Key highlights:

  • Trump crypto ventures resulted in notable investor losses of about $4.7 billion since 2022
  • The projects include the TRUMP memecoin, NFTs, and the World Liberty Financial projects
  • UAE Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan holds a 49% stake in Trump’s planned crypto bank

The crypto ventures linked to US President Donald Trump have recently become a key source of controversy. This is mainly because a new report identified that investors have lost at least $4.7 billion through these Trump crypto platforms since 2022. The report has revealed that the losses span Trump’s NFT collections, memecoins, and the World Liberty Financial projects.

Trump crypto ventures face fresh scrutiny as millions face losses

According to nonprofit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, the Trump crypto projects have “left investors at least an estimated $4.7 billion underwater” since 2022. The report added that the massive losses came from the sharp decline in the Trump-linked digital assets.

Notably, the TRUMP memecoin, a speculative cryptocurrency launched by the president in January 2025, accounted for the largest share of losses. As per the Public Citizen report, investors have seen a loss of nearly $3.2 billion.

However, what is to be noted is that this money hasn’t simply disappeared. The report added that a large portion of the wealth was transferred to a relatively small group of early buyers who benefited as the token’s value changed.

Investor losses from Trump's crypto ventures

Source: Public Citizen

Another major Trump crypto project the report highlighted is World Liberty Financial. But the good news is the investors in WLF’s USD1 stablecoin haven’t faced severe losses compared to the TRUMP memecoin. As USD1 is pegged to the stable US dollar, it generally avoids sharp declines seen in other crypto assets.

What did Trump earn?

Interestingly, the Public Citizen report also highlighted Trump's crypto profits alongside the billions of dollars in investor losses. Reportedly, the president and his family have generated an income of $7.2 million from NFT licensing fees and royalties. At the same time, they earned above $600 million via World Liberty Financial’s token sales and an equity stake sale.

In addition, the president also received a staggering $635 million in licensing fees from the memecoin. Another $197 million was earned from capital contributions to World Liberty Financial. It is also worth noting that these figures do not include the value of stakes the president currently holds in various crypto-related companies.

Further, the report referred to Trump’s 2025 financial disclosures. It revealed around $1.4 billion in earnings linked to crypto. This underscores his financial gains, which he has made solely through the crypto space.

Crypto ties with UAE official raise fresh concerns

Coinciding with the Public Citizen report, fresh details about the Trump crypto ventures have raised concerns. According to a WSJ report, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security advisor, and his co-investors hold a significant 49% stake in WLTC Holding. It is the holding company for the Trump family’s planned federally chartered national trust bank, which recently received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

The connection between the US president and the UAE official, also known as the “spy sheikh,” goes beyond the planned crypto bank. Tahoon and other investors had previously put a massive $500 million into World Liberty Financial in January 2025. This gives them a 49% stake in the company.

These reported connections have added another layer of scrutiny around Trump’s crypto businesses. The concern is particularly because Tahoon is a senior UAE government official. The concerns have also grown as the Trump administration has been negotiating with the UAE over access to advanced US AI chips. Thus, these developments raise questions about Trump’s business interests and government decisions.