(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President Donald Trump holds a major position in digital currency bitcoin, amounting to an estimated $870 million, potentially making him one of the largest bitcoin investors globally, according to Forbes.

However, the American media company stated that bitcoin does not appear on Trump's official financial disclosures, nor is it listed among holdings on the Trump Organization's website. Other reports of his assets also make no mention of the cryptocurrency . Forbes attributes this to Trump holding bitcoin indirectly through his stake in Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), which operates Truth Social and does appear on his balance sheet.

Trump Media's crypto move

Earlier this year, Forbes reported that TMTG pivoted to cryptocurrency, despite generating less than $4 million in annual revenue. In May, the company raised $2.3 billion through debt and stock sales. By July, it acquired $2 billion in bitcoin. The stock sales diluted Trump's stake from 52% to 41%, giving him personal exposure to an estimated $870 million in bitcoin, it said.

Trump among the world's top crypto holders

According to Forbes, only a few billionaires surpass Trump in bitcoin holdings. These include the Winklevoss twins (over $8 billion), Michael Saylor (about $5 billion via his company Strategy plus $2.2 billion personal holdings), Tim Draper ($3.6 billion from Silk Road auctioned coins), and Matthew Roszak (over $1 billion). Trump, by contrast, largely avoided bitcoin during his first presidential term.

Trump's crypto journey since leaving the White House

After leaving office, Trump began exploring crypto. He first sold NFT trading cards, generating a few million dollars, and later launched World Liberty Financial with his three sons. The venture initially struggled until Trump's second election win in 2024.

Forbes reports that the crypto community contributed more than $1 billion to Trump's net worth through World Liberty tokens and a memecoin launched ahead of the inauguration , which added nearly another $1 billion.

Market dynamics boost Trump Media's crypto strategy

Following Trump's reelection, bitcoin prices surged 60% between Election Day and May 2025, prompting Trump Media to begin stockpiling the cryptocurrency. The company raised funds through $1 billion in convertible bonds and $1.4 billion in stock, giving Trump a personal debt exposure of $400 million, larger than any of his real estate mortgages, according to Forbes.

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Despite a stronger balance sheet featuring billions in bitcoin and debt, TMTG's market cap is $1.2 billion lower than pre-bitcoin levels. Without bitcoin, investors now value the original media business at just 60% of its May 2025 valuation, the report said.

However, the outlook remains uncertain but potentially favorable. If bitcoin prices continue to rise, particularly under a second Trump presidency, TMTG shares could increase, adding hundreds of millions-or even billions-to Trump's fortune.

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