What is the story about?
Donald Trump will complete the first year of his second presidential term on January 20, 2026.
Along with his political agenda, his personal and family finances also saw a dramatic transformation over the past year.
Once primarily associated with luxury real estate, golf courses, and brand licensing, Trump’s financial profile has now shifted toward technology, cryptocurrency, and global business ventures involving his family members.
Multiple financial trackers have estimated that Trump’s net worth has grown sharply since his return to the White House.
For much of his career, Donald Trump earned his money through commercial and residential property developments, golf resorts, and hotels.
His name was also attached to a wide range of consumer products, including vodka, steaks, ties, books, and television projects. This model defined Trump’s financial identity for decades.
By the time he returned to office, his business interests had become far more varied.
In addition to maintaining ownership of nearly 20 major real estate assets — such as Mar-a-Lago in Florida, Trump Tower on New York’s Fifth Avenue, and golf courses in Scotland — Trump had also expanded into social media, cryptocurrency, and advanced energy technology.
Forbes has valued Trump’s real estate portfolio at roughly $2.5 billion, though this estimate is subject to fluctuation.
In the past, prosecutors have questioned Trump’s property valuations, including a Florida golf course that was purchased for $5 million but later declared to be worth $62 million in tax filings.
Trump’s real estate empire remains a core part of his wealth, but it is no longer the dominant source of growth.
One of Trump’s most prominent non-real-estate assets is Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the company that owns his social media platform, Truth Social.
Forbes estimated the company’s value at around $2 billion in September, even though it reported only $3.6 million in sales in 2024 and posted a net loss of $401 million that year.
Despite those losses, TMTG made a major strategic move in December by announcing a merger with TAE Technologies, a firm developing nuclear fusion technology.
The all-stock transaction was valued at approximately $6 billion and positioned Trump’s media company in the emerging energy sector, particularly as global demand grows for power-hungry artificial intelligence data centres.
Because the Trump administration oversees regulation of the nuclear and energy industries, the deal has attracted scrutiny.
Unlike many previous presidents who placed their assets in blind trusts or diversified funds to avoid conflicts of interest, Trump has remained involved in his business ventures during both of his terms.
In 2021, Trump publicly criticised digital currencies. During interviews with Fox Business, he described crypto as something that “seems like a scam” and later called it a “disaster waiting to happen.” At the time, he expressed scepticism about its legitimacy and stability.
That stance changed during his 2024 presidential campaign. Trump’s campaign website began accepting donations in cryptocurrency, and he promoted digital assets as part of a broader message about embracing innovation.
Crypto firms became major financial supporters of his political efforts, contributing $18 million to his inauguration fund, according to
Fortune.
Just three days before his second inauguration, Trump launched his own memecoin, known as $TRUMP.
Two days later, US First Lady Melania Trump introduced a similar cryptocurrency, $MELANIA. These coins had no intrinsic value beyond speculative trading, but their launch generated enormous interest.
Six weeks into his presidency, a White House fact sheet quoted Trump as saying,
“I am very positive and open minded to cryptocurrency companies, and all things related to this new and burgeoning industry.”
In July 2025, Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first major federal law regulating cryptocurrency in the United States. The legislation focused on stablecoins — digital currencies pegged to the US dollar. Trump had already launched his own stablecoin business, USD1.
Forbes estimated in September that Trump’s digital assets were highly lucrative at the time. The publication valued his holdings at:
Although some of these valuations later declined due to market volatility, the early surge significantly boosted Trump’s paper wealth.
The Financial Times analysed transaction data and reported that sales and trading fees from the $TRUMP and $MELANIA memecoins generated $427 million for Trump and his business partners. Every purchase of the coins produced fees that flowed directly to Trump-linked entities.
In addition, World Liberty Financial — the Trump family’s cryptocurrency firm — earned hundreds of millions of dollars in fees from its operations, according to the same analysis.
In May, Eric Trump announced that a company backed by a sovereign wealth fund from the United Arab Emirates would invest $2 billion into another firm using World Liberty Financial’s crypto coin. The transaction produced substantial fee income for the Trump family.
Two weeks later, the White House approved the sale of advanced computer chips to an Emirati company owned by the same chairman who had made the $2 billion crypto-related investment.
During Trump’s first presidency, the Trump Organisation pledged to avoid new foreign business deals. That policy is no longer in place.
Since Trump returned to office, the company has signed branding agreements for real estate projects in several countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and the Maldives.
Many of these ventures involve firms with close ties to their respective governments.
These same countries have benefited from US security arrangements, access to American markets, and diplomatic support, including coverage for controversial domestic actions.
While the exact financial terms of these branding agreements have not been publicly disclosed, similar past deals have typically been worth millions of dollars each.
In July 2025, Trump travelled to his Scottish golf courses, where he held meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
During the same visit, he inaugurated a new golf course alongside his two sons and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
Trump also earned millions through licensing deals and branded merchandise.
His 2025 financial disclosure revealed income from:
The Bible was sold through the website of musician Lee Greenwood, a frequent guest at Trump’s political rallies.
The product was described as being “endorsed” by Trump and featured a photo of him holding a Bible with the American flag on the cover and the words “God Bless The USA.”
Forbes placed Trump’s net worth between $6.7 billion and $7.3 billion by late 2025.
The New York Times suggested his fortune could be closer to $10 billion, though much of it is tied up in illiquid assets.
Several members of his family have also experienced major increases in their personal wealth.
According to Forbes, Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr saw his net worth multiply sixfold over the past year.
A venture capital firm that added him as a partner in 2024 later received at least four contracts from the Trump administration, according to the
Financial Times.
Some of the firm’s investments included stakes in Elon Musk’s SpaceX and defense contractor Anduril. Through these connections, Trump Jr earned millions from contracts approved by his father’s administration.
The US First Lady reportedly received around $28 million from Amazon Studios for a documentary about her life, according to The Wall Street Journal.
While access to the First Lady is considered valuable, the size of the deal drew attention. For comparison, basketball legend Michael Jordan reportedly earned $3 million for an all-access documentary.
Eric Trump’s announcement of the $2 billion UAE-backed investment into a company using World Liberty Financial’s crypto coin highlighted how deeply the Trump family has become involved in digital finance.
Nearly 50 years ago, US President Jimmy Carter placed his peanut farm in a blind trust before entering the White House to avoid conflicts of interest.
Although the farm eventually went into debt, Carter’s decision was widely viewed as a commitment to transparency and ethical governance.
Trump has taken a very different approach. He has retained control over his business interests and continued launching new ventures while serving as president.
His administration has also made policy decisions that directly affect industries in which he and his family have financial stakes.
The scale and diversity of Trump’s financial interests mean that potential conflicts can arise across nearly every area of federal policy.
Forbes’ net worth index still lists Trump’s main source of wealth as “real estate.”
However, analysts have noted that many of his biggest financial gains since 2024 stem from his position as president.
With inputs from agencies
Along with his political agenda, his personal and family finances also saw a dramatic transformation over the past year.
Once primarily associated with luxury real estate, golf courses, and brand licensing, Trump’s financial profile has now shifted toward technology, cryptocurrency, and global business ventures involving his family members.
Multiple financial trackers have estimated that Trump’s net worth has grown sharply since his return to the White House.
How Trump 2.0 diversified
For much of his career, Donald Trump earned his money through commercial and residential property developments, golf resorts, and hotels.
His name was also attached to a wide range of consumer products, including vodka, steaks, ties, books, and television projects. This model defined Trump’s financial identity for decades.
By the time he returned to office, his business interests had become far more varied.
In addition to maintaining ownership of nearly 20 major real estate assets — such as Mar-a-Lago in Florida, Trump Tower on New York’s Fifth Avenue, and golf courses in Scotland — Trump had also expanded into social media, cryptocurrency, and advanced energy technology.
Forbes has valued Trump’s real estate portfolio at roughly $2.5 billion, though this estimate is subject to fluctuation.
In the past, prosecutors have questioned Trump’s property valuations, including a Florida golf course that was purchased for $5 million but later declared to be worth $62 million in tax filings.
Trump’s real estate empire remains a core part of his wealth, but it is no longer the dominant source of growth.
How Trump media group became one of his biggest assets
One of Trump’s most prominent non-real-estate assets is Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the company that owns his social media platform, Truth Social.
Forbes estimated the company’s value at around $2 billion in September, even though it reported only $3.6 million in sales in 2024 and posted a net loss of $401 million that year.
Despite those losses, TMTG made a major strategic move in December by announcing a merger with TAE Technologies, a firm developing nuclear fusion technology.
The all-stock transaction was valued at approximately $6 billion and positioned Trump’s media company in the emerging energy sector, particularly as global demand grows for power-hungry artificial intelligence data centres.
Because the Trump administration oversees regulation of the nuclear and energy industries, the deal has attracted scrutiny.
Unlike many previous presidents who placed their assets in blind trusts or diversified funds to avoid conflicts of interest, Trump has remained involved in his business ventures during both of his terms.
How Trump 2.0 dramatically shifted towards crypto
In 2021, Trump publicly criticised digital currencies. During interviews with Fox Business, he described crypto as something that “seems like a scam” and later called it a “disaster waiting to happen.” At the time, he expressed scepticism about its legitimacy and stability.
That stance changed during his 2024 presidential campaign. Trump’s campaign website began accepting donations in cryptocurrency, and he promoted digital assets as part of a broader message about embracing innovation.
Crypto firms became major financial supporters of his political efforts, contributing $18 million to his inauguration fund, according to
Just three days before his second inauguration, Trump launched his own memecoin, known as $TRUMP.
Two days later, US First Lady Melania Trump introduced a similar cryptocurrency, $MELANIA. These coins had no intrinsic value beyond speculative trading, but their launch generated enormous interest.
Six weeks into his presidency, a White House fact sheet quoted Trump as saying,
“I am very positive and open minded to cryptocurrency companies, and all things related to this new and burgeoning industry.”
In July 2025, Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first major federal law regulating cryptocurrency in the United States. The legislation focused on stablecoins — digital currencies pegged to the US dollar. Trump had already launched his own stablecoin business, USD1.
How much money crypto has made Trump
Forbes estimated in September that Trump’s digital assets were highly lucrative at the time. The publication valued his holdings at:
- $709 million in memecoin tokens
- $338 million in World Liberty Financial tokens
- $235 million tied to USD1
Although some of these valuations later declined due to market volatility, the early surge significantly boosted Trump’s paper wealth.
The Financial Times analysed transaction data and reported that sales and trading fees from the $TRUMP and $MELANIA memecoins generated $427 million for Trump and his business partners. Every purchase of the coins produced fees that flowed directly to Trump-linked entities.
In addition, World Liberty Financial — the Trump family’s cryptocurrency firm — earned hundreds of millions of dollars in fees from its operations, according to the same analysis.
In May, Eric Trump announced that a company backed by a sovereign wealth fund from the United Arab Emirates would invest $2 billion into another firm using World Liberty Financial’s crypto coin. The transaction produced substantial fee income for the Trump family.
Two weeks later, the White House approved the sale of advanced computer chips to an Emirati company owned by the same chairman who had made the $2 billion crypto-related investment.
How global branding deals have boosted Trump & Co.
During Trump’s first presidency, the Trump Organisation pledged to avoid new foreign business deals. That policy is no longer in place.
Since Trump returned to office, the company has signed branding agreements for real estate projects in several countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and the Maldives.
Many of these ventures involve firms with close ties to their respective governments.
These same countries have benefited from US security arrangements, access to American markets, and diplomatic support, including coverage for controversial domestic actions.
While the exact financial terms of these branding agreements have not been publicly disclosed, similar past deals have typically been worth millions of dollars each.
In July 2025, Trump travelled to his Scottish golf courses, where he held meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
During the same visit, he inaugurated a new golf course alongside his two sons and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
Trump also earned millions through licensing deals and branded merchandise.
His 2025 financial disclosure revealed income from:
- $3 million in fees from Bible sales
- $1 million from “45” guitars
- $2.8 million from Trump watches
- $2.5 million from sneakers and fragrances
The Bible was sold through the website of musician Lee Greenwood, a frequent guest at Trump’s political rallies.
The product was described as being “endorsed” by Trump and featured a photo of him holding a Bible with the American flag on the cover and the words “God Bless The USA.”
How rich Donald Trump & his family is now
Forbes placed Trump’s net worth between $6.7 billion and $7.3 billion by late 2025.
The New York Times suggested his fortune could be closer to $10 billion, though much of it is tied up in illiquid assets.
Several members of his family have also experienced major increases in their personal wealth.
According to Forbes, Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr saw his net worth multiply sixfold over the past year.
A venture capital firm that added him as a partner in 2024 later received at least four contracts from the Trump administration, according to the
Some of the firm’s investments included stakes in Elon Musk’s SpaceX and defense contractor Anduril. Through these connections, Trump Jr earned millions from contracts approved by his father’s administration.
The US First Lady reportedly received around $28 million from Amazon Studios for a documentary about her life, according to The Wall Street Journal.
While access to the First Lady is considered valuable, the size of the deal drew attention. For comparison, basketball legend Michael Jordan reportedly earned $3 million for an all-access documentary.
Eric Trump’s announcement of the $2 billion UAE-backed investment into a company using World Liberty Financial’s crypto coin highlighted how deeply the Trump family has become involved in digital finance.
How Trump's biggest asset has been him being US president
Nearly 50 years ago, US President Jimmy Carter placed his peanut farm in a blind trust before entering the White House to avoid conflicts of interest.
Although the farm eventually went into debt, Carter’s decision was widely viewed as a commitment to transparency and ethical governance.
Trump has taken a very different approach. He has retained control over his business interests and continued launching new ventures while serving as president.
His administration has also made policy decisions that directly affect industries in which he and his family have financial stakes.
The scale and diversity of Trump’s financial interests mean that potential conflicts can arise across nearly every area of federal policy.
Forbes’ net worth index still lists Trump’s main source of wealth as “real estate.”
However, analysts have noted that many of his biggest financial gains since 2024 stem from his position as president.
With inputs from agencies
