For decades, Donald Trump built most of his fortune from real estate, golf courses, and a wide range of products bearing his name, from residential towers and vodka to steaks, neckties, and mattresses.
But as he entered the first year of his second presidential term, the sources of Trump’s wealth shifted dramatically. In 2025, his net worth surged, fueled by investments flowing into his media and technology company, as well as profits from cryptocurrency ventures launched shortly before he returned to office, according to estimates cited by The Times on December 30.
Trump’s wealth rose to an estimated $7.3 billion after returning to the White House, up from about $3.9 billion in 2024, according to figures published by Forbes in September. That represents an increase of roughly $3.4 billion in a single year.
In mid-December, Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) announced a planned merger with TAE Technologies, a company specializing in nuclear fusion technology. The deal raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, given that the Trump administration oversees regulation of the nuclear energy sector.
Unlike most former U.S. presidents, Trump did not place his assets in blind trusts or diversified portfolios to avoid perceptions of personal financial gain from government decisions. Instead, he has remained actively involved in his businesses and launched new ventures whose valuations have risen sharply since his inauguration.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in May that Trump complies with all conflict-of-interest laws. “I think everyone, the American people, can see that it is absurd to claim the president is profiting from his position,” she said.
Critics, however, argue that Trump has created the impression that presidential decisions could benefit his personal and family interests, especially as wealthy individuals and sovereign wealth funds are able to invest in assets, such as stocks and cryptocurrencies—that directly increase his net worth or sell them abruptly, potentially affecting their value.
How Trump’s wealth grew in 2025
1. Cryptocurrency ventures
Trump was once openly skeptical of cryptocurrencies, calling them a “scam” and a “disaster waiting to happen” in 2021. During his campaign to return to office, however, he reversed his stance and encouraged supporters to donate using digital assets.
Just three days before his inauguration, Trump launched a meme coin called $TRUMP. Two days later, First Lady Melania Trump introduced a similar token, $MELANIA.
In July 2025, Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first federal law regulating cryptocurrencies, particularly dollar-pegged stablecoins.
According to Forbes estimates published in September, Trump’s crypto-related holdings were valued at:
$709 million from his meme coins
$338 million from World Liberty Financial tokens
$235 million from the USD1 stablecoin project
2. Media and technology
Trump Media and Technology Group, which owns the social media platform Truth Social, was valued at around $2 billion in September.
Despite generating just $3.6 million in revenue in 2024 and posting net losses of $401 million, the company’s valuation was boosted by the announced merger with TAE Technologies.
The deal positions Trump as a major investor in a sector directly regulated by his own administration, intensifying scrutiny over governance and ethics.
3. Licensing and royalties
In the weeks leading up to his inauguration, Trump rolled out a series of new licensing deals that generated millions of dollars in 2025.
These included:
$3 million from sales of Bibles marketed through musician Lee Greenwood’s website, featuring Trump holding a Bible wrapped in the U.S. flag alongside the phrase “God Bless the USA”
$1 million from sales of the “45” guitar
$2.8 million from Trump-branded watches
$2.5 million from Trump-branded perfumes and sneakers
Trump’s estimated net worth increased by about $3.4 billion in 2025, driven largely by cryptocurrency ventures, media holdings, and licensing deals, marking a major shift away from the real estate-based fortune that defined his wealth for decades.
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