Trump’s Official Trump memecoin earned him $636M as buyers lost $3.8B

President Donald Trump’s memecoin has generated a reported $636 million payout for him while nearly 1 million buyers have collectively lost $3.81 billion, according to newly analyzed blockchain data and financial disclosures.

According to a report by The New York Times, citing blockchain analytics firm Nansen, 988,905 wallets that bought the Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin had recorded cumulative losses of $3.81 billion through the end of June. Nansen said the figure includes both realized losses and paper losses held by investors who have not yet sold their tokens.

The analysis followed the release of Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure, which showed he received a $636 million payout tied to the TRUMP memecoin. The filing also disclosed at least $1.4 billion in crypto-related income during the reporting period, largely connected to licensing agreements linked to the memecoin and token sales by Trump-backed World Liberty Financial (WLFI).

Unlike retail buyers, Trump benefited from trading activity regardless of whether the token price rose or fell because the venture generated revenue from transactions, The New York Times reported. During the token’s launch, Trump repeatedly promoted the memecoin on Truth Social, encouraging supporters to purchase it.

Three days before his January inauguration, Trump introduced the TRUMP memecoin, describing it on social media as a way for supporters to join his community. Since then, the token has fallen sharply from its peak. Nansen said the memecoin traded at about $1.76 on Friday, roughly 97% below its all-time high of $75.35.

Retail investors absorbed most of the losses

According to Nansen, roughly two out of every three wallets that purchased the TRUMP token have lost money. The firm also found that fewer than 500,000 wallets generated about $4 billion in combined profits, with gains concentrated among a relatively small group of early participants who entered before the price surged.

The report said automated traders and experienced crypto investors typically capitalize on the rapid price swings common in memecoins by buying early and selling into retail demand. Nansen concluded that most profits were captured by this smaller group, while later buyers accounted for the majority of losses.

One investor interviewed by The New York Times, Nicholas Pinto, said he invested roughly $500,000 in the TRUMP token after supporting Trump in the 2024 election and estimated he had lost about half of that investment. Pinto argued that Trump’s public position encouraged confidence among buyers and described the project as “almost a legal scam.”

Responding to criticism, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told The New York Times that Trump had made the United States the “crypto capital of the world” and said his actions were taken in the interests of the American people.

Crypto earnings continue to draw political scrutiny

In a recent CNBC interview, Trump said he was unaware that his crypto ventures had generated at least $1.4 billion, adding that he could know the exact amount if he wanted to and insisting there was nothing improper about earning money from digital assets. He also said he had no plans to distance himself or his family from their crypto businesses.

World Liberty Financial has also faced losses among investors. According to Nansen, 85% of the 26,663 WLFI wallets it tracked were underwater, recording combined losses of about $83 million compared with roughly $23 million in profits. The firm noted that the actual losses are likely much larger because many secondary-market transactions on exchanges cannot be traced publicly.

The financial disclosure has also intensified political debate in Washington. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand recently renewed her call for ethics rules that would prohibit government officials and their spouses from creating or promoting crypto memecoins while Congress considers the CLARITY Act.

According to Gillibrand, Senate negotiations are also examining stablecoin yields, anti-money laundering safeguards, and ethics provisions before lawmakers move the legislation forward.