As cryptocurrency markets stumble through another bruising stretch, Eric Trump is doubling down on a conviction that many investors are beginning to question: digital assets, he says, are not a passing trend but the foundation of tomorrow’s financial system.
“First of all, markets aren't always rational,” Trump said in an interview Thursday, pointing to Bitcoin’s rise from under $500 a decade ago to today’s still-elevated levels despite recent losses.
His remarks arrive at a delicate moment for crypto. Prices have sagged for weeks, with Bitcoin sliding below $67,000 and logging a fifth consecutive weekly decline—nearly halving from its all-time high last October and falling about 31% over the past year.
For Trump, that volatility is not a warning sign. It is the cost of transformation.
“If you don't have the backbone to weather volatility, go invest in some boring bond,” he said. “That’s not where the future is being built.”
From Speculation to Infrastructure: A Shift Toward Tokenization
While crypto prices fluctuate, Trump’s flagship venture, World Liberty Financial, is steering into what it sees as a more durable frontier: tokenization — converting real-world assets into blockchain-based securities.
In partnership with digital asset firm Securitize and luxury developer DarGlobal, the company plans to place revenue-linked interests from a Trump-branded resort development in the Maldives onto blockchain rails ahead of the project’s expected 2030 completion.
The structure would allow wealthy investors to buy fractional exposure to the development through crypto exchanges—effectively blending private real estate finance with digital asset liquidity.
Tokenization, Trump argues, could eventually touch everything from commodities and debt markets to art collections, film rights, and even ownership stakes in fine-dining venues.
“It’s going to change the way money flows around the world,” he said. “We’re excited to be at the forefront of that with real estate.”
Though still nascent—estimated at roughly $359 million globally—the tokenized asset market is increasingly viewed by financial technologists as a bridge between traditional finance and blockchain infrastructure.
A Family Business Reoriented Around Digital Assets
The Trump family’s expanding crypto footprint accelerated after Donald Trump embraced digital assets during the 2024 campaign, catalyzing ventures spanning stablecoins, blockchain finance, and decentralized investment products.
One of the most prominent launches was USD1, a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by World Liberty in March 2025, which has since grown into one of the largest stablecoins by market value.
Stablecoins—digital tokens tied to fiat currencies—are widely seen as the most practical gateway for crypto adoption, enabling blockchain-based payments without the price swings associated with traditional cryptocurrencies.
Washington Gridlock Meets Wall Street Resistance
Despite optimism from crypto entrepreneurs, regulatory clarity remains elusive.
Debate continues in Washington over whether crypto platforms should be allowed to offer interest-like “yield” on stablecoin balances—an issue that has stalled broader digital asset legislation and fueled tension between banks and blockchain firms.
Trump framed the clash as existential.
“Banks have always been the greatest monopoly in the history of this country,” he said, arguing that traditional lenders view crypto as a competitive threat.
Banking groups counter that allowing crypto firms to offer yield could let them replicate banking services without equivalent regulatory oversight.
Legal Battles Add Another Layer of Friction
The Trump Organization is simultaneously locked in legal disputes with major financial institutions, including Capital One and JPMorgan Chase, alleging that accounts tied to the family were closed for political reasons.
Both banks deny wrongdoing. JPMorgan has called the claims meritless, and CEO Jamie Dimon was recently named in court filings the bank says improperly included him.
Eric Trump described the relationship with lenders as “complicated,” attributing some of the tensions to regulatory pressures during the prior administration while still expressing respect for the institutions involved.
Crypto’s Identity Crisis — and Its Next Chapter
The timing of Trump’s bullish rhetoric underscores a broader identity shift within crypto itself.
After years defined by speculative trading cycles, the industry is increasingly pivoting toward infrastructure:
Tokenized real-world assets to attract institutional capital
Stablecoins as payment rails and liquidity tools
Blockchain settlement systems aimed at replacing slower legacy networks
Supporters say this evolution mirrors the internet’s own transition—from a volatile dot-com era to essential global infrastructure.
Critics, however, question whether the technology’s promise can outpace regulatory, legal, and market hurdles.
The Bet: Endure the Chaos, Own the Future
Trump’s message to investors is unapologetically long-term: ignore the drawdowns, focus on structural change.
To him, today’s crypto slump resembles earlier market shakeouts that preceded major technological adoption waves.
“This isn’t about the price this week or this month,” he said. “It’s about rebuilding finance for the next generation.”
Whether that vision materializes—or gets slowed by legislation, litigation, and lingering skepticism—may determine not just crypto’s trajectory, but how deeply blockchain embeds itself into the architecture of global finance.