In a remarkable financial turnaround, former President Donald Trump, who faced legal and fiscal challenges last year, has seen a stunning wealth recovery in just nine months since re-assuming office. This resurgence is primarily driven by a burgeoning cryptocurrency empire established by him and his family.
According to a recent investigation by the Financial Times, the Trump family's cryptocurrency ventures have generated over $1 billion in pre-tax profits in the past year. When accounting for unrealized gains, their net worth may have surged by several billion dollars.
Reports indicate that the sales and transaction fees of TrumpCoin and MelaniaCoin combined created approximately $427 million in revenue; sales of the WLFI token, issued by a company owned by Trump's son, have reached $550 million; and the Trump Media & Technology Group's Bitcoin fund has now generated over $3 billion in cash flow.
From “Cash-Strapped” to “Crypto King” Just a year ago, Trump claimed in court documents that he was "nearly out of cash" and, without a reduction of $500 million in civil penalties, might be forced to sell real estate assets.
However, just a few months later, the situation reversed significantly. In addition to selling derivative products such as signed Bibles, perfumes, sneakers, and guitars, Trump received millions of dollars through settlements from lawsuits against various media and tech companies. His wife Melania even secured a documentary contract worth up to $40 million.
Yet, the most explosive source of income has been their rapidly expanding cryptocurrency operations.
Since declaring his intention to be "the first crypto president in American history," the Trump family has taken substantial actions in the digital asset space. Their projects span nearly all popular sectors, including digital collectibles, meme coins, stablecoins, tokens, and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms.
These initiatives have attracted significant investments from billionaires, sovereign funds, and foreign capital, benefiting from unprecedented support from policy measures.
Upon taking office, Trump quickly advanced a “National Bitcoin Reserve” initiative, appointed cryptocurrency-friendly regulators to take over the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and relaxed regulations surrounding digital assets. Following this, the SEC suspended or dismissed lawsuits against major crypto players like Coinbase and Ripple Labs.
With Trump's policies in place, Bitcoin prices have continually reached new heights, prompting a wave of U.S. crypto companies to return, marking one of the most heated periods in the industry’s history.
Family Business Expands into Cryptocurrency The Trump family's cryptocurrency operations can be divided into several facets:
- Meme Coins: The tokens named after the presidential couple, “$TRUMP” and “$MELANIA,” triggered a speculative frenzy upon launch. The Financial Times estimates these tokens have generated approximately $427 million in sales and transaction fees.
- Stablecoins and DeFi Platforms: World Liberty Financial, founded by Trump’s son, issued the governance token WLFI and a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin USD1. WLFI token sales have reached $550 million, while the USD1 issuance exceeds $2.7 billion.
- Transformation of the President's Media Empire: After losing $400 million last year, Trump Media & Technology Group shifted its focus to crypto investments, establishing a Bitcoin fund that has now generated over $3 billion in cash flow.
Reports disclose that Trump holds about 53% stake in TMTG, translating this single asset into a paper wealth of around $1.9 billion.
"The Warning of Conflicts of Interest" Although the White House insists that Trump has placed his assets into a revocable trust managed by his son, unlike the "blind trust" of past presidents, this structure permits Trump to access the profits directly post-presidency.
Several ethicists have pointed out that this arrangement represents an unprecedented intertwining of business and politics in modern American history. Former White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter stated, "No president has had such a direct business conflict of interest since the Civil War.”
However, this warning appears to have stirred little reaction among Trump's supporters. A poll commissioned by the Financial Times shows that more than half of Trump voters believe he "would not earn more than $1 million while in office," and nearly 30% even think he "has not personally profited from his presidency at all."
The "Trump Moment" in Cryptocurrency Trump's crypto empire has also drawn significant foreign investments.
The Abu Dhabi sovereign fund MGX invested $2 billion in stablecoins associated with Trump; China's GD Culture Group announced a $300 million investment in Bitcoin and $TRUMP tokens; and the UAE-based Aqua 1 Foundation purchased $100 million in World Liberty Financial tokens.
Notably, cryptocurrency mogul Justin Sun invested $75 million into World Liberty Financial after the last election. Three months later, the SEC paused fraud charges against him. Subsequently, Sun dined with Trump at his Virginia golf club and pledged to purchase an additional $100 million in $TRUMP tokens.
Trump’s policies have not only delighted the crypto community but also benefited his family and cabinet members.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s Cantor Fitzgerald is the main custodian for the world’s largest stablecoin, Tether; Vice President J.D. Vance and Housing Secretary Bill Pulte have openly held cryptocurrency assets.
Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., noted, "Those who are crafting the crypto regulations are investing in cryptocurrencies themselves—that bodes well for the entire industry.”
“Bitcoin Worth $100 Million?” In a recent speech, Eric Trump predicted, "The U.S. will hoard massive amounts of Bitcoin, and the value of a single Bitcoin will eventually reach $1 billion."
Regardless of whether this prediction comes true, the Trump family has indeed proven through their actions that, during the crypto bull market, they are not merely "policy beneficiaries" but rather the biggest winners.