During Donald Trump's second presidential term, crypto assets reshaped his family's wealth. Now, the Trump family and their followers are experiencing the extreme volatility inherent in cryptocurrencies. Since August, Trump-themed meme coins have plunged by about 25%. Eric Trump's stake in a Bitcoin mining firm has nearly halved from its peak, while shares of Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT.US), which began accumulating Bitcoin this year, hover near historic lows. This sell-off mirrors a broader crypto market collapse, with global cryptocurrency market capitalization shedding over $1 trillion.
Data shows the Trump family's wealth dropped from $7.7 billion in early September to around $6.7 billion, primarily due to losses in their expanding crypto portfolio. These holdings involve complex trading structures rather than simple bets on price movements. Retail investors now have more ways to invest in Trump-linked projects, exposing them to greater risks. For instance, speculators who bought Trump meme coins during the inauguration weekend have seen nearly all their investments wiped out.
Eric Trump remains unfazed, urging investors to double down during market downturns. In a statement, he said, "What a great buying opportunity. Those who buy the dip and embrace volatility will be the ultimate winners. I’ve never been more bullish on crypto and the modernization of the financial system."
Bitcoin has historically rebounded after steep declines, but the Trump family’s crypto strategy includes built-in buffers. While token prices and related stocks decline, they still profit through industry participation. For example, their co-founded platform, World Liberty Financial, generates sales revenue regardless of token price fluctuations.
Georgetown finance professor Jim Angel noted, "Retail investors can only speculate, but the Trump family not only speculates—they also create tokens and profit from sales."
Here’s how Trump-linked crypto assets have fared in the crash:
**Trump Media & Technology Group: $800 Million Loss** The parent company of Truth Social hit a record low last Wednesday, partly due to poorly timed crypto investments. Trump’s stake, held in a trust managed by Donald Trump Jr., has lost about $800 million since September. The unprofitable company expanded into crypto, spending $2 billion on Bitcoin and related options, now facing a 25% paper loss. It also holds CRO tokens from Crypto.com, which have halved in value since September.
**World Liberty Financial: Nearly $3 Billion Paper Loss** WLFI tokens plunged from $0.26 to $0.15 since September, cutting the Trump family’s holdings from $6 billion to $3.15 billion. However, they netted $750 million by selling tokens to Alt5 Sigma (ATLS.US), whose stock then crashed 75%. The family still earned $500 million from the deal, adding to $400 million in prior WLFI sales.
**American Bitcoin: At Least $330 Million Loss** Eric and Donald Trump Jr. partnered with Hut 8 Corp. to launch American Bitcoin Corp. (ABTC.US). Eric’s 7.5% stake, once worth $630 million, has halved, costing the family over $300 million. Investors who bought post-listing face 45% losses.
**Trump Meme Coins: $120 Million Loss, But $220 Million Unlocked** Trump-themed meme coins have fallen 25% since August. The family’s opaque holdings may include 40% of the supply, worth $310 million today—down $117 million since August. However, 90 million newly unlocked tokens, worth $220 million, could offset losses if retained.
It remains unclear whether the Trumps have sold any tokens since July.