$4.7B in Retail Losses as Trump Crypto Ventures Prove 'Thin Air, Real Money'
A new report from Public Citizen reveals that Donald Trump's crypto ventures have generated at least $1.4 billion in disclosed income for him and his company, while retail investors collectively suffer losses of over $4.7 billion.
The core finding of the 'Thin Air, Real Money' report is an asymmetry: Trump allocated his crypto tokens to his own company rather than purchasing them, allowing him to profit from licensing fees without capital investment.
For example, the $TRUMP meme coin launched in January 2025 and peaked at $73.43 within two days, but currently trades at around $2.22, resulting in a 97% decline and losses of over $3.2 billion for retail investors.
The report also examines other Trump crypto products, including World Liberty Financial ($WLFI), which launched as a governance token in September 2024 and has declined by 83%, and the Trump Digital Trading Cards series, which incurred losses of around $9.3 million.