The Trumps have lost more than $1 billion on bitcoin since the president's return to office. What’s behind the huge loss

Laura BoastSun, April 12, 2026 at 12:30 PM UTC

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Photo of Donald Trump with an image of bitcoin

In March of 2025, President Donald Trump held a crypto summit for America's cryptocurrency elite, vowing "to make America the Bitcoin superpower of the world."

"Never sell your bitcoin," Trump told summit attendees (1).

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He may regret those words now — after his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr. gambled $2.4 billion of the family's fortune to buy bitcoin at its peak last year.

As Forbes reports (2), it originally looked like their gamble would pay off, with a potential $1 billion return. Instead, the Trumps have lost more than $1 billion.

Here's why they were so ready to bet big on bitcoin, and where it all went wrong.

Smitten by bitcoin

By the time Trump was reelected, Eric and Donald Trump Jr. had converted him into a crypto crusader. The family's cryptocurrency investments had earned him millions.

That included the newly minted, Trump-owned World Liberty Financial, issuer of stablecoins (designed to have a constant worth of $1 each).

The most pro-crypto president yet appointed Scott Bessent, "the most pro-innovation, pro-crypto (3) Treasury Secretary we've ever seen," as described in a November 2024 X post by Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, a blockchain and cryptocurrency company.

In March 2025, Trump signed (4) an executive order to establish a national Bitcoin Reserve and digital asset stockpile and set out to put in place crypto-friendly regulations.

Bitcoin was blossoming. By May, a single bitcoin (BTC-USD) was worth $108,000.

As Forbes reports (2), Eric and Donald Trump Jr. were convinced it would soar another 50% within the year with their father in the White House.

In a bid to seize the moment and increase the Trump family fortune, the brothers bet big on bitcoin.

They cashed out $1.4 billion of stock in Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT) and $1 billion in convertible bonds to buy the cryptocurrency.

The president's interest in Trump Media plunged from a majority share of 52% to 41%. And now he was one of the biggest bitcoin investors in the world.

By midsummer, the value of an individual bitcoin had bloomed to $119,000.

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The Trump brothers invested another $114 million into Cronos, a token issued by Crypto.com, which announced plans to invest $1 billion (5) into Trump Media.

Then the winds shifted and a cold economic front took the bloom off Bitcoin's rose by late fall.

Read More: Almost 50 with no retirement savings? Here’s why you shouldn’t panic

Bitten by bitcoin

By late November, markets signaled a move away from riskier investments like cryptocurrency, directly hitting the Trumps.

The crypto assets the Trumps had bought for $2.4 billion fell in value to $1.8 billion. In January 2026, the Trumps' crypto holdings fell to $1.7 billion as Fed Chair Jerome Powell held interest rates steady — with bitcoin taking a 5% hit in one day. Now, their holdings are worth around $1.4 billion — $1 billion less than what the Trumps paid. A single bitcoin sits at around $73,000.

"Our bitcoin holdings reflect a long-term investment in this revolutionary digital currency, which we do not judge based on temporary, cyclical downturns," spokesperson Shannon Devine said in a statement, per Forbes.

Proceed with caution

The lesson for many investors is clear: When it comes to cryptocurrency, proceed with caution. It's easier to understand the value of traditional investments like stocks based on economic indicators, company earnings and investor sentiment.

In contrast, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are more speculative investments, and are harder for most people to comprehend.

Build up $100,000 in safe investments first

Atlanta-based certified financial planner Varun Marneni of CPC Advisors told Moneywise that investors would be wise to hold off on speculative investments until they have at least $100,000 in more traditional investments in their portfolios.

One way to invest in cryptocurrency if you do choose to do so is through exchange-traded funds. ETFDb.com (6) lists more than 50 crypto ETFs.

U.S. News and World Report (7) lists these among the best crypto ETFs to invest in:

iShares Bitcoin Trust

Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund

Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust

Roundhill Bitcoin Covered Call Strategy ETF

Hashdex Nasdaq CME Crypto Index ETF

And if you don't feel comfortable taking the risk in a "revolutionary digital currency," there’s certainly nothing wrong with sticking to more traditional assets like low-cost index funds.

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Article Sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.

The New York Times (1); Forbes (2),(3); The White House (4); PBS (5); ETFDb (6); U.S. News and World Report (7)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

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Source: “AOL Money”