Reuters has published an investigation alleging the Trump family pulled roughly $2.3 billion from four crypto-related ventures — and that investors in those same projects have absorbed about the same amount in losses, including unrealized (paper) losses, by the end of April.
What Reuters says it found
- World Liberty Financial (WLFI): World Liberty disclosed it raised $1.4 billion by selling 30 billion WLFI tokens. Reuters calculates those token sales yielded roughly $987 million to the Trump family, but says its review of filings and blockchain records suggests the family’s take from WLFI could be higher. A October 2025 filing tied to European crypto-sales rules reportedly shows World Liberty holding 3 billion fewer tokens than previously disclosed. Using weighted-average token prices for the relevant period, Reuters estimates those “missing” tokens, if sold, would have generated at least $460 million — potentially pushing Trump-family proceeds from WLFI above $1.4 billion. Reuters describes WLFI token fundraising as the largest single component of the alleged $2.3 billion windfall.
- The “TRUMP” memecoin: Reuters traced on-chain movements of the official presidential memecoin across marketplaces and into exchanges. Using movements to exchanges as a proxy for sales — a method it attributes to finance and computing academics, a law professor, and an industry analyst — Reuters says weighted-average prices around those transfers imply more than $880 million was realized. Including other sales channels, total TRUMP-related revenue is reported at about $1.2 billion.
- ALT5 Sigma and intercompany flows: Reuters details that ALT5 Sigma, repositioned as a crypto acquisition vehicle, partnered with World Liberty to buy $717 million in WLFI tokens — a purchase Reuters says directed more than $500 million to the Trump family. Nasdaq-listed partner Hut 8 Corp is reported to have bought $25 million of WLFI shortly after the launch, sending about $19 million to the family.
- Individual stakes: Reuters reports Eric Trump’s stake in these ventures was worth more than $70 million at the end of April; it says Donald Trump Jr.’s stake value was not disclosed.
How Reuters estimated investor losses
Reuters compared what early buyers paid — for TRUMP and WLFI tokens and for shares in ALT5 Sigma and American Bitcoin — with market values as of April 30. Key figures it reports include:
- WLFI governance-token investors: Early purchasers paid $1.50 or $0.50 per token. While some early sellers may have realized gains, most were restricted from selling 80% of holdings. Reuters estimates total losses for WLFI token investors at about $674 million.
- TRUMP buyers: Reuters says investors spent at least $1.2 billion on TRUMP tokens at prices up to $75.35. At an April 30 price of $2.38, those holdings were worth $521 million — implying losses of more than $700 million.
- Public company investors: ALT5 Sigma’s share price decline since August reportedly left investors down about $675 million through the end of March 2026. American Bitcoin’s shares fell from $11 to $1.15 by April 30 after sustained declines, a drop Reuters says cost investors more than $200 million.
Aggregate picture and methodology caveats
Putting its tallies together, Reuters alleges roughly $2.3 billion flowed to the Trump family from these four crypto ventures and that investors absorbed approximately $2.3 billion in losses (including paper losses) by the end of April. The outlet’s analysis relies on corporate filings, European regulatory disclosures, and blockchain-tracing techniques that interpret transfers to exchanges as likely sales. Reuters notes restrictions on early token sales, and that some early buyers may have realized gains on the portions they were allowed to sell.
This is a summary of Reuters’ investigation and its conclusions; the figures and interpretations cited are those reported by Reuters. Featured image created with OpenArt; chart from TradingView.com.
Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news
