Nearly 40% of U.S. CEOs on Trump Beijing Trip Have Crypto Ties
About 40% of the roughly 17 U.S. chief executives joining President Trump in Beijing May 13–15 have ties to cryptocurrencies, including leaders from BlackRock, Tesla and Visa.
Nearly 40% of the roughly 17 U.S. chief executives traveling with President Donald Trump to Beijing May 13–15 have ties to cryptocurrencies and digital assets, a White House official and trip participants confirmed. The delegation will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and focus on trade, technology and investment.
The roster includes leaders from technology, finance, aerospace and agriculture. Confirmed attendees include Elon Musk of Tesla, Tim Cook of Apple, Larry Fink of BlackRock, Jane Fraser of Citigroup, David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone, Kelly Ortberg of Boeing, Brian Sikes of Cargill and Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm.
Officials and participants say about 40% of the group have notable digital-asset exposure. BlackRock manages the largest U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund; Tesla holds 11,509 bitcoins on its balance sheet; Visa and Mastercard are developing settlement rails that use stablecoins; and Goldman Sachs operates crypto trading desks and client services. The connections range from direct holdings to product lines and trading operations.
The visit, scheduled for May 13–15 in Beijing, aims to secure commercial commitments and advance talks on tariffs, export rules and market access. Boeing and GE Aerospace executives are pressing for jetliner orders. Cargill represents agricultural exporters who depend on Chinese soy purchases. Apple, Micron and Qualcomm are expected to raise semiconductor export rules and supply-chain resilience.
Financial executives are pursuing market-access goals. Paul Barron, speaking about the delegation’s financial contingent, observed: “These firms are in Beijing to protect their existing licenses and push for reciprocal market access.” He also noted that some firms have discussed the possibility that easing secondary sanctions on certain Chinese banks could encourage renewed Chinese investment in U.S. financial assets.
Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang is not on the list of attendees. Nvidia’s stock rose after reports of his absence.
Some market participants say changes to trade and financial flows between the United States and China could affect demand for crypto products already used by large asset managers and payment firms. Officials and company representatives have not outlined specific agendas tied to cryptocurrencies.
Past high-level visits produced aircraft orders and other commercial wins; outcomes from this trip will be measured in any changes to tariffs, AI export controls and access to Chinese markets.
