United States President Donald Trump earned more than $1 billion from cryptocurrency related business ventures during his first year back in office, according to his mandatory 2025 financial disclosure.
The 927 page filing revealed that Trump reported $635 million in royalties from an entity known as Celebration Coins, believed to be behind the $TRUMP meme coin launched just days before he returned to the White House. Although the coin has since lost significant value, it generated substantial royalties for the president.
Trump also disclosed more than $500 million in income from World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company founded by his sons alongside the children of his special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
The latest disclosure shows Trump earned at least $2.2 billion during the reporting period, a sharp increase from the more than $600 million reported in his 2024 financial filing.
The White House dismissed suggestions that the president was profiting from his office, stressing that Trump’s business interests are held in a trust managed by his sons.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said Trump had made the United States “the crypto capital of the world.”
“Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged or will ever engage in conflicts of interest,” Kelly said, adding that all actions taken by the administration were in the best interests of the American people.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump defended his financial gains, attributing them to the strong performance of financial markets.
“You know why I’m profiting, because the stock market’s going up, everybody’s profiting,” he said.
“I don’t get involved in my personal finances. We have funds that run my money. I’ve made a lot of money before I became president, and they invest my money, and I don’t talk to them.”
Trump’s embrace of cryptocurrency marks a significant shift from his earlier stance. In 2021, he described Bitcoin as a “scam” and a “disaster waiting to happen.” However, during his 2024 presidential campaign, he pledged to make the United States the “crypto capital of the planet.”
After returning to office, one of his first executive actions was to support the responsible growth of the cryptocurrency industry. His administration has since adopted a more industry friendly regulatory approach.
Richard Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under former President George W. Bush, described Trump’s crypto earnings as extraordinary.
“Of course it’s a conflict of interest,” Painter said.
Will Walker Arnott, Director of Private Clients at Raymond James Wealth Management, said Trump’s approach differs significantly from previous presidents.
He noted that former President Jimmy Carter placed his peanut farm into a blind trust, while George W. Bush sold his ownership stake in the Texas Rangers before taking office.
“Trump seems to be operating in a very different manner and seems to be making a lot of money through this family crypto company,” Walker Arnott said.
The financial disclosure also showed that Trump continued to earn significant income from his traditional business empire.
His Mar a Lago resort generated about $77 million, while his Doral golf club in Florida brought in $122 million. His golf clubs in Bedminster, New Jersey, Jupiter, Florida, and Turnberry, Scotland, each generated more than $30 million.
Beyond real estate, Trump earned $4.7 million in royalties from Trump branded watches, along with additional income from Trump branded Bibles, sneakers, fragrances and guitars.
First Lady Melania Trump also reported substantial earnings. She received $10.7 million from a licensing agreement tied to a documentary released last year and another $6 million from the sale of non fungible tokens (NFTs).
The president also disclosed $86.5 million in legal settlements, including $16 million from ABC, $16 million from CBS Broadcasting and CBS Interactive, $24.5 million from Meta, $22 million from YouTube and $8 million from X.
According to the White House, most of those settlement funds have been directed toward Trump’s future presidential library or a nonprofit dedicated to maintaining park sites in the Washington, D.C., area.
Trump’s personal wealth has also risen sharply. Forbes estimates his net worth at about $6 billion, up from $2.3 billion in 2024, while Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index places his fortune at $7.6 billion.
The administration has also strengthened ties with the cryptocurrency industry. Trump appointed Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission, where he has moved away from the previous administration’s aggressive enforcement approach toward digital assets.
Last July, Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, saying it would make America “the undisputed leader in digital assets.”
At more than 900 pages, Trump’s annual financial disclosure is significantly longer than those of previous presidents. By comparison, former President Joe Biden’s financial disclosure for his final full year in office was just 11 pages.
Source: BBC
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