Exclusive Interview with BitMart: After Attending the Trump Dinner, They Believe the U.S. is Worth Betting On

Jessy, Golden Finance

On May 22, local time, the Trump dinner was held as scheduled at Trump's private estate, Mar-a-Lago, in Washington. Users holding the top 220 positions in Trump tokens as of the snapshot on May 12 participated in the dinner. This dinner was not only a feast for cryptocurrency but also brought together practitioners from various industries.

Having face-to-face conversations with the president, engaging in effective public relations, and establishing connections with other top investors could all be the initial intentions of the participants in this dinner.

Of course, the high-profile dinner also plunged Trump, who was already embroiled in controversy after taking office, back into the maelstrom of public opinion. On the day of the dinner, many protesters gathered outside the venue, and critics called it a "depraved journey of the presidential money-making competition."

But for the investors who are really involved in the Trump coin, these voices from the outside world do not matter to them. Especially for practitioners in the crypto industry, the face-to-face meeting with Trump is more encouraged. Sheldon, the founder of BitMart, as one of the top 25 holders of Trump tokens, not only attended the dinner that day, but also participated in the VIP reception before the dinner, and the face-to-face contact with Trump also gave him more confidence in the development of the crypto industry in the United States. For those who work in the industry, confidence is more precious than gold.

Situation on the day of Trump's dinner (Image from Sheldon)

The following is the transcript of the interview between Golden Finance and Sheldon:

Golden Finance: Please introduce BitMart and yourself.

Sheldon: BitMart is a global digital currency exchange that was established in 2017 and officially launched on March 15, 2018, and has been running for more than 7 years. I'm the founder of BitMart, Sheldon, I entered the crypto industry in 2013, when I was a sophomore, and it was in that year that I did my first project, and I have been working on technology development in the blockchain industry ever since. After graduating from graduate school in 2017, he began to work as an exchange.

Golden Finance: Please describe the specific situation on the day of the dinner, such as how early you arrived at the venue, what preparations were made, and whether you saw any familiar faces at the venue?

Sheldon: I usually base in New York, and I arrived in Washington on the 21st. The event starts on the 22nd, and as a VIP, I get to enter half an hour early, which means I go through security at 5 PM local time on the 22nd. The security check is very strict; bags, gifts, any camera equipment larger than a mobile phone, and other prohibited items are not allowed. The security level for this event is very high, for example, the windows of the small conference room are covered with curtains, which should be to prevent shootings.

Upon entering the event venue, you will see many personal elements of Trump’s decorations, such as the iconic news image of "Fight Fight," Trump’s hats, and other merchandise.

Among the top 25 VIPs, 60%-70% are of Asian descent, including Koreans and Japanese, not just Chinese. I know two of them: one is Sun Yuchen, the founder of TRON, and the other is the CEO of Wintermute.

Golden Finance: What did Trump say during the VIP reception?

Sheldon: Trump actually stayed in the VIP room for about 5 to 10 minutes, mainly to express some directional issues regarding the formulation of U.S. blockchain policy, including the hope of providing more relaxed development opportunities for the U.S. blockchain industry, allowing the U.S. to maintain a leading position in the crypto industry, primarily focusing on some encouraging directional statements.

Golden Finance: How much worth of Trump tokens did you purchase before the snapshot? Are these tokens still held? What is your understanding of Trump tokens?

Sheldon: I bought about 10 million USD worth of Trump tokens before the snapshot. Everyone's trading strategies are different, and I cannot disclose my holdings at the moment. My understanding of Trump tokens has not changed; it is a fan token and a utility token, and there may be changes in the future. I will continue to pay attention.

Golden Finance: What was your original purpose and intention for participating in the dinner?

Sheldon: First of all, Trump is one of the most influential figures in the world, and he has a distinct personality. Secondly, as a figure of presidential caliber, he hosted a gathering for practitioners in the cryptocurrency industry, and the quality of participants he attracts is certainly different. I also came here with the purpose of industry交流. In addition, the dinner has a strong communicative attribute.

Golden Finance: What is your judgment on the projects willing to spend to buy Trump coins to participate in the dinner? What is their purpose for attending the dinner? What did you discuss with the dinner participants? What conclusions did you come to?

Sheldon: The participants are not all from the cryptocurrency circle, and there are very few project parties in the industry, and they are basically some large holders of Trump coins. There are also industries such as traditional finance, electric vehicle investment, e-commerce, etc. The purpose of everyone participating in the event should be similar. We mainly talked about topics such as crypto policy and the direction of the industry. My judgment is that the U.S. lead in crypto will be hard to shake anytime soon. As a practitioner in the crypto industry, we should strengthen exchanges with practitioners and policymakers in the United States.

Golden Finance: Does the conclusion of this dinner have any impact on BitMart's future development strategy?

Sheldon: I've been in New York for a long time, and I've been talking to people in the industry a lot. This exchange will indeed have a certain impact on BitMart's future business direction, which involves some arrangements at the company's strategic level, which is still in the discussion stage, and it is not convenient to talk about it in detail.

Golden Finance: Did anything interesting happen during the entire dinner? What was your overall feeling?

Sheldon: At the dinner, Trump's microphone initially had some issues. The microphone made a "puff puff" sound similar to gunshots, and Trump humorously quipped, "My ears." The overall atmosphere was quite uplifting, and everyone was optimistic about the recognition and future expectations in the cryptocurrency field.

Golden Finance: After attending the dinner, do you have a more comprehensive understanding of Trump himself?

Sheldon: He is in great mental condition, looking like he is in his fifties or sixties, and he can still maintain a high-intensity work schedule every day at over 80 years old, which is actually a great encouragement to everyone present.

Golden Finance: Trump issued Trump Coin, and there has been quite a bit of criticism regarding the holding of this dinner, saying that it all belongs to a form of corruption. What are your thoughts on this?

Sheldon: There will be controversy about the development of new technologies and new industries. As long as Trump's issuance of coins is not illegal, it makes sense, for example, the Trump token can also help the industry culture spread out of the circle. But when it comes to trading, investors are responsible for their own profits and losses, and it is difficult to judge.

This dinner is a private event of the president, and there are information disclosure requirements based on regulations related to the president's campaign. On the day of the dinner, there were some protests (not targeting the crypto industry), but the information conveyed to the crypto industry is all positive.

Golden Finance: As a VIP, you were also arranged for a visit to the White House. What is the specific visiting process like?

Sheldon: The visit to the White House is still proceeding as scheduled, but the publicity has been toned down due to some concerns. The entire visit lasted for about half an hour, mainly focusing on the banquet hall, library, and some important reception rooms in the White House.

Golden Finance: What is your assessment of the development of the cryptocurrency industry in the United States after the entire event?

Sheldon: I talked to a lot of practitioners and policymakers on this trip to Washington. I think that for practitioners in the crypto industry, if they are competitive enough and willing to regulate their business to a certain extent, then the United States is a better place to bet on now. However, it is also necessary to consider the continuity of the policy, because after three and a half years of government change, whether the relevant policy will continue also needs to be considered.