President Donald Trump’s most visible, Trump-branded investments had a tough 2025. Everyday investors who bought into the excitement felt the impact in their accounts. The surprising part, based on new reports, is that Trump himself still benefited, increasing his wealth while some of his supporters saw their investments decline.
Two of the biggest companies linked to the president, Trump Media and Technology Group and the Official $TRUMP memecoin, both fell sharply last year. Axios reported that Trump Media shares dropped 67% from January 2025 to the end of the year, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained about 18%. The memecoin fell roughly 89% from its peak after launch, a much steeper decline than the broader crypto market during the same period.
Axios calculated that a hypothetical $1,000 invested in a Nasdaq tracker at the beginning of the year would be worth about $1,184, while the same amount in his company would be around $331. In crypto, the comparison was even worse: $1,000 tracking the overall market would land at about $842, but $1,000 in the $TRUMP coin would fall to roughly $114.
For those who invested, often viewing it as a sign of loyalty and belief in his business acumen, which was also a factor for many who believed he could revitalize the economy. However, it goes to show that while a celebrity or politician-endorsed brand can attract attention, investors may still lose bigly, especially when the product is inherently volatile.
Trump didn’t experience the same ups and downs. Per Forbes estimates, the president’s net worth more than doubled over the past year, largely due to gains tied to crypto. Even with the $TRUMP coin’s decline, reports indicate that Trump still made an estimated $362 million from token sales and related fees.
This figure is part of a bigger picture that is coming under increased scrutiny from ethics watchdogs and market analysts. A Financial Times investigation estimate revealed that the president and his family’s crypto ventures generated over $1 billion in pre-tax profits, partly due to an industry boom and a more favorable policy climate.
Separately, the publication noted that his media empire is strengthening its crypto connections. It plans to distribute a new token to shareholders in partnership with Crypto.com, a move that briefly boosted the stock even as it stayed significantly lower for the year.
While Trump’s circle points to market growth and innovation, more Americans are feeling that daily life is becoming less affordable. One widely shared set of polling results from December found that nearly half of U.S. adults described the cost of living as the worst they can remember, including a significant share of Trump’s own 2024 supporters.
In other words, his personal wealth grows alongside profits from crypto and branding successes while retail investors and working families face losses, higher expenses, and a feeling that the system favors those at the top over those who invested below.
After asumming office, his businesses are now run by his sons, Eric and Donald Jr. Recently, the Trump Phone has missed another release date; it was originally meant to be shipped in August or September last year. The recent delay has been blamed on the US government shutdown because it could not get FCC clearance.
The president has also profited from Mar-A-Lago and other real estate properties since assuming office.
