A sharp decline in the cryptocurrency market has cost the Trump family at least $1 billion in fortune since September. Their net worth dropped from $7.7 billion to $6.7 billion, driven by heavy investments in digital assets. Key holdings like the $TRUMP memecoin and related ventures have seen massive value losses amid broader market volatility.
The cryptocurrency sector has shed $1.2 trillion in value over the past month, reversing gains fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump's pro-crypto stance. This downturn has hit the Trump family hard, with their wealth falling from $7.7 billion in early September to $6.7 billion now, per Bloomberg's Billionaires Index. The losses stem from their deep involvement in crypto projects, including token launches and company investments.
The $TRUMP memecoin, released just before Trump's inauguration, initially surged to over $15 billion in market value but quickly lost 76% within hours. Since mid-August, it has declined 40%, and overall 85% from launch. Bloomberg estimates the family controls about 40% of the tokens, now valued at $310 million—a $117 million drop since late August.
World Liberty Financial, a platform launched by the Trumps, issued the WLFI token, which has fallen 38% since early September. Holdings peaked at around $6 billion but are worth $3.15 billion today, though not included in Bloomberg's index due to lack of organized trading. In August, they sold assets to Alt5 Sigma Corp, where Eric Trump serves on the board, netting $750 million in cash plus equity. However, Alt5's shares have since plunged 78%.
Eric Trump co-founded American Bitcoin, a Nasdaq-listed mining firm, holding a 7.5% stake; Donald Trump Jr. has a smaller, unspecified share. The stock peaked on September 9, valuing Eric's stake at $630 million, but has since dropped 53%, erasing over $300 million.
Trump Media, the president's company, has pursued crypto ties by filing for three ETFs tracking Bitcoin, Ether, and others like Solana and XRP. It invested $2 billion in Bitcoin, holding 11,500 coins bought at $115,000 each, resulting in a 25% loss. It also acquired $147 million in Cronos tokens by late September, which have lost 45%; the company's shares are down 70% this year.
Despite the setbacks, Eric Trump remains optimistic, urging purchases during the slump via X while warning about volatility in interviews: "if you can’t handle the volatility." The family's crypto bets highlight the sector's risks, even for high-profile players.