In a surprising twist to his already unconventional presidency, Donald Trump has leaned deeper into an industry he once dismissed: cryptocurrency. What started as scattered digital asset ventures has now become a sprawling Trump family business empire. With memecoins, NFTs, and mining companies under their belt, crypto is quickly becoming the Trump Organization’s most lucrative endeavor, perhaps even eclipsing real estate and reality television.
From “Scam” to Strategy
It wasn’t long ago that Trump publicly called bitcoin a “scam.” That was back in 2021, when skepticism about cryptocurrency was still widespread among traditional political and financial leaders. Fast forward to 2025, and Trump is not only a vocal supporter of crypto, but he’s deeply invested in it.
According to a Bloomberg analysis, the Trump family business has already earned nearly $1 billion from various crypto-related projects. These include Trump Digital Trading Card NFTs, the $TRUMP memecoin, a crypto financial firm called World Liberty Financial, and even a bitcoin mining company. What once looked like publicity stunts have become revenue-generating machines.
The $TRUMP Gala: Politics Meets Promotion
The latest piece in this crypto empire came to light on Monday morning, when President Trump posted a new announcement on Truth Social—his preferred communication platform. It wasn’t about foreign conflicts, White House staffing changes, or even economic policy. Instead, the president directed followers to a new initiative: the $TRUMP Gala Dinner.
A link included in the post sent users to gettrumpmemes.com, a site urging visitors to purchase Trump’s personal cryptocurrency token, $TRUMP. The pitch? Buy enough tokens, and you might be invited to a private gala later this month at the Trump National Golf Club just outside Washington, D.C.
The reward isn’t just dinner. According to the website, attendees will get a chance to “meet the president” and “learn about the future of crypto.” But beneath the glitz, critics argue the gala is little more than a strategic move to inflate the price of the $TRUMP token, which is largely held by Trump-aligned entities, and possibly part of a broader Trump family business play.
A Token That Pays for Trump
The structure of the $TRUMP gala has raised eyebrows across the political and crypto worlds. In essence, the more tokens you buy, the greater your chances of securing a coveted spot at the dinner. This setup incentivizes large-scale token purchases and funnels capital directly into Trump-controlled wallets.
It’s an approach reminiscent of ICO boom tactics from 2017, yet now it’s tied directly to a sitting U.S. president. While the ethics of such a move are debated, it underscores a clear fact: Trump has figured out how to monetize his political brand through Web3.
Beyond Memecoins: The Full Trump Crypto Empire
The $TRUMP token is just one component. The Trump Digital Trading Card NFTs, first launched in 2022, were an early indicator of where the former president was headed. Despite being widely mocked, the initial NFT drop sold out within hours, bringing in millions of dollars in Ethereum.
The Trump family didn’t stop there. They’ve also become involved in World Liberty Financial, a blockchain-focused fintech startup that markets itself as a crypto alternative to traditional finance. The company boasts partnerships with right-wing influencers and political figures, marketing directly to Trump’s voter base.
Then there’s the bitcoin mining operation, a lower-profile venture but reportedly a major revenue stream, especially as BTC has remained above $100,000 in recent weeks. With energy-rich real estate holdings and access to cheap power, the Trump Organization has quietly built out a mining infrastructure.
All told, these ventures have brought in close to $1 billion for the Trump family, according to Bloomberg’s estimates. While his real estate developments and his time on The Apprentice built the Trump name, it appears crypto may be the family’s most successful business venture to date.
This wealth surge also gives Trump a unique position heading into the 2024 presidential election cycle. Beyond campaign donations, he now has a decentralized funding base—one that blends financial speculation with political loyalty. Supporters aren’t just voting for him; they’re investing in his tokens, holding his NFTs, and fueling his crypto ventures.
Legal and Ethical Questions Abound
Of course, this rapid growth hasn’t come without scrutiny. Legal experts and ethics watchdogs have raised concerns about the intersection of Trump’s political power and his personal business dealings in crypto.
Does offering gala invitations in exchange for token purchases constitute a violation of campaign finance laws? Is there a risk of insider trading or pump-and-dump schemes when high-ranking political figures are involved in volatile digital assets? And perhaps most significantly: can a sitting or former president use their influence to benefit from speculative markets?
These are questions regulators may soon need to answer. But for now, the Trump family continues to cash in.
A New Model for Political Influence?
The Trump crypto empire reflects a broader trend of politics merging with decentralized finance. As traditional campaign fundraising models are challenged by new technologies, crypto offers a powerful alternative—one that is less regulated, more viral, and emotionally charged.
By turning supporters into stakeholders, Trump has essentially gamified political allegiance. It’s no longer just about votes or campaign rallies; it’s about buying into a brand, both literally and figuratively.
If successful, this model could be replicated by others. Already, figures on the political right and left are experimenting with Web3 tools to build communities and fund initiatives. Trump, as usual, may simply be the first to scale it.
Final Thoughts
Whether you view it as a grift or genius, one thing is clear: crypto is no longer just a curiosity for Donald Trump; it’s a core part of his empire. And if the $TRUMP gala is any indication, the line between politics, business, and blockchain is set to blur even further in the months ahead.
As Trump prepares for a possible return to the White House, he does so not just as a former president or real estate mogul but as the head of a thriving Trump family business rooted in cryptocurrency.
