Trump Family’s $5 Billion Crypto Stake Draws Scrutiny Amid Soaring Token Launch

The Trump family’s cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, has officially gone public — with the value of its holdings now estimated at $5 billion (£3.7bn) following the launch of its token, WLFI.

The firm, co-founded by former President Donald Trump and his sons during the 2024 campaign, has sparked fresh concerns over potential conflicts of interest as Trump continues to wield power over financial regulation.

$3.4 Billion in Tokens Personally Held by Trump

Financial disclosures reveal that Trump himself owns 15.75 billion WLFI tokens, currently worth over $3.4 billion at Tuesday’s market prices. The family collectively controls just under 25% of the 100 billion tokens created by the company, giving them a stake valued at approximately $5 billion.

In addition to token holdings, the Trumps receive a percentage of revenue from token sales — a stream that has already generated more than $500 million, according to estimates by Reuters.

That figure was boosted significantly last month when World Liberty Financial partnered with a publicly traded firm that raised $750 million to buy WLFI tokens, positioning the Trump-backed firm as both a buyer and seller of its own cryptocurrency.

WLFI’s Rocky Debut

The WLFI token began public trading on Monday on major platforms like Binance and Coinbase, opening at a high but quickly losing steam. By Tuesday, the token had dropped about 50%, trading at $0.22 — though still well above the initial sale price for many early investors.

In July, token holders voted to allow early buyers (excluding the Trump family) to sell up to 20% of their holdings, offering partial liquidity for the first time since launch.

Despite the drop in price, Trump’s son Eric Trump remained bullish on social media, writing:

“We’re setting a new standard for financial freedom; built on trust, speed, and U.S. values. This is a huge moment for the future of money!”

Regulatory Concerns and Political Fallout

Critics, especially Democratic lawmakers, have called Trump’s deep involvement in the crypto sector a conflict of interest, pointing to his administration’s sweeping deregulation efforts and personal financial stake in the outcome.

They argue that ventures like WLFI are potential vehicles for corruption, insider enrichment, and weakened oversight.

The White House has dismissed such claims. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded:

“The media’s continued attempts to fabricate conflicts of interest are irresponsible and reinforce the public’s distrust in what they read. Neither the President nor his family have ever engaged, or will ever engage, in conflicts of interest.”

A Shift in Crypto Policy

Under Trump’s leadership, the U.S. government has reversed the tough stance previously taken by the Biden administration, which had treated most crypto tokens as securities subject to strict financial regulations.

In recent months, Trump’s administration has:

• Disbanded the Department of Justice’s crypto crimes task force

• Rescinded SEC guidance from the Biden era regarding digital assets

• Appointed Paul Atkins as head of the SEC, who declared in July:

“Despite what the SEC has said in the past, most crypto assets are not securities. We need a framework that supports innovation and growth in American markets.”

Trump had promised during his campaign to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the world”, and with WLFI now live, he has a personal stake in realizing that vision.