The Financial Times, in an exclusive investigation, reported that Donald Trump and his family’s crypto-linked enterprises have gained more than $1 billion in pre-tax profits since his return to the presidency. The investigation traces the gains across a web of tokens, memecoins, trading cards, and DeFi ventures tied to the Trump brand.
Anatomy of the crypto revenue machine
Central to the gains is World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto entity co-founded by Trump’s sons and associates. The FT attributes approximately $550 million in revenue from WLFI token sales. The platform also launched USD1, a stablecoin, which saw $2.71 billion in sales. While stablecoin issuance doesn’t immediately convert to profit, the reserves backing it could have earned ~$40 million in interest if invested in short-term Treasury instruments.
Memecoins branded to Trump and his wife, $TRUMP and $MELANIA, generated nearly $427 million in token sales and platform fees. On top of these, Trump’s broader crypto holdings include stakes in Trump Media & Technology Group, which now houses a bitcoin reserve strategy.
Ethical and political flashpoints
Much of the FT’s critique centers not just on the scale of the profit, but on the ethical and institutional implications. Unlike past presidents who divested business interests, Trump retains control through a revocable trust overseen by his sons, eschewing a blind trust. Under his presidency, regulatory bodies bowed to crypto interests. The Securities and Exchange Commission scaled back enforcement, and crypto industry figures received pardons or regulatory favor.
FT also notes foreign investment gravity. Chinese crypto magnate Justin Sun reportedly invested $75 million into WLFI soon after Trump’s return to office; shortly thereafter, a long-running SEC fraud case against Sun was pause-listed under the new administration. Polling data cited suggests many Trump supporters are unaware or skeptical of the scale of his crypto gains. Critics warn that the overlap of policy influence and personal gain signals an unprecedented monetization of the presidency.