Bitcoin's Wild Ride Under Trump: A Tale of Two Investments

Bitcoin's price has varied wildly since Donald Trump took office in 2017. When he was first sworn in, Bitcoin traded at about $895. The price shot up to over $1,190 on January 5, 2017, but then dropped below $760 a week later.

A $1,000 investment in Bitcoin on Trump's first inauguration day would be worth around $95,600 today, with a gain of more than 9,400%. In contrast, the same amount invested when he was sworn in for his second term would be worth only about $838, resulting in a loss of roughly 16%.

The difference between these two investment periods is largely due to timing. By 2025, Bitcoin's price had already skyrocketed on hopes that Trump's pro-crypto promises would boost the market. However, this optimism was short-lived, as the price dropped below $86,000 in February 2025 and has since fluctuated.