Trump: America Must Lead in Crypto- US vs China in Cryptocurrency

US vs China in Cryptocurrency: Trump’s Call for Digital Dominance

US vs China in Cryptocurrency: The New Digital Race for Power

U.S. President Donald Trump made headlines this week after declaring that America must be #1 in crypto, not China.

Trump’s statement comes as part of his campaign push to make the U.S. the global leader in digital innovation. He believes that Bitcoin, blockchain, and decentralized finance (DeFi) are the future of wealth and national power, a field where China should not lead.

Source: CryptoRover

Trump’s remark was seen as a direct challenge to Beijing, which banned crypto trading but still dominates other global industries. His goal: to position the U.S. as the world capital of cryptocurrency, just as China-leads in manufacturing and rare earth production.

The spotlight turns to the questions:Who’s truly leading the crypto-revolution, the USA or Republic-of-China?

America vs China: The Reality of Crypto Dominance

In the world of digital assets, America is clearly ahead.

According to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (Q3 2025):

• The U.S. now contributes more than 50% of global Bitcoin hashrate, the highest in history.

• Most of the major and high volume crypto-exchanges are American.

• The U.S. bitcoin crypto reserve is valued at $36 billion, making it the largest globally.
  

China, once controlling nearly 80% of Bitcoin mining, now has 0% hashrate since the 2021 crypto ban. While Chinese citizens reportedly hold around 194,000 BTC worth $20.7 billion, Beijing’s policy restricts all digital asset trading and mining.

Instead, Beijing promotes its centralized digital yuan (e-CNY), a blockchain-inspired, state-controlled system. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to expand its decentralized innovation through Uniswap, Chainlink, and OpenSea, powering a $120 billion DeFi market.

The US-China Tariff Conflict: Crypto-Power Still Kneels to Traditional Markets

Even as the U.S. dominates crypto-innovation, it cannot escape the grip of China’s real-world market strength. Trump’s ongoing US-China tariff conflict shows that digital power doesn’t yet replace physical trade dependency.

When China-hinted at limiting rare earth exports, controlling over 85% of global refined supply, the U.S. quietly backed off from a 100% tariff plan. Trump halved a 20% fentanyl-related tariff and delayed sanctions on major Chinese firms, proof that the world’s crypto-leader still kneels before industrial reality.

Divided Opinions & The Real Question: Crypto or Commodities?

Along with this, the economists and investors have divided in crypto-dominance. Critics like Peter Schiff argue that China's winning by focusing on viable, productive industries, energy, chips, and manufacturing, while the U.S. is obsessed with “digital speculation.”

Source: X

But is that really the full story?

Crypto supporters see it as America’s new industrial revolution, driven by code and decentralized networks, not factories. With 15.3% of Americans owning crypto-currencies and 40% viewing it as an inflation hedge, Bitcoin is now a mainstream asset like gold.

Globally, nations hold 517,296 BTC worth $55.4B, and Spot Bitcoin ETFs that debuted in Jan 2024 recorded $4.6B in day-one trading, nearly 10× faster growth than gold ETFs in 2004.

These numbers show that Bitcoin isn’t just a trend, it’s becoming a global store of value on par with gold.

Final Take: Different Strengths, Same Dependence

The USA vs China rivalry now spans both cryptocurrencies and commodities.

America may dominate the decentralized web, but it still depends on China’s centralized production. Meanwhile, China-may shun cryptocurrency, but it profits from the hardware and materials that make it possible.

Trump’s vision of a crypto-led America is bold, it's going to be interesting to see, how the vision will turn into reality or any other backerfire is waiting.