How Much Wealth Did the Trump Family Lose During the Cryptocurrency Crash?
A Billion-Dollar Question in a Volatile Market
The recent cryptocurrency market downturn has been a brutal reminder of the industry’s inherent volatility, wiping over a trillion dollars from the global market cap. This financial storm has impacted everyone from retail investors to institutional players, and one of America’s most prominent families is right in the eye of it. As the Trump family deepened its involvement in digital assets, their fortune became increasingly tied to the whims of the crypto market. This raises a pressing question: How much wealth did the Trump family
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the family’s net worth took a significant hit, falling from an estimated $7.7 billion to $6.7 billion since the beginning of September. This staggering $1 billion paper loss is primarily linked to their diverse and complex portfolio of crypto-related investments. However, a simple look at the numbers doesn’t tell the full story. While their assets have certainly declined in value, their unique position as project insiders provides them with financial buffers unavailable to the average investor.
Breaking Down the Trump Crypto Portfolio
The family’s crypto empire extends far beyond simply buying Bitcoin. It includes social media ventures, proprietary tokens, and stakes in publicly traded companies. Here’s a look at how their key assets have performed during the recent sell-off.
1. Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG)
The parent company of the Truth Social platform has seen its stock price tumble to near-historic lows. A significant portion of this decline can be attributed to its poorly timed crypto investments. Donald Trump, as the largest shareholder, has seen the value of his holdings in the company shrink by approximately $800 million since September.
According to reports, the unprofitable company has been exploring new revenue streams, including a heavy pivot into crypto. TMTG reportedly spent around $2 billion to acquire Bitcoin and options, with its 11,500 BTC purchased at an average price of $115,000 per coin—a position that is now down significantly. The company also holds about $147 million worth of CRO, a token from the Crypto.com exchange, which has lost nearly half its value.
2. World Liberty Financial (WLFI): The Insider’s Advantage
WLFI is the Trump family’s core crypto project, which issued its own token, WLFI. The token’s price has fallen from 26 cents to about 15 cents since early September. The paper value of the family’s locked WLFI tokens plummeted from a peak of nearly $6 billion to approximately $3.15 billion. (Note: These locked tokens are not included in Bloomberg’s wealth estimate).
However, this is where the line between an investor and an issuer becomes clear. In August, World Liberty Financial strategically sold a portion of its tokens to a small, publicly traded company, Alt5 Sigma Corp. The deal secured them $750 million in cash and equity. This move allowed the Trumps to realize substantial profits from token sales, regardless of the subsequent price crash. While Alt5’s investors have seen their stock drop by 75% since the deal, the Trump family pocketed hundreds of millions from the sale.
As Georgetown University finance professor Jim Angel noted, “Retail investors can only speculate. But the Trump family can not only speculate, they can issue tokens, sell tokens, and profit from these transactions.”
3. American Bitcoin Corp. (ABTC): The Mining Play
Eric and Donald Trump Jr. are also involved in the Bitcoin mining sector through American Bitcoin Corp. (ABTC), a company established via a complex transaction with Hut 8 Corp. Eric Trump holds a 7.5% stake in the Nasdaq-listed company.
At its peak price of $9.31 in early September, Eric’s stake was valued at around $630 million. Since then, the stock has fallen by more than half, shrinking the family’s wealth by over $300 million from this single investment. Despite the sharp decline, the initial deal was a massive financial success, creating hundreds of millions in new wealth for the family.
4. The TRUMP Memecoin Paradox
The TRUMP memecoin, launched with much fanfare, has also plunged in value, dropping another 25% since the end of August. The family’s holdings in the token are estimated to be worth around $310 million, down about $117 million from their recent high.
However, the situation is more nuanced than a simple price drop. In July, a massive token unlocking event occurred, putting nearly 90 million additional TRUMP memecoins into circulation. Bloomberg attributes about 40% of these newly unlocked tokens to the family, worth an estimated $220 million. This means that while the price per coin fell, the total value of their holdings actually increased due to the massive influx of new tokens they control.
The Takeaway: Volatility as a Business Model
While the Trump family has weathered a billion-dollar storm on paper, their crypto journey highlights the profound difference between being a market participant and a market creator. They have leveraged their brand to launch projects, issue tokens, and secure lucrative cash-out deals that insulate them from the worst of the market’s volatility.
Despite the downturn, Eric Trump remains publicly optimistic, calling the crash a “great buying opportunity” and stating that “those who buy the dip and embrace volatility will ultimately be the winners.” For the average investor, such volatility can be devastating. For the Trumps, it appears to be just another part of the business plan.
