Public Citizen says Trump‑linked crypto projects cost investors $4.7 billion

Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer‑advocacy organization, reports that investors have lost an estimated $4.7 billion since 2022 through digital‑asset projects linked to former President Donald Trump and his family.

Scope of the losses

The organization attributes the losses to four main Trump‑related crypto offerings:

• World Liberty Financial’s governance token
• Trump‑branded non‑fungible token (NFT) trading cards launched in 2022
• The memecoin “Official Trump” (ticker TRUMP)
• Trump Media’s digital‑asset treasury

According to Public Citizen, the largest share of the estimated losses – roughly $3.2 billion – came from the TRUMP memecoin. The group says those losses represent a transfer of wealth to a small group of early buyers rather than a disappearance of funds. Investors in World Liberty Financial’s USD 1 stablecoin reportedly have not suffered major losses.

Revenue generated for Trump

Public Citizen also details earnings that Trump and his entities have received from the same ventures:

• $7.2 million in NFT licensing fees and royalties
• More than $600 million from World Liberty token sales and the sale of an equity stake
• $635 million in licensing fees linked to the TRUMP memecoin
• $197 million in revenue from capital contributions to World Liberty

These figures do not include the value of any ongoing equity stakes that Trump continues to hold. The organization notes that Trump’s 2025 financial disclosures listed $1.4 billion in earnings tied to crypto activities.

Regulatory context

Public Citizen renewed calls for stronger ethics provisions in the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, arguing that a president’s personal crypto holdings should be divested before influencing policy. The bill is slated for a cloture vote on September 15, requiring at least 60 Senate votes to advance.

Trump recently met with crypto‑industry executives and advocated for a “fair version” of the CLARITY Act to pass when the Senate reconvenes.