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President Donald Trump says his personal wealth is surging for the same reason ordinary Americans are getting richer: the stock market is going up.
Trump made the argument after a reporter asked (1) what message his highly lucrative year sends to Americans who are struggling financially.
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“I don’t get involved,” Trump said of his investments. “We have funds that run my money.”
The reporter then pressed him on criticism that he is profiting from the presidency.
“You know why I’m profiting? Because the stock market’s going up,” he responded. “Everybody’s profiting.”
Trump then turned the question back on the reporter.
“If you have a 401(k), how’s your 401(k) done?” he asked. “It’s about up 85%. ‘Thank you, President Trump!’ So, we’re all profiting.”
Trump’s comments came after his latest annual financial disclosure revealed an extraordinary year for the billionaire president.
He reported more than $1.4 billion (2) in income from his family’s cryptocurrency ventures in 2025. Meanwhile, his expanding portfolios of stocks and bonds were valued at between $703 million and $2.6 billion at the end of 2025, up from between $225 million and $608 million one year earlier.
But is everyone really profiting?
The stock market has certainly climbed. The benchmark S&P 500 has gained about 25% since the beginning of Trump’s second term, lifting retirement accounts along the way. This is despite several whipsaw market moments from 2025, such as April’s reciprocal tariffs.
According to Fidelity (3), the average 401(k) balance rose 11% from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026, reaching $141,000.
Vanguard reported (4) a similar trend, stating that “strong market performance in 2025 led directly to substantial increases in retirement accounts.” Its average 401(k) balance rose 13% in 2025 to an all-time high of $167,970.
But not everyone has equal exposure to that growth.
Federal Reserve data (5) shows that the wealthiest 10% of Americans hold more than 87% of corporate equities and mutual fund shares. The bottom 50%, by comparison, collectively owns just 1% of that stock and mutual fund wealth.
In other words, ownership matters.
A booming market can make investors significantly wealthier — but you need to own assets to participate in that growth.
Here are three ways investors can try to get their share.
Ride America’s market momentum
Trump did not cite a source for his claim that 401(k)s are up 85%, but he is right that stock investors have benefited from a powerful market rally.
Over the past five years, the S&P 500 has surged by about 74%.
For long-term investors, the lesson is not necessarily to chase whichever stock has already risen the most.
A diversified portfolio can spread money across hundreds or even thousands of companies, limiting the damage that one failed bet can cause. Regular contributions also allow investors to buy through both strong markets and downturns rather than trying to predict every peak and bottom.
The idea is to take a set-it-and-forget-it approach rather than watching every market move throughout the day.
If you prefer a hands-off, tech-forward approach to building wealth, Vanguard’s Digital Advisor puts the investing expertise of one of the world’s largest asset managers right at your fingertips.
It takes the guesswork out of investing by building a personalized portfolio for you using Vanguard’s well-known low-cost ETFs and mutual funds — then keeps things running smoothly with automatic rebalancing.
The platform also offers guidance on saving for retirement and lets you set additional goals as your life evolves.
It can even help you think through debt repayment strategies, potentially freeing up more cash to invest toward your long-term plans.
With a minimum investment of just $100, it’s an easy way to get started with professionally guided investing.
For every $10,000 in an all-index portfolio, you’ll pay approximately $15 to $16 per year.*
You can even test-drive the Vanguard experience with no advisory fees for the first 90 days.
*All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest.
During the interview, Trump said that he has “many people” running his money.
Once a portfolio becomes large enough, that level of professional help can start to make sense.
For investors with portfolios of $250,000 or more, financial decisions often become increasingly nuanced. Managing withdrawals, minimizing tax exposure, and ensuring long-term sustainability often requires greater coordination and strategic planning.
In these cases, working with a financial advisor can help reduce costly mistakes.
If you have a portfolio of $250,000 or more, platforms like WiserAdvisor can connect you with vetted professionals who specialize in this kind of planning.
Simply answer a few questions about your savings, retirement timeline and overall investment portfolio.
From there, WiserAdvisor reviews its network to match you — for free — with up to three vetted, reputable advisors aligned with your specific needs.
You can then schedule no-obligation consultations with your matches to determine who is the best fit for your long-term goals.
WiserAdvisor is a matching service and does not provide financial advice directly. All matched advisors are third parties, and specific financial results are not guaranteed.
Follow Trump into hard assets
Stocks are only one part of Trump’s fortune.
Long before he entered politics, Trump built his public image around real estate. His empire has included hotels, golf resorts, office properties, residential towers and licensing arrangements tied to the Trump name.
A property can generate rental income while also offering the potential for long-term appreciation. Because rents have historically risen over time, real estate could also provide owners with protection as inflation pushes up the cost of living.
And unlike some other investments, real estate doesn’t need a roaring stock market to deliver returns. Even during downturns, high-quality properties can generate rental income — offering a dependable stream of passive cash flow.
As Trump told (6) Steve Forbes back in 2011, “I just notice that when you have that right piece of property, whatever it might be, including location, it tends to work well in good times and in bad times.”
Today, you don’t need to buy a property outright to benefit from real estate investing. Crowdfunding platforms like mogul offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.
As a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, mogul gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 a.m. tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.
Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
Sign up for an account and browse available properties here to start investing today.
The asset that generated $1.4 billion for Trump
Trump’s biggest source of reported income in 2025 was not stocks or real estate.
It was crypto.
As noted earlier, his family’s cryptocurrency ventures generated more than $1.4 billion in income for the year. Trump’s companies also held at least $160 million in bitcoin and ether at the end of 2025, along with up to $6 million in other tokens.
Those numbers help explain why Trump has become one of the cryptocurrency industry’s most prominent political champions.
But his experience is not remotely typical.
Trump and his family earned money through ownership interests, token sales, licensing deals and businesses attached to their names. That is very different from an ordinary investor buying a cryptocurrency after it has already launched.
The recent pullback in bitcoin has also underscored just how volatile the asset class can be.
Still, bitcoin is often described as “digital gold,” with long-term believers pointing to one core feature: scarcity.
Like gold, bitcoin can’t be created in unlimited quantities in the way fiat currency can. Instead, its supply is capped at 21 million by mathematical algorithms.
If you’re looking to diversify beyond traditional stocks and ETFs, Robinhood Crypto lets you buy and sell cryptocurrencies with as little as $1.
With some of the lowest trading costs on average in the U.S., you could end up with up to 2.7% more crypto compared to other platforms.
Robinhood Crypto makes it easy to make investing a habit with recurring buys on a fixed schedule, while giving you access to all your favorite coins — from Bitcoin and Ethereum to Solana, Dogecoin, XRP, and more.
You can also transfer crypto securely to other wallets, set custom price alerts, track market trends, and manage your portfolio all in one place.
Robinhood ensures the security of your cryptocurrency is a top priority, with the majority of coins held in offline cold storage. Robinhood also carries crime insurance against theft and cyber breaches, and 24/7 customer support is available if you need help.
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
C-Span/ YouTube (1); Reuters (2); Fidelity (3); Vanguard (4); Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (5); Forbes/ YouTube (6)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.