Trump cost investors $4.7B through crypto ‘schemes’: Public Citizen

cointelegraphОпубліковано о 2026-08-27Востаннє оновлено о 2026-08-27

Анотація

Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, reports that investors lost an estimated $4.7 billion through Donald Trump and his family's digital asset ventures since 2022. The bulk of the losses, $3.2 billion, came from the TRUMP memecoin. Meanwhile, Trump reportedly earned over $7 million from NFT fees, more than $600 million from World Liberty Financial token sales, $635 million in memecoin licensing fees, and $197 million in capital contributions. Amid these ventures, Public Citizen renewed calls for ethics provisions in the pending Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, arguing the president should divest from the industry. A White House spokesperson has stated there are "no conflicts of interest." Trump recently met with crypto executives, urging passage of a "fair version" of the CLARITY Act.

The nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen reported that US President Donald Trump “left investors at least an estimated $4.7 billion underwater” since 2022 through his and his family’s digital asset ventures.

According to Public Citizen, investors lost billions of dollars through the Trump family World Liberty Financial governance token, the president’s nonfungible token (NFT) trading cards launched in 2022, his memecoin Official Trump (TRUMP) and Trump Media’s digital asset treasury.

The bulk of the estimated losses, according to the organization, came from investors in the TRUMP memecoin, with $3.2 billion lost, while buyers of World Liberty Financial‘s USD1 stablecoin “haven’t suffered major losses.” Public Citizen said that in the case of the memecoin, the losses represented “wealth transferred to a small group of early buyers rather than money that simply vanished.”

Estimated losses for investors in Donald Trump’s crypto ventures. Source: Public Citizen

According to Public Citizen, amid the $4.7 billion in investor losses, Trump earned $7.2 million from the NFT licensing fees and royalties, more than $600 million from World Liberty token sales and selling an equity stake, $635 million in licensing fees for his memecoin and $197 million in revenue from capital contributions to World Liberty. This did not reflect the stakes in companies and ventures he continues to hold. Some of the figures were included in the president’s 2025 disclosures, reporting $1.4 billion in earnings tied to crypto.

Related: Most Americans say the Trump family’s crypto investments are not ‘appropriate’: Poll

Cointelegraph reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive an immediate response. Spokesperson Anna Kelly has repeatedly said in response to questions on Trump’s crypto investments that there were “no conflicts of interest.”

Crypto bill still weeks away from potential vote

Amid the crypto ventures and more “potentially on the way” from Trump, the group renewed calls for ethics provisions in a cryptocurrency market structure bill, the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, claiming that “the president’s policy choices and personal portfolio cannot be separated” and any legislation should require a US president and his family to divest from projects in the industry.

Trump met with crypto company executives last week, calling for a “fair version” of the CLARITY Act to pass once the Senate returns to session next month. The bill is scheduled for a cloture vote on Sept. 15, which will require votes from at least 60 senators to advance.

Magazine: SEC’s proposed crypto rules probably won’t spark new ICO boom

Пов'язані питання

QHow much money did investors reportedly lose through Trump's crypto ventures according to Public Citizen?

AInvestors reportedly lost an estimated $4.7 billion through Trump's and his family's digital asset ventures.

QWhich specific Trump-associated crypto asset caused the largest portion of the estimated investor losses?

AThe largest portion of the estimated losses, $3.2 billion, came from investors in the TRUMP memecoin.

QHow much did Trump reportedly earn from NFT licensing fees and royalties related to these ventures?

ATrump reportedly earned $7.2 million from NFT licensing fees and royalties.

QWhat was the response from the White House spokesperson regarding questions on Trump's crypto investments?

AWhite House spokesperson Anna Kelly repeatedly stated that there were 'no conflicts of interest' regarding Trump's crypto investments.

QWhat action does Public Citizen call for in relation to the CLARITY Act and the President's crypto holdings?

APublic Citizen calls for the CLARITY Act to include ethics provisions requiring a US president and his family to divest from crypto industry projects.

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