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On Monday, Apple unveiled plans to invest more than $500 billion in business operations in the U.S., including across fields like artificial intelligence, manufacturing, and engineering.

Although crypto was notably absent in Apple's announcement, some in the industry speculated about a potential move into digital assets: “This level of investment could be the precursor to Apple’s entry into the digital asset space, which may be the product of a more favorable regulatory environment under the Trump administration,” Angus O’Callaghan, XDC Network's Head of Trading and Markets, told TheStreet Crypto.

"Apple has the user reach and technical knowledge to seamlessly enter the digital assets space,” added O’Callaghan.

Apple has not released any details about a possible entry into crypto.

In 2021, Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted he privately invested in crypto, but that the company was far from considering digital assets as part of its corporate strategy: “I think it’s reasonable to own [cryptocurrency] as part of a diversified portfolio,”

Cook said at the 2021 DealBook Online Summit. “I don’t think people buy Apple stock to get exposure to crypto,” he added, clarifying that the company was not integrating digital assets into the Apple payment ecosystem. “It’s not something we have immediate plans to do."

Last year, Bitcoin maximalist Michael Saylor, whose company Strategy (formerly known as MicroStrategy) functions as a proxy for the world's leading digital asset, advised Apple to purchase $100 billion in Bitcoin. The advice went unheeded by the company, with Cook continuing to maintain only personal holdings in crypto.

Meanwhile, Saylor's Bitcoin investment pitch to rival companies like Microsoft also failed , as Microsoft shareholders voted against investing in the digital asset last year.

Following Monday's news, some industry observers also raised other questions about Apple's U.S. investment strategy, suggesting that it may be a broader, calculated effort to align with the America-first aims of the Trump administration, which has castigated American firms promoting innovation abroad rather than domestically.

Apple shares are currently trading at $247.66 .