Trump-linked retail ventures struggle as phone deposits mount and TRUMP token sinks

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Trump retail struggles and token

Highlights

Trump Mobile revised April terms so $100 T1 phone deposits from 600,000 buyers totaling about $60 million now offer only a 'conditional opportunity' to buy with no delivery commitment.
TRUMP token has fallen 97% from its $73 peak to $2.45, with retail investors losing about $2 billion and 80% supply still unlocking at $500,000 per day through mid-2028.
TRUMP token daily DEX volume dropped from nearly $7 billion (400,000 traders) on Jan 20, 2025 to $16 million (4,200 traders) on May 5, 2026, with large holders shrinking from 19% to 2%.

Phone deposits and contract terms come under scrutiny

As reported by IBTimes, Trump Mobile revised its terms of service in April to say deposits for the T1 phone amount to a "conditional opportunity" to buy the device if the company decides to sell it, removing any binding purchase commitment. The change follows repeated delays after delivery targets shifted from late summer 2025 to November, then December, then the first quarter of 2026 before disappearing from the website.

Moneywise says roughly 600,000 buyers have paid $100 deposits, putting about $60 million into the venture as of May 2026 without a single confirmed device delivered. The deposits go to T1 Mobile LLC, a registered company using a limited liability agreement from DTTM Operations, LLC, which manages intellectual property, trademarks and likeness rights tied to merchandise associated with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump Mobile does not respond to an emailed request for comment in the source text. The stalled rollout leaves buyers facing a product launch that is still unresolved despite months of shifting timelines.

TRUMP token loses momentum as supply overhang grows

The TRUMP memecoin follows a different path but shows a similar loss of retail enthusiasm. After launching in January 2025 at $1.21 and surging to $73 within 48 hours, the token trades at $2.45 on Monday, down about 97% from its peak and 82% this year, according to CoinGecko data.

Chainalysis estimates retail investors in TRUMP have collectively lost about $2 billion since launch. The token was introduced with 80% of supply held by Trump-affiliated entities CIC Digital and Fight Fight Fight, and those holdings are scheduled to unlock at about $500,000 a day at current prices through mid-2028, creating persistent sell-side pressure as buyer interest fades.

Dune Analytics data tracked by user @seoul show daily decentralized exchange volume falling from nearly $7 billion across about 400,000 traders on January 20, 2025 to around $16 million across 4,200 traders on May 5, 2026. Average trade size drops from roughly $2,700 to $260, and the share of holders with more than $1,000 worth of TRUMP falls from about 19% at launch to around 2% now, suggesting the token is increasingly held by smaller retail accounts.

At current prices, remaining insider unlocks represent more than $2.5 billion in potential supply overhang. Promotional events, including a May 2025 dinner for top holders and a later purchase pledge from Tron founder Justin Sun, do not reverse the broader decline, while an April 25, 2026 event at Mar-a-Lago prompts U.S. senators to seek documents about the president's role in promoting it.

In our earlier report on the U.S. Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, we covered its expanded nationwide crackdown on fraud targeting public programs, health care systems, taxpayers, and financial channels. The update detailed multiple sentences, guilty pleas, and indictments tied to alleged losses nearing $1 billion, signaling tighter federal oversight and more aggressive prosecutions across sectors.

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