Trump made more than $1bn from crypto in first year back in office

July 1, 2026

President Donald Trump disclosed earning over $1 billion from cryptocurrency ventures during his first year back in office, according to his mandatory 2025 financial report. The bulk of this income came from $635 million in royalties from Celebration Coins, linked to his $TRUMP meme coin, and over $500 million from World Liberty Financial, a crypto firm founded by his sons and associates. While the White House denied any conflicts of interest, citing that Trump's businesses are managed by a trust run by his sons, ethics experts have expressed concern about the situation.

Who is affected

President Donald Trump (earned over $1 billion from crypto)
Trump's sons (manage business trust and founded World Liberty Financial)
Steve Witkoff's children (co-founded World Liberty Financial)
First Lady Melania Trump (earned $10.7 million from documentary licensing and $6 million from NFT sales)
American taxpayers and the general public (affected by potential conflicts of interest)
Ethics experts like Richard Painter (former chief White House ethics lawyer)
Cryptocurrency investors and industry participants

What action is being taken

The White House is denying any conflicts of interest exist
Trump's businesses are being placed in a trust managed by his sons
The Securities and Exchange Commission under Trump-appointed Paul Atkins is shifting away from strict regulatory enforcement of the crypto industry

Why it matters

This matters because it raises significant conflict of interest concerns when the sitting U.S. president profits heavily from an industry his administration is actively promoting and deregulating. The situation represents a departure from historical presidential ethics standards, where previous presidents like Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush divested from business interests before taking office. The scale of profit—over $1 billion from crypto alone—combined with Trump's policy actions favoring the cryptocurrency industry creates questions about whether presidential decisions are being made in the public interest or for personal financial gain.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC