Summary of this article
Trump-linked crypto ventures generated billions, while many investors suffered losses.
Meme coins, tokens, and crypto stocks declined after initial hype.
Investors trusted Trump’s brand, often without thorough research conducted.
A wave of crypto projects tied to US President Donald Trump and his family has reportedly generated billions of dollars in value across token sales, meme coins, and listed companies, while many investors across these ventures have suffered steep financial losses as prices collapsed after early hype cycles. These projects gained momentum after Trump became President in 2025 and the US adopted a more pro-crypto stance and positioned itself as a global hub for digital assets.
Incidentally, Trump had once called cryptocurrencies a scam, but today, his family is at the centre of a growing crypto business network that has made billions of dollars. The policy shift had also led to a strong investor interest in ventures associated with the Trump brand, ranging from meme tokens to decentralised finance platforms and crypto-linked equities.
An investigation by Reuters has now revealed that Trump-linked crypto ventures have made about $2.30 billion for the Trump family, while investors across different projects have lost around the same amount. These investors include retail crypto buyers, investors in crypto-linked stocks, and others who gained exposure indirectly through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to Trump-related crypto. The total losses also account for paper losses on investments that have not yet been sold.
The analysis covered four Trump-linked crypto ventures, including World Liberty Financial, the $TRUMP meme coin, American Bitcoin promoted by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and ALT5 Sigma which was later renamed AI Financial Corp in April 2026. The Trump family earned billions through token sales, ownership stakes and licensing deals across their crypto ventures, while many investors were left holding assets that lost significant value after prices fell, the report said.
According to the report, Trump linked crypto ventures generated large gains for the Trump family between November 2024 and April 2026 while investors across the same projects faced heavy losses during the period. World Liberty Financial alone brought in about $1.10 billion for the Trump side, against roughly $674 million in investor losses. The $TRUMP meme coin added around $616 million in gains for the family, while investors lost about $711 million. ALT5 Sigma contributed roughly $538 million in gains and $675 million in losses for investors, while American Bitcoin added about $19 million in gains alongside estimated investor losses of around $216 million.
Most of the 27 investors the news agency spoke to said they believed Trump’s political position and business reputation would lead to strong returns. Many admitted they did little research before investing, while some later expressed regret, anger and embarrassment over their losses.
A 29-year-old software engineer from California who invested $2,000 in the $TRUMP meme coin saw her holding plummet to less than $120. Another investor, a 45-year-old businessman from Texas invested $5,000 in American Bitcoin, but later exited with a loss of $800.
While many have questioned a potential conflict of interest, Wilbur Ross, who served as commerce secretary during Trump’s first term, said that like other US politicians and their families, the Trumps are free to engage in business and earn money.
