The Trump family may have received tens of millions of dollars from a cryptocurrency sale by World Liberty Financial, a company they partly own.
A new US government filing shows the crypto firm raised $52.1 million in a private token sale and gave out $50.7 million of that money to its founders—possibly including Donald Trump and his family.
Launched in September 2024, World Liberty Financial is a decentralized finance platform with plans to reshape online finance. It began selling a token called "$WLFI" last year.
At first, Trump and other leaders said they would keep all the money raised inside the company. But this new sale was different—it handed out nearly all of the funds to the owners.
According to Forbes, the Trump family owns about 40% of the company. If the money was split based on that share, they could have received more than $20 million. However, it's unclear exactly how much each person got. The company has not responded to media requests for comment.
The sale was made to nearly 2,000 investors, which is highly unusual for a private offering. Legal experts say it looks like a "mini-IPO," which may raise concerns about compliance.
Trump’s Crypto Firm Raised $52 Million—Likely Sending Millions To His Family, New Disclosure Revealshttps://t.co/eKkFAflAi0 pic.twitter.com/COQjjqH0FK
— Forbes (@Forbes) July 12, 2025
Trump's Crypto Firm Faces Scrutiny Over UAE-Linked Investor
World Liberty also has a stablecoin called "USD1," backed by US Treasuries and cash, which it claims is safer and more reliable for everyday use.
Trump, who once opposed crypto, now says he wants to make America "the crypto capital of the world."
The money behind World Liberty is also drawing attention. A group called "Aqua 1 Foundation," which says it's based in the United Arab Emirates, bought $100 million worth of the company's tokens, Reuters said.
That makes it the largest known buyer. But little is known about Aqua 1 or its leader, Dave Lee. The group has no known business registration in the UAE, and its website only launched in May 2025.
Despite the mystery, Trump's earnings from World Liberty are adding up. His recent financial disclosure showed $57.4 million in income from the company over the past year.
Some critics worry this creates a conflict of interest, especially since Trump is running for president again.
"People who want to influence the president can just buy his cryptocurrency," said Senator Jeff Merkley, who has proposed a bill to block presidents from endorsing crypto assets.
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