Trump Backed Bitcoin Miner Quietly Builds BTC Reserve

Unlike many miners, ABTC’s strategy focuses on growing its Bitcoin reserves rather than just mining profits. Its miners include over 60,000 units hosted by Hut 8 in North America, and they deliver over 10 EH/s in hashrate. The firm holds its BTC with Coinbase Custody and plans to merge with Gryphon Digital Mining, with Eric Trump joining the board post-merger. 

Meanwhile, Bitcoin adoption by corporations is growing, and Michael Saylor even recently urged Apple to buy BTC instead of pursuing more stock buybacks. Global momentum is also building as GameStop, Metaplanet, and The Blockchain Group are all increasing Bitcoin reserves. Additionally, the Bank of Japan’s June 16–17 meeting could spur a Bitcoin rally if the central bank pivots back to QE.

Trump Mining Firm Stacks Bitcoin

American Bitcoin, the mining firm backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., quietly amassed a reserve of 215 Bitcoin since launching on April 1. This is according to a recent SEC filing. The company has made it clear that its core strategy centers on accumulating Bitcoin rather than treating it as a byproduct of mining. 

The stache is currently worth over $23 million, but was not previously disclosed. ABTC described its reserve as a strategic asset which goal is to enhance long-term shareholder value, with no fixed accumulation target in place. Instead, the company said it plans to continually evaluate market conditions to opportunistically raise capital and expand its holdings.

Rather than owning physical infrastructure, ABTC directly invests in mining hardware. The firm operates more than 60,000 miners, primarily from Bitmain and MicroBT, which are hosted at facilities in New York, Alberta, and Texas managed by Hut 8. These miners collectively generate a hashrate of 10.17 exahashes per second, with energy efficiency averaging 21.2 joules per terahash. By partnering with Hut 8, ABTC kept overhead costs low while maintaining the flexibility to scale production. The firm also contributes to mining pools like Foundry and Luxor, with rewards distributed according to hashrate contributions and pool fees kept below 1%.

(Source: SEC filing)

ABTC follows a three-tiered approach: building cost-effective mining operations, expanding its Bitcoin reserves through strategic capital use, and engaging actively with the broader Bitcoin ecosystem. The firm’s Bitcoin is held securely in cold wallets with Coinbase Custody, and uses multifactor authentication and strict withdrawal protocols to safeguard assets.

On May 12, ABTC revealed plans to go public via a merger with Gryphon Digital Mining. The transaction will be structured as a stock-for-stock deal, and will result in the combined entity operating under the American Bitcoin name. Eric Trump is set to join the board post-merger, while Hut 8, the majority shareholder, will maintain its role in managing infrastructure and operations. Once completed, current ABTC shareholders will own about 98% of the new company.

Saylor Tells Apple to Buy Bitcoin

Other companies are also being encouraged to embrace Bitcoin. Michael Saylor, the executive chairman of Strategy, urged Apple to consider buying Bitcoin as a strategic alternative to its underperforming stock buyback program.

In a June 10 post on X, Saylor responded to CNBC host Jim Cramer’s critique of Apple’s buyback initiative, which was described as ineffective despite a $110 billion allocation disclosed in a May 2024 SEC filing. Cramer suggested the company reevaluate its approach because relying solely on buybacks may no longer be viable.

Saylor’s suggestion is grounded in Bitcoin’s very impressive historical performance. While Apple shares climbed 137% over the past five years, Bitcoin soared more than 1,000%. Bitcoin also climbed 17% since the start of the year, while Apple faced an almost 17% drop. The implication is that a Bitcoin allocation could serve as a much better vehicle for shareholder value appreciation than continued stock repurchases.

Apple YTD share price (Source: Google)

This call happened during a broader wave of corporate Bitcoin adoption. GameStop recently disclosed a $513 million Bitcoin purchase, and bought 4,710 BTC after a $1.3 billion convertible notes offering. In Asia, Metaplanet has become the eighth-largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, with its stock rising by more than 12% after announcing a $5.4 billion capital raise to expand its BTC holdings even more. Across Europe, Paris-based The Blockchain Group is planning to raise over $340 million for its Bitcoin treasury, shortly after acquiring $68 million worth of BTC.

Bitcoin’s growing appeal to corporations is also encouraged by a rebound in spot Bitcoin ETF flows. After a brief two-day dip, funds recorded over $386 million in net inflows on June 9, which could mean that there is renewed institutional interest. Saylor’s suggestion that Apple follow suit taps into this momentum, as Bitcoin continues to stand out as a serious asset for corporate treasuries looking for long-term growth and diversification.

BOJ Pivot Could Boost Bitcoin

Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan’s upcoming monetary policy meeting on June 16–17 is being closely watched as a potential turning point for global risk assets, including Bitcoin and equities. Market participants, including BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, believe the central bank could reintroduce quantitative easing (QE) measures and reverse its tightening stance. 

Hayes suggested in a June 10 post on X that if the BOJ delays its current quantitative tightening (QT) program and resumes targeted QE, it could trigger a rally in risk assets like Bitcoin. QE is a monetary policy tool that is used to inject liquidity into the economy through large-scale bond purchases. It tends to lower interest rates and fuel asset prices during economic uncertainty.

Back in July of 2024, the Bank of Japan announced a plan to reduce its government bond purchases by 400 billion yen per quarter starting in August. This started a shift toward QT after years of ultra-loose monetary policy. However, sources that were referred to by Bloomberg indicate that the BOJ is now considering a more gradual reduction, with a revised plan to cut only 200 billion yen per quarter beginning in 2027. The central bank’s June meeting includes an interim assessment of this tightening program, making it a critical juncture for possible policy shifts.

Bitcoin’s sensitivity to developments in Japan’s bond market became evident in May 2025, when the cryptocurrency surged to an all-time high of $112,000 just two days after 30-year Japanese bond yields spiked to a record 3.185%. The yield surge caused fears about Japan’s fiscal stability, which pushed investors to seek alternative stores of value like Bitcoin. 

According to André Dragosch, head of European research at Bitwise, these concerns about sovereign default risks strengthened the perception of Bitcoin as a hedge free from counterparty risk. As traditional safe-haven assets like government bonds become more volatile, Bitcoin’s role as a macro hedge is gaining more and more traction.