Did the Trump family quietly retreat from billion-dollar crypto play?
Behind the scenes of a booming token sale and stablecoin surge, the Trump family has reportedly reduced its grip on World Liberty Financial, the controversial crypto project that promises a “financial revolution” and offers an “upgraded” digital dollar on centralized exchanges.
According to a June 19 Forbes report, the Trump family’s stake in World Liberty Financial dropped from 60% to 40% in a silent, unannounced transaction within the past two weeks. The development occurred without public notice, press release, or regulatory disclosure, suggesting a deliberate effort to avoid scrutiny while liquidating a massive position.
The company at the heart of the maneuver, DT Marks DEFI LLC, is controlled by President Donald Trump and his sons, who had already offloaded a portion of their holdings earlier this year.
Strategic unwinding of Trump’s crypto empire?
The Trumps’ latest stake reduction marks the third time in six months they’ve trimmed their position in World Liberty Financial. In December, their holding company DT Marks DEFI LLC controlled 75% of the venture. By late January, that figure dropped to 60%.
Now, with their stake at 40%, a clear pattern emerges: the family has been methodically converting crypto hype into cash while maintaining just enough skin in the game to keep the project alive.
Notably, all the sales occurred at critical market junctures. The first came shortly after Trump’s inauguration in January, when token sales topped $200 million in a single day. This second selloff arrived just as Circle, a rival stablecoin issuer, enjoys a Wall Street honeymoon following an IPO that nearly tripled in value on its first day.
A $190m payday
These events, along with the Senate’s passage of a stablecoin framework just days before the latest stake reduction, could have bolstered World Liberty’s business model, creating an ideal exit window for the Trump family.
If valued similarly to Circle, the latest sale could have netted the Trumps as much as $190 million, with Donald Trump personally pocketing an estimated $135 million, Forbes reported, citing an analysis of fine print on World Liberty’s website.
As supporters continue buying what the Trumps are quietly offloading, one truth becomes clear: in this “financial revolution,” some participants are decidedly more equal than others.
The only remaining question is whether regulators or investors will start asking harder questions before the next stake reduction appears in the fine print.
