Trump gave the top buyers of his meme coin an audience at Mar-a-Lago, and his family earns a fee on every trade
On April 25, 2026, Trump hosted the 297 winners of his second $TRUMP contest at Mar-a-Lago and gave the keynote; the top 29 got a VIP reception and champagne toast. Rankings counted holdings of his coin and purchases of his merchandise.
What happened
Contest rankings were based on holdings of $TRUMP and on purchases of Trump-branded merchandise — sneakers, watches and fragrances — between March 12 and April 14. Winners were set to receive Trump-branded items, including a commemorative poster, two trading cards, a watch and a fragrance. The Trump family earns a fee on each $TRUMP transaction, according to its own website, though ABC News reported the fee structure remains opaque, and attendees' identities are hidden behind pseudonyms. Nansen put the 297 winners' holdings at roughly $29 million, far below the $148 million Reuters reported for the inaugural 2025 contest; that is the winners' stake, not money the family received. The token traded near its all-time low, down more than 95% from its peak. Reuters' own examination found the family has taken in more than $1 billion from crypto asset sales, including at least $336 million tied to meme-coin sales in the first half of 2025.
Why it matters
The president ranked the buyers of his own coin and merchandise and gave the top ones his time, while his family takes a fee on every trade and the buyers stay pseudonymous. Trump told reporters afterwards that he felt an "obligation" to support the crypto industry: "As a president, I have to be able to make sure that all of our industries do well." The White House said his assets are in a trust managed by his children and that "There are no conflicts of interest."