President Donald Trump rang the opening bells of the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq jointly from the White House Oval Office on July 6, 2026, marking the first trading day for "Trump Accounts," a government-backed savings and investment program for US children [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. The dual bell-ringing was the first time both exchanges participated together from the White House [1, 2, 3, 9].
The "Trump Accounts" program officially launched on July 4, 2026, US Independence Day [1, 3, 5, 7, 9]. It targets children born between 2025 and 2028, who will receive a $1,000 seed contribution funded by the federal government to start their accounts [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9]. Over 500,000 infants had received this initial deposit by early July, with more than 6 million children under 18 already opening accounts nationwide [5, 6, 9].
Parents or guardians manage the accounts until the child turns 18, when full control transfers to the beneficiary. Funds can then be used for higher education, buying a home, or launching a business [2, 5]. Parents, relatives, and employers can contribute up to $5,000 annually to the accounts, which invest by default in diversified low-fee index funds including the S&P 500 and US Treasury bonds with fees capped at 0.1% [2, 5, 9].
Trump described the accounts as a way for children to build wealth from birth, saying, "Children can, at the age of 18 and after, become very wealthy people," and added that the accounts will grow alongside a "booming economy" [1, 2]. He also jokingly endorsed Michael Dell, whose family pledged $6.25 billion to support the program, urging people to "Go out and buy a Dell computer," adding, "We’re going to get him that money back one way or another" [1, 2, 3, 8]. Meanwhile, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell and her husband committed to donate SpaceX stock to the accounts [2, 3, 8].
Trump’s active trading of stocks — including Dell — has raised concerns over conflicts of interest, though he denies involvement in daily trading decisions [9]. The campaign promotes the Trump Accounts as part of Trump's economic policies ahead of upcoming midterm elections, linking market gains with political support [1, 3, 5].
Children born through 2028 remain eligible for the government seed funding. The accounts will continue to open as minors enroll, expanding access and investment opportunities across the US [1, 2, 5, 9].
