Trump Family’s Crypto Token Launch Inflates Fortune by Billions Amid Trading Debut
The Trump family has seen a dramatic increase in their net worth after the launch and initial trading of their cryptocurrency token, WLFI, tied to their primary crypto venture, World Liberty Financial. The family’s holdings in the digital token have soared to an estimated $5 billion on paper following the token’s debut on open markets.
WLFI Trading Opens
Trading for the WLFI token began publicly on Monday after investors approved the coin’s tradeability earlier this summer. According to data from cryptocurrency trackers including Binance and CoinMarketCap, WLFI tokens initially spiked to roughly 40 cents per token, before settling at about 23 cents on Tuesday morning. This valuation surge means that the Trump family’s stake of approximately 22.5 billion WLFI tokens now amounts to around $5 billion worth in digital assets.
Locked Tokens and Valuation
Despite the impressive valuation, the tokens held by Trump family members remain locked under a vesting schedule by World Liberty Financial, meaning those holdings cannot yet be sold. The company clarified that a “vesting schedule TBD” limits sale of tokens belonging to the founding “Team” to currently up to 20%, thus the $5 billion figure remains mostly theoretical for the time being.
Background and Structure
World Liberty Financial was launched last year in the midst of Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. The Trump family’s corporate entity controls 60% of the company, demonstrating a clear majority stake in this operation. Initially, Donald Trump was listed on the World Liberty Financial website as the “Chief Crypto Advocate,” later marked as “Co-Founder Emeritus” with a note that this title was removed upon entering office.
Regulatory and Ethical Questions
The family’s soaring crypto fortune has sparked scrutiny and allegations of potential conflicts of interest, especially as the former president has signaled strong intentions to make the U.S. a leading hub for cryptocurrency innovation. While the White House has firmly denied any ethical concerns tied to Trump’s previous advocacy for the family’s crypto ambitions during his administration, watchdog groups and Democratic lawmakers continue to express unease with the overlap between governance and personal business stakes.
Les Borsai, a government consultant and co-founder of Wave Digital Assets, highlighted that presidencies with private business interests are not unprecedented, citing Jimmy Carter and the Kennedys as historical examples. However, the Trump family’s case is notable for the size and velocity of crypto wealth growth coinciding with deregulatory policies promoted at the federal level.
Market Volatility
Cryptocurrency markets are inherently volatile, as evidenced by WLFI’s price swings immediately following its launch. While the token rose sharply to 40 cents, it nearly halved, dropping to around 21 cents before recovering slightly. Consequently, the Trump family’s digital fortune will fluctuate as the token’s market price changes, underpinning the speculative nature of these crypto assets.
Future Outlook
As the WLFI token becomes more widely tradeable, and the vesting restrictions potentially loosen, the practical value of the Trump family’s holdings may shift rapidly. Observers are watching closely to see how this new form of wealth shapes the family’s financial landscape and the broader implications for presidential business transparency and conflict-of-interest policies.
World Liberty Financial has not provided detailed public comments following the trading launch, but their move into accessible digital tokens marks a significant milestone in crypto adoption linked to prominent political figures.