In recent weeks, Trump and his two sons have been actively promoting a decentralized finance (DeFi) project called "World Freedom Finance," aimed at replacing traditional intermediaries like banks with software applications. Simultaneously, Trump launched his fourth series of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), featuring unique images of him riding a motorcycle or as a boxer. Melania Trump's official website also revealed that her forthcoming memoir could be purchased with digital collectibles.
Despite publicly stating five years ago that he "does not like Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies," Trump's family and entourage have now fully embraced cryptocurrency, earning millions from it. According to financial disclosure information for 2024, Trump's company CIC Digital LLC made $7.2 million by licensing his image on NFTs and holds at least $1 million in Ethereum in a crypto wallet. Additionally, in August, 1,000 pairs of "Crypto Sneakers" branded with Trump were pre-sold for $499 each through CIC Ventures LLC. According to Florida state registration documents, CIC Ventures is associated with Trump's attorney, John Marion IV.
Trump also launched NFT collectibles with his long-time friend Bill Zanker, who co-authored the 2007 book "Think Big and Kick Ass" with Trump. About two years ago, Zanker suggested Trump start selling NFTs, leading to their collaboration. Meanwhile, Melania Trump has also launched several NFT series, including a Mother’s Day gold necklace sold on the Solana blockchain.
Trump's two sons, Eric and Don Jr., have also joined the family's cryptocurrency promotion efforts. In August, they began promoting a Telegram channel called "DeFiant Ones" for "World Freedom Finance." Furthermore, Trump's former advisor and key figure in the 2016 campaign, Steve Bannon, has also ventured into cryptocurrency. He supported the Himalaya Coin and its related exchange, which was later shut down by the FBI for alleged fraud, although Bannon was not implicated.
Another ally of Trump, Cantor Fitzgerald LP's CEO Howard Lutnick, is also an enthusiastic supporter of cryptocurrency. The company manages the reserves for Tether Holdings, known for its $118 billion USDT stablecoin, one of the most traded digital assets globally.
In politics, Republican vice-presidential candidate Vance also ventured into cryptocurrency investments before joining the campaign team. According to CNN, he disclosed owning over $250,000 worth of Bitcoin and actively advocated for cryptocurrency policy reform on Capitol Hill, drafting a bill to revise digital asset regulations.
