US President Donald Trump and his family have amassed hundreds of millions of dollars from cryptocurrency ventures since his return to the White House. This includes token sales, meme coins, and bitcoin holdings, amid scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest. The developments coincide with new US legislation on digital assets signed by Trump.
Since Donald Trump's election win in November 2024, his family has engaged deeply in cryptocurrency activities. The White House states that the president has stepped back from his businesses, with assets placed in a trust managed by his children.
World Liberty Financial (WLFI), majority owned by Trump family interests, raised $US550 million in March by selling governance tokens called $WLFI. Of this, reports attribute about $US390 million to the Trump family, with most sales occurring after the election.
In January 2025, days before inauguration, Trump launched the $TRUMP meme coin, issuing 1 billion tokens. Twenty percent were released publicly via an initial coin offering (ICO), while 80 percent remained with Trump-affiliated entities. Market analysis estimates the family benefited from around $US350 million, including $US314 million from sales and $US36 million in transaction fees. Related entities accumulated nearly $US100 million in trading fees within two weeks of launch. A $MELANIA meme coin was also launched that month, though earnings remain unverified by ABC News.
The $TRUMP token's market value has since slumped to $US1.7 billion from an initial $US9 billion, while $MELANIA fell to $US144 million from $US1.6 billion, according to Reuters.
In April, WLFI issued a dollar-backed stablecoin, USD1, with a market value of $US2.5 billion. By July, Trump Media and Technology Group announced it had accumulated approximately $US2 billion in bitcoin and related securities.
These ventures have raised conflict-of-interest concerns. Associate Professor Elvira Sojli from the University of New South Wales noted that Trump-linked tokens could benefit from government policies under his leadership, creating a 'textbook conflict of interest' in the unregulated crypto market. The $TRUMP coin was released three days before inauguration, and in May, Trump hosted a private gala at his National Golf Club in Washington for the top 25 holders, promoted on Truth Social.
In July, Trump signed the National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act, known as the GENIUS Act, the first federal legislation on digital assets. Democrats have criticized it for enabling continued crypto profits. The White House insists Trump abides by all applicable laws, with business interests unrelated to presidential decisions.
Trump's net worth rose to $US5.1 billion in 2025 from $US2.3 billion in 2024, per Forbes. ABC News contacted the White House, WLFI, and Trump Media for comment but received no response by publication.