Rebecca Cruz The Government Grift ETF is set to launch this week, giving retail investors exposure to trades made by Congress and companies tied to President Trump — including crypto-related stocks and tokens.
Congress Trading Meets Wall Street: The Birth of the Government Grift ETF
The political corridors of Washington may soon collide directly with Wall Street portfolios. Tuttle Capital Management is preparing to roll out the Government Grift ETF (GRFT), a first-of-its-kind exchange-traded fund that mirrors the trading activity of U.S. lawmakers and firms tied to presidential influence. Analysts suggest the ETF could go live as soon as this week, giving retail investors a chance to “follow the money” from Congress straight into the stock market.
According to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has greenlit October 3 as the date Tuttle’s S-1 registration goes effective. That means the Government Grift ETF launch is imminent, drawing widespread attention from traders, political analysts, and crypto investors alike.
How the Government Grift ETF Works
The core strategy of the ETF is built on monitoring STOCK Act transaction reports — mandatory disclosures by U.S. lawmakers and their spouses detailing stock trades. By analyzing these filings, the ETF aims to replicate positions held by powerful political players.
The fund will hold between 10 and 30 securities, including both equities and ETFs, with allocations weighted according to congressional trade sizes and perceived presidential influence. Beyond tracking Capitol Hill, the Government Grift ETF will also invest in firms tied to the White House — whether through boardroom connections, presidential praise, or direct business relationships.
As Tuttle’s June filing explained, the strategy rests on a simple but powerful thesis: “Political actors, particularly members of Congress and those linked to the President, wield unique influence over market outcomes and often possess insights that can materially affect security pricing.”
Trump’s Imprint: From Bitcoin to Memecoins
The ETF isn’t just about congressional trading—it also spotlights President Donald Trump’s deep ties to the crypto sector. His media empire, Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ: DJT), already holds a staggering 15,000 Bitcoin valued at $1.7 billion. Meanwhile, its subsidiary Truth Social has been linked to multiple spot crypto ETF filings.
Other Trump-linked ventures include:
American Bitcoin Corp (ABTC): A publicly listed mining company with direct Trump family backing.
Trump-themed memecoins: Launched around his inauguration, tokens inspired by Trump and Melania have surged in crypto circles.
World Liberty Financial (WLFI): A controversial crypto platform in which the Trump family holds around $5 billion worth of WLFI tokens.
If GRFT taps into Trump-related equities and tokens, crypto could become a pivotal component of the ETF’s strategy.
Crypto in the Spotlight: Tuttle’s Growing Footprint
Tuttle Capital is no stranger to crypto exposure. The firm already manages a suite of leveraged crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) tied to XRP, Solana, Litecoin, and Chainlink. With dozens of spot crypto ETFs waiting for approval, Tuttle is positioning itself as a heavyweight in bridging digital assets with traditional finance.
The SEC’s recent approval of generic listing standards has further accelerated momentum. Analysts now believe spot crypto ETFs beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum are essentially inevitable. This development could bolster demand for thematic ETFs like GRFT, which may combine political influence with crypto-backed exposure.
Why the Government Grift ETF Matters
The launch of the Government Grift ETF isn’t just a quirky play on political irony — it highlights three major shifts in U.S. finance:
Transparency Meets Capitalism: Retail investors can now capitalize on the very same trades that lawmakers disclose under ethics laws.
Crypto’s Political Edge: With Trump at the helm, crypto has become an extension of U.S. politics, with real implications for markets.
ETF Evolution: From leveraged crypto plays to politically themed funds, the ETF space is rapidly diversifying into narratives once considered too niche.
By tracking Congressional trades and Trump-linked companies, GRFT essentially allows retail traders to front-run — or at least follow — the moves of some of the most influential figures in the United States.
Final Take: A Political-Crypto Fusion on Wall Street
The Government Grift ETF launch represents more than a new ticker symbol. It’s a symbolic convergence of politics, crypto, and traditional finance. For retail investors, it’s both an opportunity and a gamble: betting on the assumption that those closest to power move markets in ways others cannot.
With its blend of Congressional trade tracking, Trump-related crypto ties, and Tuttle’s ETF expertise, GRFT could become one of the most-watched product debuts of the year. Whether it succeeds will depend on whether investors believe “following the grift” is the next big alpha strategy.
Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards.
