The American Fund: Trump’s Bold Bet on TikTok, Bitcoin, and a Sovereign Wealth Revolution

Leading the charge are two key figures: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, both known for their sharp financial acumen and, notably, their enthusiasm for Bitcoin. The duo had long advocated for integrating digital assets into America’s economic strategy, and sources close to the administration hinted that Bitcoin would likely play a role in the fund’s portfolio.

“We’re going to stand this thing up within the next 12 months,” declared Bessent in the White House briefing room, flanked by Lutnick. “We’re going to monetize the asset side of the U.S. balance sheet for the American people.”

Bitcoin recovered strongly, bouncing on Trump’s Mexico deal, and the sovereign wealth fund news, Source BLX on Brave New Coin

A sovereign wealth fund, the kind operated by oil-rich nations like Norway or investment-heavy giants like Singapore, had long been a dream of Trump’s. As a candidate, he had envisioned a fund that could finance “great national endeavors”—bridges, highways, cutting-edge research, even advanced manufacturing. Now, as president, he is making his move.

But details on how exactly this fund would be capitalized were murky. The U.S. operated at a deficit, unlike the surplus-laden economies that typically launched such investment vehicles. Trump, however, was undeterred. “Tariffs and other intelligent things,” he had once mused, could be used to build the fund’s war chest.

Globally, sovereign wealth funds controlled over $8 trillion in assets, and now, Trump wants the United States to enter the game.

President Trump signs an Executive Order for a sovereign wealth fund.

While the mechanics of the fund were still in the works, one thing was clear—TikTok was in play. The wildly popular social media platform, with 170 million American users, had been thrust into the center of geopolitical and financial maneuvering. A law signed under the previous administration required its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell or face a nationwide ban.

Just hours before the deadline on January 19, TikTok briefly went offline, sending millions of users into a panic. Then, like clockwork, on January 20—Trump’s first day back in office—he issued an executive order delaying the enforcement of the law by 75 days.

The move sparked speculation. Was TikTok destined to become the first major acquisition of America’s sovereign wealth fund? Trump was playing coy but acknowledged ongoing talks with multiple potential buyers. “We’ll have a decision soon,” he told reporters. “Probably February.”

Behind closed doors, discussions were heating up. Bitcoin, already a $1 trillion asset class, was increasingly seen as a key piece of the fund’s diversification strategy. With Bessent and Lutnick at the helm, it is almost certain that digital assets would be a part of the equation.

“The U.S. is the financial leader of the world,” Lutnick had said in a prior interview. “We need to embrace that position—not fight it. Bitcoin is here to stay.”

If Trump’s vision plays out, the United States wouldn’t just be launching a sovereign wealth fund—it would be rewriting the global financial playbook, with TikTok and Bitcoin at the forefront.

The countdown has begun.