Crypto, real estate, watches: How Trump made over $1 billion last year
[July 02, 2026]
By BERNARD CONDON
NEW YORK (AP) — The real estate mogul has become the billion-dollar
crypto man.
President Donald Trump's latest financial disclosure report showed he
took in about $1.2 billion last year from various crypto holdings,
overshadowing a real estate business that brought him fame and helped
propel him to the nation's top office.
Whereas it took decades for Trump to amass his various properties, the
rise of crypto in his portfolio was done in just over a year, a stunning
development sped along by his own friendly policies toward the industry
and help from billionaires and other actors with important business
before the presidency.
Running over 900 pages, the mandatory annual report showed Trump struck
several other new veins of wealth last year, raising questions about
whether he is profiting from his high office.
He took in tens of millions from new property holdings in foreign
countries eager to please a man with power over where to deploy the U.S.
military and how much to charge in tariffs. And he got tens of million
more suing media companies worried they could lose their broadcast
licenses or not get deals approved by his regulators.
Ever the salesman, Trump even made big money off the smallest of things,
pulling in millions by slapping his name on Bibles, guitars and watches
— the latter alone bringing in $4.7 million.
Hail the new crypto king
Trump got more than $500 million from his World Liberty Financial
business selling “governance tokens" and “stablecoins” and other crypto
assets. Another crypto business, CIC Digital LLC, took in more than $600
million from sales of souvenir-type “meme” coins stamped with his face.
Both the tokens and the meme coins have plunged in value since his
sales, partly because they are so difficult to value. Governance tokens,
for instance, confer to holders only the power to vote on certain
management policies at a company, not equity stakes, and so typical
valuation measures don't apply.
Buyers pounced on Trump crypto anyway, including a Chinese billionaire
who spent $75 million on the tokens and $200 million on the souvenir
coins. In February 2025, a federal lawsuit charging the billionaire,
Justin Sun, with duping investors was paused before being settled for a
$10 million fine.
Sun has denied his spending on Trump businesses had anything to do with
his federal case, while World Liberty has dismissed the notion of a
conflict of interest.
Separately, a company linked to the United Arab Emirates government
bought a stake in World Liberty for $500 million shortly before Trump's
inauguration. The disclosure says nothing about the deal explicitly, but
notes Trump received his share of a “capital contribution” amounting to
nearly $200 million.
Subsequently, the UAE got access to advanced U.S. chips that it had been
previously banned from importing because of national security concerns.
The White House has repeatedly said that Trump has acted only in the
public interest, never gets involved in a family business run by his two
oldest sons and has zero conflicts of interest.
[to top of second column]
|
The front cover of Republican presidential nominee former
President Donald Trump's "God Bless the USA" Bible in Washington,
Oct. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
His real estate business is booming, too
Trump took in tens of millions in fees from a flurry of new hotel,
resort and condo deals overseas, amounting to the biggest property
expansion ever in the century since the family business was founded.
Many of those countries were negotiating with the U.S. over tariffs,
military aid and other important matters while the family business
was striking the deals.
A property in the UAE generated $10.4 million for the Trump business
last year. One in Saudi Arabia being built by a real estate
developer close to the ruling family sent the president’s company $9
million. And one in Bucharest, Romania, and another in Qatar sent
him $5 million each.
Trump's Winter White House is hot
A big winner last year was Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida,
generating $77 million as heads of state and business people flocked
to what Trump has dubbed his Winter White House. That's up 50% from
a year earlier when Trump was just another citizen.
His golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, also is doing well from the
glow of the presidency. Trump got $38 million from his so-called
Summer White House, up nearly 20%.
In total his 16 golf courses and clubs around the world brought in
more than $470 million in fees and licensing income.
The president's MAGA book sold more than the Bible
Trump took in millions last year from selling Trump books and
various other Trump-branded goods in another unprecedented move for
the presidency.
Trump Bibles made $208,486, but the word of God didn't sell as well
as a trio of other literary offerings. His “Save America” book took
in $1,893,965, “Letters to Trump” generated $590,730, and “A MAGA
Journey,” $552,685.
His brand of guitars generated $35,920. Trump sneakers and
fragrances took in $67,634.
Trump sued a lot, and made a lot of money
It's anyone's guess why exactly various media companies decided to
settle Trump lawsuits alleging fraud and defamation, but settle they
did — and paid up.
Lawsuits against ABC, CBS, Meta, and others took in more than $80
million, much of which went to Trump's planned Miami library.
Where Trump hasn't prevailed so far is with E. Jean Carroll, the
advice columnist who won millions accusing Trump of sexual abuse and
defamation. The disclosure says Trump owes her $50 million, pending
appeal.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
