A comprehensive Reuters investigation reveals that President Donald Trump and his family have generated at least $2.3 billion in profit from crypto investments since Trump retook the presidency, while more than a million investors have suffered net losses of $2.3 billion at the end of April. According to the Reuters analysis, this financial disparity stems from a consistent playbook where Trump family members risk little upfront capital while hyping ventures to attract investor capital. The incident demonstrates how quickly market hype can disappear, with the Trump family's $TRUMP meme coin plummeting 97% from its January 2025 peak, leaving investors like 29-year-old software engineer Elrgdawy with losses of less than $120 on her $2,000 investment. The findings show that two of the four Trump ventures examined have together sold more crypto tokens by value than any other crypto project but one since the November 2024 election.
World Liberty Financial emerged as the primary revenue generator, raising approximately $1.4 billion through token sales with the Trump family receiving nearly $987 million as their share, according to Reuters estimates. The project, launched in September 2024, represents one of the most significant crypto ventures linked to the Trump family. However, the financial picture becomes more complex when considering a disputed allocation of 3 billion tokens, which some experts believe was likely sold but not fully disclosed, potentially representing as much as $460 million in additional revenue for the Trump family. The investigation reveals that the Trump family maintained a 60% controlling stake in World Liberty Financial, giving them governance control over the platform. This substantial revenue stream demonstrates how the Trump family's political influence and brand recognition can drive massive token sales in the crypto market.
The $TRUMP meme coin generated approximately $1.2 billion in sales with the Trump family receiving roughly $616 million as their share of profits, as reported by Reuters. Some experts believe the real number could be even higher due to the coin's heavy dependence on Trump's influence and public promotion. The deal structure reportedly gave the family up to 75% of token revenue in some cases, showcasing how significant their profit margins could be. Total spending on the $TRUMP token reportedly reached about $1.2 billion before the token's value fell to roughly $521 million, highlighting the dramatic price volatility that affected investors. Investors in the $TRUMP coin lost more than $700 million after buying at high prices and watching the value fall. The investigation found that $TRUMP coin investors lost more than $700 million, with the token's architecture designed to benefit insiders while leaving outside holders with governance tokens rather than equity claims on actual profits.
The Reuters analysis reveals that retail investors range from losing $60,000 to years' worth of income, with one Texas businessman losing $800 on his $5,000 investment in American Bitcoin. Most investors interviewed acknowledged doing little or no due diligence, believing Trump's political position would ensure lucrative returns. As per Reuters, only five of the 27 interviewed investors reported making a profit, with four of them buying World Liberty tokens early and selling when they became tradeable, while the fifth made profits through day trading the meme coin. The investigation found that WLFI token holders absorbed approximately $674 million in losses, with early holders of locked WLFI tokens facing what the investigation described as total losses due to lockup periods and collapsed market prices. The findings show that US financial regulators had previously warned investors about crypto volatility and scams, though such alerts have diminished since Trump returned to the White House.
