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Donald Trump Jr.’s investment firm 1789 Capital has reportedly generated returns of roughly 200%, driven partly by an early bet on prediction market platform Polymarket.
The firm’s main fund posted the gains as of June 30, according to a New York Times report published Wednesday. That compares with an average return of about 21% for venture firms started in 2023, per PitchBook data cited in the report.
A 50x Polymarket Bet
Polymarket was valued at around $300 million when 1789 Capital invested. The company is now reportedly worth $15 billion.
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Trump Jr. told the Times he first approached founder Shayne Coplan at the 2024 Republican National Convention, saying Polymarket’s odds, not the polls, matched what he was hearing from voters about his father’s chances.
Polymarket’s rapid increase in valuation followed a regulatory thaw under the Trump administration. The CFTC granted Polymarket a U.S. operating license last year, withdrew a Biden-era proposal to ban political and sports prediction markets, and has sided with the platforms in their legal fight against state gambling regulators.
Trump Jr. also serves as a strategic adviser to Polymarket’s main rival Kalshi, which reportedly granted him shares for the role, meaning federal decisions on prediction markets may benefit him whichever platform wins.
Kalshi raised $1 billion in May at a $22 billion valuation and is reportedly in talks for a new round that could value it near $40 billion.
Kalshi and Benzinga have an existing data collaboration agreement.
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Government Ties Run Through the 1789 Portfolio
The firm, co-founded by Omeed Malik, bought stakes in SpaceX, Anduril, Cerebras and Reflection AI before any went public, according to the report.
Two years ago 1789 managed a few hundred million dollars; it now oversees more than $3 billion. Angela Lee, a Columbia Business School professor, offered one explanation to the Times for the firm’s rapid growth: “People are paying for proximity to power.”
Another holding, rare-earths magnet maker Vulcan Elements, reportedly landed a $620 million Defense Department loan commitment months after 1789 invested at a $200 million valuation. The company is now said to be worth around $2 billion, and Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee are examining whether the firm influenced the loan, per the report.
Malik and Trump Jr. denied having any inside track on the loan. Malik told the Times he learned of it from a company press release, while Trump Jr. said he has never met or spoken to anyone at Vulcan Elements.
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ProPublica reported that the loan request came from White House adviser Peter Navarro, a friend of Trump Jr.’s. Navarro dismissed the reporting as hyperbole, and a spokesperson for Trump Jr. said he never spoke to Navarro about Vulcan.
Other 1789 Holdings
Traders on Polymarket assign Anduril, a 1789 holding valued at $61 billion, roughly an 8% chance of an IPO before 2027.
Cerebras Systems priced its IPO at $185 in May, with shares opening to the public at $350. It now trades around $221.
SpaceX listed on June 12 in the largest IPO in history. The stock’s rocky debut performance may help explain why traders doubt the rest of the portfolio rushes to market this year.
Image: Shutterstock
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Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market
Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.
Arrived
Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.
Realberry
Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.
FarmTogether
Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.
Immersed
Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.
Fundrise
Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.
Mode Mobile
Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.
EquityMultiple
For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.
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