Milei courts US trade deal at CPAC on heels of crypto scandal
Argentine President Javier Milei isn’t wasting any time trying to cozy up to the U.S. on trade—he took his case straight to a conservative crowd just outside Washington, making it crystal clear that he wants Argentina at the front of the line for a free trade agreement.
According to Bloomberg , Milei spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), and played to the audience by referencing President Donald Trump’s stance on reciprocal tariffs. The crowd ate it up. But there’s a catch: Argentina’s membership in Mercosur, the South American trade bloc, is putting a damper on his ambitions.
“I want to take this chance to announce that Argentina wants to be the first country in the world to join this reciprocal accord that the Trump administration proposed on trade matters,” Milei said. “If we were not restricted by Mercosur, Argentina would already be working on a mutually beneficial free trade deal with the United States.”
Milei, 54, has made no secret of his admiration for Trump, 78.
During his speech, Milei doubled down on his commitment to slashing government bureaucracy, just as Trump and Elon Musk have done through the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump, in return, gave Milei a shoutout in his own speech later that day, before the two met for a sit-down that might have offered the Argentine leader a brief break from domestic headaches.
The Libra controversy recently landed Milei in hot water. Federal prosecutor Eduardo Taiano is reportedly sniffing around Milei’s recent endorsement of the meme coin on social media. Per La Nación, an investigation request has been filed.
Libra fell 90% in value after Milei hyped it up. Similarly, Trump’s meme coin, Official Trump ( TRUMP ), is currently down over 78% from its all-time high .
But Milei didn’t just spend his Washington trip talking trade and crypto drama—he also squeezed in meetings with Musk and International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva. With Georgieva, the focus was on Argentina’s ongoing IMF debt deal, a crucial piece of his economic puzzle.
Whether Milei gets his wish for a U.S.-Argentina trade pact remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: he’s putting himself in the spotlight, whether on stage, online, or across the negotiating table.
Milei Offers A Chainsaw To Musk: The Bureaucracy Better Watch Out!
Imagine the scene: Elon Musk, wearing black glasses and a MAGA cap tightly on his head, wielding a red chainsaw under the applause of a conservative audience. Behind him, Javier Milei, the Argentine president and figure of ultraliberalism, beams with a triumphant smile. On Thursday, February 20, 2025, at the CPAC in Washington, the symbol is violent, almost punk. The chainsaw, gifted by Milei to Musk, embodies much more than a media gadget. It summarizes a declared war against bureaucracy, led by two iconoclasts determined to redefine the rules of power.
Javier Milei did not choose this tool by chance. During his campaign in 2023, the chainsaw was already his propaganda weapon, materializing his promise to “cut” into the Argentine state, obese and corrupt.
By handing it to Musk, he transfers a banner. Engraved with the slogan “Viva la libertad, carajo!”, the machine becomes a manifesto: economic freedom against administrative heaviness, disruption against the status quo.
Elon Musk, appointed head of the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), sees it as a natural extension of his philosophy. For him, every dollar wasted by the state is a hindrance to progress.
“Waste is everywhere,” he asserts, mentioning audits and budget cuts. His alliance with Milei , a champion of anarcho-capitalism, is not insignificant. Together, they embody an anti-system internationalism, where Silicon Valley and radical politics merge.
However, behind this symbol lies an ambiguity. Can the chainsaw, a tool of destruction, really build? Its spectacular use risks reducing the debate on state reform to a mere publicity stunt. A pitfall that Musk brushes aside with a retort: “My mind is a storm.” Translation: chaos as a method.
Past the symbol, it’s time for action. The DOGE, created by Trump, aims to “optimize” the federal state. The stated goal: prune procedures, lay off “useless” officials, privatize public services.
Musk, used to defying norms at Tesla or SpaceX, applies his start-up logic to the government. Audit the Fed? “Yes, of course,” he replies, without batting an eye. A provocation for the defenders of monetary independence.
But this crusade raises questions. How to reconcile cost reduction and the maintenance of social rights? Critics denounce a simplistic vision, where “efficiency” rhymes with austerity.
Milei, whose reforms in Argentina have led to massive strikes, is an example. Yet, for his supporters, the risk is worth taking: a minimal state, they believe, would free innovation and entrepreneurship. The Musk-Milei alliance crosses borders. Their joint presence at the inauguration of Trump in January 2025 signals a global ideological convergence. An aggressive libertarianism, blending high-tech with nationalism, which attracts a segment of the electorate weary of political compromises. But beware of the pitfalls: can a weakened state regulate the excesses of capitalism… including those of Musk himself?
Report: Kaito, SEI, YAP, and Grok Dominate Crypto Trends Amid Market Growth
Data from Santiment shows that Kaito (KAITO), Sei (SEI), YAP (YAP), and Grok (GROK) are leading the discussions on platforms such as X, Reddit, Telegram, 4Chan, Farcaster, and Bitcointalk.
This heightened enthusiasm coincides with steady growth in overall crypto market capitalization.
KAITO, SEI, and GROK’s Popularity
According to Santiment’s February 21 report, KAITO, the native token of AI platform Kaito, is generating significant buzz due to its listings on major exchanges such as Binance, Coinbase, and KuCoin.
Crypto enthusiasts are actively discussing its trading activity, price predictions, and ongoing airdrop claims. The project’s features and tokenomics are further fueling excitement, making it one of the most talked-about assets in the community.
Additionally, YAP has emerged as a key term in discussions related to Kaito due to its innovative “tweet-to-earn” mechanism. Developed by the AI platform, the YAP leaderboard incentivizes users to post about crypto on social media. After linking their accounts and crypto wallets, individuals can earn points called “Yaps” based on the engagement on their posts.
Santiment highlighted that this system has led to the colloquial use of “yap” as a unit of value or transaction within the Kaito ecosystem.
On the other hand, SEI has seen heightened attention following Trump-backed World Liberty Financial’s purchase of 547,990 SEI tokens for $125,000, on its way to amassing a $370 million crypto stash. The analysis reveals that this acquisition has started debates about institutional interest in SEI and its potential impact on the broader crypto market.
Grok is trending due to its association with Elon Musk’s latest AI initiative, Grok 3. People have been sharing their experiences with the platform’s real-time knowledge, deep search functionalities, and potential impact on the financial advisory space.
Users are also comparing its capabilities to other AI models, particularly in the context of crypto and investment strategies. The excitement is further fueled by the project being free to use.
More Trending Tokens
Other coins on Santiment’s list include Bitcoin (BTC) and Bittensor (TAO). Bitcoin remains a focal point of conversation, with analysts forecasting significant price milestones. Some projections suggest the coin could go back above $100,000 in the near future and break past the $200,000 level by 2027.
Discussions on the flagship cryptocurrency are focused on its current trading status, market cap, and external influences, such as U.S. economic conditions, which could impact its price trajectory.
Meanwhile, TAO has gained traction following its recent listing on Coinbase. This has led to speculation about its growth potential and optimism surrounding the dTAO launch.
There is also talk about its price movements, with many users expressing positivity about its future performance. Analysts suggest that the token could be entering a bullish phase after a prolonged downtrend, adding to the excitement surrounding its market activity.
The post Report: Kaito, SEI, YAP, and Grok Dominate Crypto Trends Amid Market Growth appeared first on CryptoPotato.
Argentina’s Milei Pushes for US Trade Deal At CPAC Amid Crypto Controversy
Argentine President Javier Milei, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, proposed a free US-Argentina trade deal, saying he agrees with Trump’s reciprocity agenda.
He argued that Argentina is willing to have a mutual free trade deal with the United States, saying its only hindrance is its membership ties to Mercosur, the South American trade bloc.
He commented:
“I want to take this chance to announce that Argentina wants to be the first country in the world to join this reciprocal accord that the Trump administration proposed on trade matters.” – Javier Milei
Argentina’s Milei endorsed Trump’s reciprocal tariff plans
Javier Milei met with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the CPAC conference and showed support for the billionaire’s reciprocal tariff plans, which many other countries have seemingly criticized.
According to the Argentine government, the two also spoke about the economic measures Milei is advancing in his country and how crucial it is for both countries to collaborate with each other.
Moreover, during his speech at the conference, the Argentine president repeatedly endorsed some of Trump’s strategies while bashing what he called “a political class with a God complex.” He also promised to work together with countries that share his vision of freedom and want to root out state bureaucracy, seeing Trump as one of his ideological allies.
Aside from Trump, Milei also met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk and even handed him a chainsaw, his government’s symbol of ending state bureaucracy. He also talked with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva about an IMF loan, which he believes could help grow his country’s economy.
Milei is still under investigation for marketing a suspicious meme token
While the Argentine leader is seemingly showing more interest in his relationship with the US, he is facing corruption allegations and is currently under investigation for promoting a rather speculative crypto coin.
Just after its launch, Milei posted about the LIBRA meme coin on X on the grounds that he wanted to support growing businesses and startups. His post quickly encouraged a price surge for the token, bringing its market valuation to over $4 billion.
However, as traders started to withdraw their assets, the token collapsed, with analysts saying the coin showed all the signs of a rug pull.
The LIBRA crypto scandal is now locally known as “cryptogate”, with a few influential characters involved, including a 28-year-old American entrepreneur who helped launch First Lady Melania Trump’s meme coin.
Meanwhile, the libertarian president distanced himself from the crypto project soon after its dip, even deleting his initial X post, but he did ask the Justice Ministry’s Anti-Corruption Office to investigate the case.
Milei and five more others, however, are currently under probe for creating and marketing the token and possible crimes of fraud, abuse of authority, and bribes.
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SEC waves white flag on OpenSea probe, CEO says ‘this is a win’
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is officially backing off its investigation into NFT marketplace OpenSea — yet another example of the crypto industry benefitting from loose regulations under the Trump administration.
OpenSea co-founder and CEO Devin Finzer shared the news late Friday. The announcement came on the heels of Coinbase’s announcement that the SEC was dropping its case against them.
“The SEC is closing its investigation into [Opensea]. This is a win for everyone who is creating and building in our space,” Finzer declared on X. “Trying to classify NFTs as securities would have been a step backward—one that misinterprets the law and slows innovation. Every creator, big or small, should be able to build freely without unnecessary barriers.”
The SEC is closing its investigation into @opensea . This is a win for everyone who is creating and building in our space. Trying to classify NFTs as securities would have been a step backward—one that misinterprets the law and slows innovation. Every creator, big or small,…
Last August, Finzer revealed that OpenSea received a Wells notice warning of potential charges related to unregistered securities. OpenSea had vowed to fight back, and now, it seems the marketplace has come out on top.
If all this sounds like a pattern, that’s because it is. President Donald Trump received millions in campaign contributions from the crypto industry heading into the 2024 elections, according to Bloomberg .
Former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, a former Goldman Sachs banker turned regulatory bulldog, led the toughest crackdown the crypto industry has ever seen. Under his watch, the SEC came after everyone from industry titans like OpenSea, Coinbase and Ripple, the firm behind XRP.
Ripple and the SEC have been in a legal spat since 2020. The regulator accused Ripple Labs of selling unregistered securities, but Judge Analisa Torres ruled that XRP was not a security when sold to exchanges but determined that its institutional sales violated securities laws. She ordered Ripple to pay $125 million, significantly lower than the SEC’s initial $2 billion demand.
Both parties filed appeals , but the SEC may withdraw its case now that Trump nominated pro-crypto SEC commissioner Paul Atkins to be agency chair.
Essentially, the crypto crackdown under Gensler is now slowing down and the agency is taking a more laissez-faire approach, exemplified by the Coinbase and OpenSea announcements.
Meanwhile, OpenSea isn’t just celebrating its SEC victory—it’s also throwing a party in the form of a SEA token airdrop. The OpenSea Foundation announced Thursday that it will reward active, loyal, and longtime users of its NFT marketplace and Seaport protocol with free tokens.
While details are still fuzzy on when the SEA token will actually launch, OpenSea traders are already rubbing their hands together at the thought of free digital loot. The company has also rolled out OS2, a new multi-chain trading platform.
FREEdom Coinのソーシャルデータ
直近24時間では、FREEdom Coinのソーシャルメディアセンチメントスコアは2.3で、FREEdom Coinの価格トレンドに対するソーシャルメディアセンチメントは弱気でした。全体的なFREEdom Coinのソーシャルメディアスコアは18,220で、全暗号資産の中で65にランクされました。
LunarCrushによると、過去24時間で、暗号資産は合計1,058,120回ソーシャルメディア上で言及され、FREEdom Coinは0.01%の頻度比率で言及され、全暗号資産の中で183にランクされました。
過去24時間で、合計208人のユニークユーザーがFREEdom Coinについて議論し、FREEdom Coinの言及は合計142件です。しかし、前の24時間と比較すると、ユニークユーザー数は増加で119%、言及総数は増加で373%増加しています。
X(Twitter)では、過去24時間に合計4件のFREEdom Coinに言及したポストがありました。その中で、0%はFREEdom Coinに強気、75%はFREEdom Coinに弱気、25%はFREEdom Coinに中立です。
Redditでは、過去24時間にFREEdom Coinに言及した4件の投稿がありました。直近の24時間と比較して、FREEdom Coinの言及数が100%増加しました。
すべてのソーシャル概要
2.3