach introduces reliance on third-party providers and potential privacy and security trade-offs.