"Golden Card" from Trump: Can Ukraine use the American experience of investment in exchange for a residence permit or work visa?

In the global economy, it has long been customary to combine politics, finance, and investment tools. Some countries have long practiced granting residency or even citizenship in exchange for investments, instead of lengthy bureaucratic procedures. The United States has announced the launch of an immigration program that allows for quick acquisition of residency and work rights in the US for $1 million for individuals or $2 million per employee for corporations. What are the “golden card” and Trump Platinum Card, and why is this experience important for Ukraine, UNN was told by fintech expert and co-founder of Concord Fintech Solutions, Olena Sosedka.

US President Donald Trump recently unveiled new financial products – the “golden card” and the Trump Platinum Card. These are not just payment instruments, but, as it turned out, an element of a broad investment strategy of the American government.

The immigration program launched by Trump, or the golden card, grants the right to obtain US citizenship for $1 million for individuals or $2 million per employee for corporations.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick announced that the Trump administration plans to initially issue 80,000 such cards, and will subsequently evaluate this model and may gradually phase out other visas.

According to Trump, this initiative will attract over $100 billion in revenue to the American budget, which the government plans to use to reduce taxes, develop the economy, and cut national debt. In addition, the new immigration program will replace chaotic immigration with a system beneficial to American taxpayers.

Furthermore, the TRUMP PLATINUM CARD will also include a premium option for investors. For $5 million, it will allow stays in the US for up to 270 days a year without paying taxes on income earned outside the country. However, the implementation of this tool will not be as quick, as it requires the consent of the US Congress.

According to fintech expert Olena Sosedka, the launch of such instruments allows not only to accumulate funds but also to create a community of investors involved in the development of specific projects. In the case of the US, it concerns internal investments in the financial system and economy, as the TRUMP PLATINUM CARD offers a number of exclusive opportunities.

Investment Logic

The “golden card” is presented as more than a bank card. It functions as a symbol of belonging to a certain economic and political course of the country. This model appeals to the patriotic sentiments of investors and combines financial services with a reputational component. A huge bonus here is the possibility of obtaining US citizenship and tax exemption.

She added that the instrument presented by Donald Trump is an example of transforming a financial product into a brand that accumulates investments in the country’s economy. It is known that the US has always had an influx of migrants, and the American authorities have found a way to replenish the budget.

In fact, this is not some new mechanism. Something similar has long been in effect in other countries. For example, with the help of “golden visas” or citizenship by investment, some EU countries, such as Portugal, Cyprus, or Malta, attract additional funds to their budgets.

An example for UkraineAccording to estimates by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank Group, the European Commission, and the UN, as of December 31, 2024, the total cost of rebuilding and restoring our country reached $524 billion. Of these, $13 billion alone is needed to clear the remnants of destruction. This figure is constantly increasing, as the war continues and Russia continues to destroy Ukrainian infrastructure.

The US experience can become relevant for Ukraine after the war, believes Olena Sosedka.

For post-war Ukraine, the main task will be to mobilize internal and external investments for economic recovery. We will need not only classical mechanisms – bonds or loans – but also innovative products that create a sense of involvement in reconstruction among people. The example of the “golden card” in the US shows that a financial instrument can be both an emotional brand and a channel for attracting capital.

According to Olena Sosedka, a card as a symbol of the country’s recovery could work in Ukraine on several levels.

For example, holders of this financial instrument could gain access to special investment programs for infrastructure reconstruction or housing construction.

A portion of the funds held on the card could be directed to charitable projects, as well as defense development.

Such a card would instill in its holders a sense of status, belonging to a community that supports the country’s recovery, and with additional bonuses. Of course, the amount still needs to be considered; perhaps it would be worth setting not $1 million and $5 million, as in the US, but slightly lower amounts.

At the same time, according to her, the key conditions for the operation of such an instrument should be transparency and control over the use of funds. This approach, the fintech expert is convinced, would allow the state and businesses to attract additional funds, private capital, without the need for large external borrowings.

Not donors, but investors

We have millions of Ukrainians abroad, as well as international partners who want to help Ukraine. For example, charity is usually a one-time support. If we offer them an instrument like the “Ukrainian golden card,” they will feel not just like donors, but full-fledged investors in the restoration of our state. For them, this will be a completely different level of involvement, as they will feel that their money is working for new schools, hospitals, roads, or technologies for Ukraine.

Ukraine is already among the world leaders in the speed of fintech development, so we have every chance to create our own product of this type, the fintech expert is convinced. After all, Ukrainians willingly buy military bonds, donate to the army, and participate in crowdfunding campaigns. The next logical step could be the creation of a financial instrument that combines the convenience of a bank card with the ability to invest in the country’s reconstruction. “This could become a Ukrainian analogue of the Trump Platinum Card and allow for additional foreign investment to be attracted to the budget,” adds Olena Sosedka.

A Ukrainian analogue of US immigration policy could become part of Ukraine’s grand economic strategy after the war, combining innovative fintech and the national idea of reconstruction.

It is already clear that we will have to rebuild the country with the whole world, and it is important that every investor feels that their contribution is a brick in the foundation of a future strong Ukraine.