Bernie Sanders Claims Trump Family Made $3 Billion From Crypto

Steady attention without excessive speculation.

Sanders posted a detailed breakdown of what he says totals $4 billion in presidential profits. Crypto makes up the bulk at $3.02 billion. The rest includes Persian Gulf deals, legal fees, Mar-a-Lago revenue, and other business income.

The numbers draw from investigative reporting by Reuters, Bloomberg, Forbes, and other outlets. Some represent realized cash. Others reflect paper gains on token holdings that could still fluctuate.

Where the $3 Billion Crypto Figure Comes From

The Trump family crypto wealth traces back to three main sources: World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the $TRUMP meme coin, and the USD1 stablecoin.

WLFI launched in September 2024 with Donald Trump listed as “Founder Emeritus.” Sons Eric, Don Jr., and Barron also hold roles in the project. A Trump-controlled entity, DT Marks DEFI LLC, receives 75% of all net revenue from token sales, according to The Block.

By December 2025, WLFI token sales had raised roughly $550 million. The Trump family reportedly collected around $442.5 million from those sales alone. As a result, Reuters estimated total family proceeds exceeded $1 billion when including other WLFI-related revenue.

USD1 Stablecoin Reaches $5 Billion Market Cap

WLFI also launched the USD1 stablecoin, which has since grown into one of the largest stablecoins in crypto. Its market cap reached $5.1 billion by April 2026, according to Yahoo Finance.

USD1 gained significant traction after an Abu Dhabi-based firm, MGX, used it to settle a $2 billion investment into Binance. That deal marked the largest stablecoin-settled transaction in crypto history.

Binance now holds 87% of all USD1 supply. The exchange also converted all collateral assets backing its legacy BUSD stablecoin into USD1 at a 1:1 ratio.

$TRUMP Meme Coin Generated $400M in Fees

The $TRUMP meme coin launched in January 2025, just days before Trump’s inauguration. It peaked above $44 per token before collapsing.

By March 2026, the coin traded below $3. That represents a 94% decline from its all-time high. According to Rolling Stone, more than 810,000 retail investors lost money on the token.

Despite the crash, trading fees from $TRUMP transactions generated nearly $400 million for Trump-linked entities. The fee structure remains opaque, though the project’s website confirms that the family earns a cut from each transaction.

Trump also hosted two exclusive galas at Mar-a-Lago for top $TRUMP holders, in 2025 and again in 2026. Because of this, ethics watchdogs called them “pay-to-play” access events.

Justin Sun Sues WLFI Over Frozen Tokens

The Trump family crypto allegations gained fresh momentum this week. On April 22, Tron founder Justin Sun filed a lawsuit against WLFI in California federal court, CBS News reported.

Sun alleges that WLFI illegally froze his token holdings, which he values at up to $1 billion. He also claims the company pressured him to invest “hundreds of millions of dollars” more to mint USD1.

Sun originally invested $45 million in WLFI tokens in 2024. According to his complaint, the company later changed its rules to give itself “blacklisting power” over token transfers.

In response, WLFI’s CEO dismissed the allegations as “entirely meritless.” He called Sun’s lawsuit “a desperate attempt to deflect attention from Sun’s own misconduct.”

GENIUS Act and the Conflict of Interest Debate

Critics also point to the GENIUS Act as evidence that Trump family crypto interests shape federal policy. Trump signed the stablecoin regulatory framework into law on July 18, 2025, according to The Block.

The law creates a federal framework for payment stablecoins. Because of this, critics argue it directly benefits USD1 by legitimizing the exact product the Trump family profits from.

Senator Elizabeth Warren urged the Treasury Department to address what she called gaps in the law, The Block reported. Similarly, Sanders called it a “corrupt crypto bill” designed to “enrich Trump and his billionaire backers.”

The bill does include a provision that prohibits sitting officials from issuing stablecoins. Still, critics say that provision does not go far enough because it does not cover indirect profit through family-controlled entities.

Trump Supporters Push Back on Claims

Defenders of the Trump family’s crypto ventures argue the businesses are legal. They say these ventures operate in a pro-crypto environment the administration helped create.

They point out that WLFI token sales followed public procedures. The USD1 stablecoin operates within the GENIUS Act framework. And the $TRUMP meme coin, while speculative, was not marketed as an investment.

No criminal charges have been filed against any Trump family member related to these ventures as of April 2026. The Sun lawsuit and Democratic investigations remain ongoing, but no formal government enforcement actions have resulted so far.

What Comes Next for Trump Family Crypto

Sanders’ post reignites a debate that has intensified throughout Trump’s second term. With Forbes estimating Trump’s fortune at $6.3 billion as of April 2026, crypto ventures now account for a significant share of his wealth.

Bloomberg reported that the family’s $6.8 billion fortune is “increasingly tied to crypto.” As a result, that dependency creates ongoing political risk if markets turn or lawsuits multiply.

The Sun lawsuit, the WLFI token unlock proposals, and growing congressional scrutiny suggest the controversy is far from settled. Investors and observers should therefore watch for developments in Sun’s California case and any Treasury response to Warren’s demands.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.