Little-Known Chinese E-Commerce Firm with Ties to TikTok Buys $300M of Bitcoin and $TRUMP Meme Coin

This was split between Bitcoin and $TRUMP, the meme coin inspired by Donald Trump's political brand.

A little-known Chinese e-commerce company with ties to TikTok has revealed a $300 million purchase of cryptocurrency. This was split between Bitcoin and $TRUMP, the meme coin inspired by Donald Trump’s political brand. The announcement, hidden within a regulatory filing made public late Tuesday, is particularly interesting for several reasons. Firstly, the company is reporting zero revenue last year and only eight employees. Secondly, the bulk of the investment was used to buy an asset class that is largely unclaimed by Chinese companies. Finally, the move has clear geopolitical implications due to the former US president's involvement and the ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The company behind the move is GD Culture Group. They are an obscure, Nasdaq-listed firm based in China with only eight employees and zero recorded revenue last year. The firm has frequently changed its services, transitioning from art auctions to e-commerce and live-streaming influencer services for TikTok.

According to the filing, first reported by The New York Times, GD Culture Group used proceeds from a private stock offering to fund the purchase. The buyer of that stock is an anonymous entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, a known tax haven and secrecy jurisdiction. This structure has raised concerns over transparency and potential backchannel political financing.

The $TRUMP token, despite its speculative nature and lack of utility, has become one of the strangest success stories in crypto this year. Although initially launched without any official endorsement from Donald Trump, the coin was later embraced by the former president, who has gone so far as to offer buyers incentives. The most recent promotion, a sweepstakes ending on May 22, promised an exclusive dinner to the highest $TRUMP buyers. The contest, which has seen Trump and his family members actively tout the token on social media, saw bidders pour in an unexpected sum of over $320 million into $TRUMP in hopes of winning the dinner.

However, the bidders weren’t necessarily investing in the hopes that the token value would rise. Instead, they appear to be investing in hopes of gaining Trump’s favor. The former president openly stated that he would be meeting with the top five contributors to decide who gets invited to dinner.

Considering that the bidders were able to invest up to $1 billion in hopes of winning the dinner, and given the fact that Trump himself is a known gambler and prefers “big stakes,” it isn’t surprising that the bidders went all-in with their contributions.

The bidders also appear to be largely foreign or politically linked. For instance, an Emirati fund was previously reported to have invested $2 billion in Trump’s USD 1 token, while a Mexican corporation allegedly funneled $20 million into TRUMP earlier this year. This coincides with the lobbying efforts around border trade policies.

This structure has raised concerns among some Democratic lawmakers, who are criticizing the Trump tokens and their associated promotions as blatant pay-to-play schemes that blur the lines between campaign fundraising and personal enrichment. They highlight that these tokens are being used to generate revenue from foreign and special-interest investments, and they view the entire operation as an open marketplace for influence.

The TRUMP token story isn't merely a news attractor; it serves as a model. Regardless of whether they are utilized for influence, speculation, or pure hype, meme coins are transforming into high-stakes tools. As the cryptocurrency scene increasingly merges finance, politics, and pop culture, a fresh surge of meme coin presales is appearing with equally ambitious goals. Here are three cryptos you need to keep an eye on.

Bitcoin Pepe (BPEP) is developing a layer 2 solution on Bitcoin that merges the unparalleled security of Bitcoin with transaction speeds akin to those of Solana. The presale has exceeded $8 million due to strong demand from investors. Given Bitcoin's recent remarkable price fluctuations, BPEP appears to be a likely duplicate when it goes live.

Bitcoin Pepe is gaining momentum with over 10 partnerships broadening its reach. The presale will conclude abruptly on May 31, 2025, at 2 PM UTC. The upcoming 2 weeks is the final opportunity to purchase at reduced prices before offerings go live on major centralized exchanges.

15% of tokens are set aside for staking rewards, offering returns of up to 10,000% APY. BPEP is developing a decentralized exchange and NFT marketplace centered on memes, appealing to Bitcoin fans and meme traders.

PepeX is a launchpad powered by AI for meme coins that allows anyone to create tokens without the need for coding. The AI tools oversee smart contract audits, liquidity security, and social media marketing, enhancing safety and convenience for launches. The presale has gathered over $2.1 million, indicating interest.

The presale began in March 2025. PepeX employs anti-sniping technology and bonding strategies to safeguard investors and guarantee dedication to the project. 15% of tokens support staking rewards, motivating holders to generate