THE GRIFT
Why President Trump’s latest crypto scandal could spell disaster for the blockchain industryLeo Schwartz
Tue, February 3, 2026
FORTUNE
Just over a year ago, I stood in a gilded Washington, D.C. ballroom during inauguration weekend, surrounded by the blockchain industry’s top executives and investors. They had traded in their hoodies for tuxedos and gowns, celebrating the ascension of the first “crypto president,” Donald Trump, who had embraced the once-renegade sector on the campaign trail. But halfway through the night, whispers began spreading through the crowd that Trump, who was not in attendance, had launched his own memecoin. Around the end of a DJ set by Snoop Dogg, the Trump coin had crossed $1 billion.
Some of the shrewder members of the audience immediately clocked what was happening. Trump, who has made a career out of branding everything from casinos to steaks to unaccredited colleges, was doing the same with crypto. Would Trump’s latest business venture go the way of Trump Tower or Trump University?
As we quickly found out, the quality of the Trump family’s crypto endeavors was almost a red herring (though we have reported closely on it, including in my colleague Ben Weiss’s terrific new feature on American Bitcoin). Instead, ethics watchdogs have argued that Trump has used his blockchain businesses as a way to sell access. But unlike concerns during his first term that foreign dignitaries could book rooms in Trump hotels, which taught the term “emoluments” to millions of Americans, now anyone with an internet connection could effectively wire Trump millions of dollars by setting up a digital wallet and reap the rewards. His top memecoin holders enjoyed a private audience with the president last May, though they weren’t all pleased by the food they were served.
In hindsight, those ethics concerns also look quaint. On Saturday night, the Wall Street Journal published a bombshell report that two lieutenants to a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family signed a contract to funnel $500 million into World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s crypto platform, in exchange for a 49% ownership stake, just days before his inauguration. As the Journal plainly stated, this was something unprecedented in American politics: “A foreign government official taking a major ownership stake in an incoming U.S. president’s company.” And just a few months later, the Trump administration granted the United Arab Emirates access to advanced U.S. chips despite widespread security concerns (though a World Liberty spokesperson told Fortune that the deal had nothing to do with the administration’s actions on chips).
As the shockwaves of the scandal reverberate, an awkward question lingers: Is Trump bad for blockchain? The industry spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the 2024 election, culminating in the coronation of Trump, who has championed digital asset regulation, hosted summits, and appointed czars. But now, the landmark Clarity Act is stalled in the Senate as Democrats call for ethics provisions that would prohibit the president from profiting off crypto holdings, and that groundswell of opposition is only likely to grow. And despite Trump’s cheerleading, Bitcoin prices are nearly at their lowest price in a year, with many retail traders staying away.
For many Americans, crypto is now inextricably linked to the Trump family. Be careful what you wish for.
Merger madness…SpaceX completed a long-rumored acquisition of xAI, both Elon Musk companies, in a stunning deal that could set the joint venture up for one of the largest IPOs in history by market value. This comes months after xAI acquired X, another Musk venture, in a $33 billion, all-stock deal, and a month after Tesla revealed it had invested $2 billion in xAI. According to reporting in Bloomberg, the new deal will lead to a combined enterprise value of $1.25 trillion. You can read all about it here.
Leo Schwartz
X: @leomschwartz
Email: leo.schwartz@fortune.com
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Trump Meme Coin’s First Year Leaves Crypto Policy in Limbo
Vismaya V
January 18, 2026
It was a Friday night bombshell that nobody saw coming.
Three days before his second inauguration last January, President Donald Trump's social media accounts lit up with news of the launch of Official Trump (TRUMP), a Solana-based meme coin bearing his name and political brand.
The token jumped to a $10 billion market cap within hours, reaching a peak of $73 and sending degen traders into a frenzy, triggering more than 8 million requests per minute that overwhelmed Phantom Wallet’s infrastructure.
A year on, and the TRUMP token is trading just below $5, down about 93% from its all-time high, with a market cap exceeding $987 million, according to CoinGecko data.
As TRUMP turns one, conflict-of-interest questions remain unresolved—the Trump family continues to run multiple crypto ventures while the President is in office, and Democrats increasingly cite his personal enrichment as a reason to block digital asset reform.
"Trump's meme coin launch has done more harm than good to the industry as his political opponents are citing his personal gains from the meme coin launch as a reason to block or slow down the crypto's legislative process," Peter Chung, head of research at Singapore-based Presto Labs, told Decrypt. "It's an unnecessary distraction."
Trump’s crypto conflicts have dominated debate and even delayed the passage of the stablecoin GENIUS Act.
In May, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) led a Democratic walkout over “Trump’s crypto corruption” in a bid to force divestment language into the bill.
Crypto connections
The president's crypto connections stretch from the meme coin to World Liberty Financial and its USD1 stablecoin.
His family's crypto empire has mushroomed to generate more than $1 billion in profits, according to his son, Eric Trump, who told the Financial Times in October that the figure was "probably more."
Last May, Rep. Waters introduced the "Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act of 2025," aimed at targeting the president's ability to profit from digital assets while in office.
That same month, the president held a closed-door dinner for the top 220 TRUMP holders (press barred), including Tron founder Justin Sun, who bought over $22 million in TRUMP and invested tens of millions in World Liberty.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called the dinner "an orgy of corruption" during a press conference, while hundreds of protesters gathered outside the venue.
World Liberty Financial has drawn similar scrutiny, with the Trump family’s WLFI stake swelling their net worth by over $6 billion since trading began. Trump disclosed $57.3 million in earnings in June that lawmakers called “open corruption,” and Sen. Warren labelled a $2 billion UAE investment tied to the project’s stablecoin USD1 “shady.”
Decrypt has reached out to the White House for comment.
January 18, 2026
It was a Friday night bombshell that nobody saw coming.
Three days before his second inauguration last January, President Donald Trump's social media accounts lit up with news of the launch of Official Trump (TRUMP), a Solana-based meme coin bearing his name and political brand.
The token jumped to a $10 billion market cap within hours, reaching a peak of $73 and sending degen traders into a frenzy, triggering more than 8 million requests per minute that overwhelmed Phantom Wallet’s infrastructure.
A year on, and the TRUMP token is trading just below $5, down about 93% from its all-time high, with a market cap exceeding $987 million, according to CoinGecko data.
As TRUMP turns one, conflict-of-interest questions remain unresolved—the Trump family continues to run multiple crypto ventures while the President is in office, and Democrats increasingly cite his personal enrichment as a reason to block digital asset reform.
"Trump's meme coin launch has done more harm than good to the industry as his political opponents are citing his personal gains from the meme coin launch as a reason to block or slow down the crypto's legislative process," Peter Chung, head of research at Singapore-based Presto Labs, told Decrypt. "It's an unnecessary distraction."
Trump’s crypto conflicts have dominated debate and even delayed the passage of the stablecoin GENIUS Act.
In May, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) led a Democratic walkout over “Trump’s crypto corruption” in a bid to force divestment language into the bill.
Crypto connections
The president's crypto connections stretch from the meme coin to World Liberty Financial and its USD1 stablecoin.
His family's crypto empire has mushroomed to generate more than $1 billion in profits, according to his son, Eric Trump, who told the Financial Times in October that the figure was "probably more."
Last May, Rep. Waters introduced the "Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act of 2025," aimed at targeting the president's ability to profit from digital assets while in office.
That same month, the president held a closed-door dinner for the top 220 TRUMP holders (press barred), including Tron founder Justin Sun, who bought over $22 million in TRUMP and invested tens of millions in World Liberty.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) called the dinner "an orgy of corruption" during a press conference, while hundreds of protesters gathered outside the venue.
World Liberty Financial has drawn similar scrutiny, with the Trump family’s WLFI stake swelling their net worth by over $6 billion since trading began. Trump disclosed $57.3 million in earnings in June that lawmakers called “open corruption,” and Sen. Warren labelled a $2 billion UAE investment tied to the project’s stablecoin USD1 “shady.”
Decrypt has reached out to the White House for comment.
Inside The $187M Deal Between The Trump Family And The UAE's 'Spy Sheikh'
Parshwa Turakhiya
Tue, February 3, 2026
BENZINGA
The Trump family reportedly received $187 million from an Abu Dhabi royal-backed investment firm four days before Trump’s inauguration and months before the UAE secured access to 500,000 advanced AI chips annually.
Sheikh Tahnoon Invests $500M In WLFI
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser, backed a $500 million investment for 49% of World Liberty Financial (CRYPTO: WLFI) through his firm Aryam Investment 1 on January 16, 2025.
Eric Trump signed the agreement. Trump family entities received $187 million of the first $250 million installment.
Meanwhile, $31 million went to Steve Witkoff’s family entities and another $31 million went to co-founders Zak Folkman and Chase Herro.
The timing raised red flags.
Weeks earlier, the administration named Witkoff U.S. envoy to the Middle East, marking the first time a foreign government official bought a major stake in an incoming president's company.
The Trump family reportedly received $187 million from an Abu Dhabi royal-backed investment firm four days before Trump’s inauguration and months before the UAE secured access to 500,000 advanced AI chips annually.
Sheikh Tahnoon Invests $500M In WLFI
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser, backed a $500 million investment for 49% of World Liberty Financial (CRYPTO: WLFI) through his firm Aryam Investment 1 on January 16, 2025.
Eric Trump signed the agreement. Trump family entities received $187 million of the first $250 million installment.
Meanwhile, $31 million went to Steve Witkoff’s family entities and another $31 million went to co-founders Zak Folkman and Chase Herro.
The timing raised red flags.
Weeks earlier, the administration named Witkoff U.S. envoy to the Middle East, marking the first time a foreign government official bought a major stake in an incoming president's company.
The AI Chip Push
Sheikh Tahnoon—called the “spy sheikh”—oversees a $1.3 trillion empire spanning AI and surveillance operations.
His top priority was securing the U.S. AI chips that Biden had blocked over fears the technology could reach China through his AI firm G42, which had close ties to sanctioned Chinese tech giant Huawei.
However, Trump’s election reopened negotiations.
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Following the World Liberty investment, Tahnoon met multiple times with Trump and Witkoff.
In March, he visited the White House and pledged $1.4 trillion in U.S. investment over a decade.
Two months later, the payoff arrived. The administration committed to give the UAE 500,000 of the most advanced AI chips annually. This is enough to build one of the world’s biggest AI data center clusters.
Notably, roughly one-fifth would flow to G42.
The Board And Binance Deal
The deal placed two Aryam executives—Peng Xiao and Martin Edelman, both G42 officials—on World Liberty’s five-person board alongside Eric Trump and Zach Witkoff.
In May, Zach Witkoff announced MGX, a Tahnoon-led firm, would use World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin to complete a $2 billion investment in Binance (CRYPTO: BNB)—the largest-ever crypto company investment.
What wasn’t disclosed: MGX and World Liberty shared leadership through the same G42 executives on both boards.
The $2 billion commitment boosted USD1’s ranking and gave World Liberty a cash reserve generating about $80 million annually in Treasury interest.
See Also: This ETF issuer isn't chasing the index — it's building tools for income, leverage, and conviction
The Constitutional Question
Legal experts said the deal could violate the Constitution’s emoluments clause. This provision prevents government officials from being controlled by foreign governments.
Kathleen Clark, a law professor and former ethics lawyer, called it a potential bribe and warned it signals the federal government is for sale.
Moreover, Ty Cobb, who served as White House lawyer in Trump’s first term, said don’t do business deals with families of foreign country leaders because it damages American foreign policy credibility.
The White House pushed back.
David Wachsman, a World Liberty spokesman, said the investment had nothing to do with the chip deal.
President Trump and Witkoff had no involvement since taking office, and the deal didn’t grant access to government decision-making.
Image: Shutterstock
UAE Royals Take 49% of Trump-Linked WLFI in $500M Deal
Fatima
Mon, February 2, 2026
99Bitcoins
To make money in crypto, you need to be early. What better way to be early than a deal between UAE royals and the WLFI team? According to WSJ, just four days before Donald Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025, representatives tied to Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan quietly signed an agreement to buy a 49% stake in the Trump family’s crypto project, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), for $500 million, according to company documents and people linked to the project.
The buyers paid half the amount upfront, directing about $187 million straight to Trump family entities.
The Timing and Growing Influence of the UAE in American Politics: $500M WLFI Deal
The timing of the UAE WLFI deal is what people found critical. The agreement came shortly before the U.S. approved the UAE’s access to a large annual allocation of advanced American AI chips, which are subject to strict export controls. Sheikh Tahnoon, who heads UAE national security efforts and oversees major investment funds, backed the purchase through Aryam Investment. Reports note that two of his associates joined the WLFI board following the investment.
President Trump has stated he was not directly involved in the arrangement, but this seems to be his default answer for everything. However, the deal directed substantial proceeds to family members and entities they control, leading to ongoing questions about the separation between personal business and government decisions.
Sheikh Tahnoon oversees more than $1.5 trillion across UAE sovereign funds. He has steadily increased exposure to U.S. tech, AI, and now crypto. This deal links finance, politics, and technology in one bet.
This follows earlier headlines around the UAE stake in Trump crypto, but the WLFI deal goes further by handing over near-control.
Longstanding Connections Between the UAE and the Trump Family
Connections between the UAE and the Trump family extend beyond this single transaction. Relationships include past real estate dealings, diplomatic interactions, and business partnerships. Steve Witkoff, a longtime Trump associate now serving as a Middle East envoy, helped establish WLFI, linking private projects to official policy roles.
WLFI chart shows a clear long-term downtrend from its early spike, followed by months of consolidation. Price is currently trading near a key horizontal support around $0.12–$0.13, with recent candles showing a weak bounce attempt. The structure suggests lower highs and fading momentum, so sellers still control the trend.
A breakdown below this support could open further downside, while a sustained move above $0.18 would be needed to signal a meaningful trend reversal.
The UAE WLFI deal fits into a broader pattern where foreign entities invest in Trump-related ventures while U.S. policy developments appear to benefit those same parties. This overlap continues to generate debate about transparency and potential conflicts in an administration where family enterprises and national interests intersect closely.
Trump Says He Was Unaware of $500M UAE Investment in World Liberty Financial
The timing of the UAE WLFI deal is what people found critical. The agreement came shortly before the U.S. approved the UAE’s access to a large annual allocation of advanced American AI chips, which are subject to strict export controls. Sheikh Tahnoon, who heads UAE national security efforts and oversees major investment funds, backed the purchase through Aryam Investment. Reports note that two of his associates joined the WLFI board following the investment.
President Trump has stated he was not directly involved in the arrangement, but this seems to be his default answer for everything. However, the deal directed substantial proceeds to family members and entities they control, leading to ongoing questions about the separation between personal business and government decisions.
Sheikh Tahnoon oversees more than $1.5 trillion across UAE sovereign funds. He has steadily increased exposure to U.S. tech, AI, and now crypto. This deal links finance, politics, and technology in one bet.
This follows earlier headlines around the UAE stake in Trump crypto, but the WLFI deal goes further by handing over near-control.
Longstanding Connections Between the UAE and the Trump Family
Connections between the UAE and the Trump family extend beyond this single transaction. Relationships include past real estate dealings, diplomatic interactions, and business partnerships. Steve Witkoff, a longtime Trump associate now serving as a Middle East envoy, helped establish WLFI, linking private projects to official policy roles.
WLFI chart shows a clear long-term downtrend from its early spike, followed by months of consolidation. Price is currently trading near a key horizontal support around $0.12–$0.13, with recent candles showing a weak bounce attempt. The structure suggests lower highs and fading momentum, so sellers still control the trend.
A breakdown below this support could open further downside, while a sustained move above $0.18 would be needed to signal a meaningful trend reversal.
The UAE WLFI deal fits into a broader pattern where foreign entities invest in Trump-related ventures while U.S. policy developments appear to benefit those same parties. This overlap continues to generate debate about transparency and potential conflicts in an administration where family enterprises and national interests intersect closely.
Trump Says He Was Unaware of $500M UAE Investment in World Liberty Financial
WSJ reported an Abu Dhabi royal agreed to buy a 49% stake in the crypto platform.
Amin Ayan
Cryptonews.com
Tue, February 3, 2026
US President Donald Trump said he was unaware of a reported multimillion-dollar investment by an Abu Dhabi royal into the crypto platform World Liberty Financial, distancing himself from a deal that has drawn fresh scrutiny over foreign influence and presidential family business ties.
Key Takeaways:
Trump said he was unaware of a reported $500M UAE royal investment in World Liberty Financial.
WSJ reported an Abu Dhabi royal agreed to buy a 49% stake in the crypto platform.
The deal has drawn scrutiny over foreign influence and Trump family ties.
“I don’t know about it,” Trump told reporters on Monday when asked about the transaction.
“My sons are handling that — my family is handling it,” he added. “I guess they get investments from different people.”
UAE Royal Agreed to Buy 49% Stake in World Liberty Financial
The comments followed a report by The Wall Street Journal that Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a senior member of the United Arab Emirates royal family, agreed to acquire a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million just days before Trump’s inauguration.
The Journal cited company documents and people familiar with the matter.
According to the report, the investment was made through Aryam Investment 1, an entity backed by Sheikh Tahnoon, with an initial $250 million installment.
Of that amount, $187 million was directed to Trump-family entities, while another $31 million went to an entity linked to World Liberty Financial co-founders Zak Folkman and Chase Herro.
If completed as described, the deal would make Aryam the largest shareholder in World Liberty Financial, a US-based crypto venture founded by nine individuals, including Trump and his sons Donald Trump Jr., Eric and Barron.
The structure has raised questions among lawmakers and commentators about governance and foreign capital exposure in a company closely associated with the sitting president.
Sheikh Tahnoon maintains close diplomatic ties with Washington and chairs Group 42, an Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence conglomerate.
In December, Group 42 secured approval from the US Department of Commerce to purchase advanced chips from Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, underscoring its standing with US regulators.
The reported investment has added to broader political debate over Trump’s crypto links.
In January, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren urged federal banking regulators to pause consideration of World Liberty Financial’s application for a bank charter until Trump divests his stake.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency later rejected that request, saying the application would undergo the same “rigorous review” as any other and that political ties would not affect the process.
Bitcoin Loses 25,000 Millionaire Addresses Despite Pro-Crypto Turn Under Trump
As reported, Bitcoin has shed roughly 25,000 millionaire addresses in the year since Donald Trump returned to the White House, even as US policy shifted toward a more crypto-friendly stance.
Blockchain data shows the number of addresses holding at least $1 million in BTC fell about 16% year over year, suggesting regulatory optimism has not translated into sustained on-chain wealth growth.
The pullback was less severe among the largest holders. Addresses with more than $10 million in Bitcoin declined by about 12.5%, indicating that top-tier investors were better able to withstand price volatility, while wallets near the millionaire threshold were more exposed to market swings.
Much of the increase in Bitcoin millionaire addresses occurred before Trump took office, driven by a late-2024 rally fueled by election-related optimism and expectations of deregulation.
Tue, February 3, 2026
US President Donald Trump said he was unaware of a reported multimillion-dollar investment by an Abu Dhabi royal into the crypto platform World Liberty Financial, distancing himself from a deal that has drawn fresh scrutiny over foreign influence and presidential family business ties.
Key Takeaways:
Trump said he was unaware of a reported $500M UAE royal investment in World Liberty Financial.
WSJ reported an Abu Dhabi royal agreed to buy a 49% stake in the crypto platform.
The deal has drawn scrutiny over foreign influence and Trump family ties.
“I don’t know about it,” Trump told reporters on Monday when asked about the transaction.
“My sons are handling that — my family is handling it,” he added. “I guess they get investments from different people.”
UAE Royal Agreed to Buy 49% Stake in World Liberty Financial
The comments followed a report by The Wall Street Journal that Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a senior member of the United Arab Emirates royal family, agreed to acquire a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million just days before Trump’s inauguration.
The Journal cited company documents and people familiar with the matter.
According to the report, the investment was made through Aryam Investment 1, an entity backed by Sheikh Tahnoon, with an initial $250 million installment.
Of that amount, $187 million was directed to Trump-family entities, while another $31 million went to an entity linked to World Liberty Financial co-founders Zak Folkman and Chase Herro.
If completed as described, the deal would make Aryam the largest shareholder in World Liberty Financial, a US-based crypto venture founded by nine individuals, including Trump and his sons Donald Trump Jr., Eric and Barron.
The structure has raised questions among lawmakers and commentators about governance and foreign capital exposure in a company closely associated with the sitting president.
Sheikh Tahnoon maintains close diplomatic ties with Washington and chairs Group 42, an Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence conglomerate.
In December, Group 42 secured approval from the US Department of Commerce to purchase advanced chips from Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, underscoring its standing with US regulators.
The reported investment has added to broader political debate over Trump’s crypto links.
In January, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren urged federal banking regulators to pause consideration of World Liberty Financial’s application for a bank charter until Trump divests his stake.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency later rejected that request, saying the application would undergo the same “rigorous review” as any other and that political ties would not affect the process.
Bitcoin Loses 25,000 Millionaire Addresses Despite Pro-Crypto Turn Under Trump
As reported, Bitcoin has shed roughly 25,000 millionaire addresses in the year since Donald Trump returned to the White House, even as US policy shifted toward a more crypto-friendly stance.
Blockchain data shows the number of addresses holding at least $1 million in BTC fell about 16% year over year, suggesting regulatory optimism has not translated into sustained on-chain wealth growth.
The pullback was less severe among the largest holders. Addresses with more than $10 million in Bitcoin declined by about 12.5%, indicating that top-tier investors were better able to withstand price volatility, while wallets near the millionaire threshold were more exposed to market swings.
Much of the increase in Bitcoin millionaire addresses occurred before Trump took office, driven by a late-2024 rally fueled by election-related optimism and expectations of deregulation.
How a ‘spy sheikh’ bought 49% of the Trump family’s flagship crypto company: ‘We’ve got some pretty meaningful investors’
President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that his crypto businesses pose no conflicts of interest. · Fortune · Al Drago—Getty ImagesBen Weiss
Mon, February 2, 2026 at 10:37 AM MST 3 min read
Just four days before President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, two lieutenants to a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family signed a contract to funnel $500 million into a Trump family crypto company. The investment into World Liberty Financial was backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother of the president of the United Arab Emirates, the Wall Street Journal reported. A spokesperson for the Trump family crypto company confirmed to Fortune that the transaction had occurred.
In exchange for half a billion dollars, a company tied to the politician, who’s an Emirati national security advisor and sometimes referred to as the “spy sheikh,” received 49% in equity in World Liberty Financial. The company was founded in 2024 as a DeFi platform, or business that puts banking activities like lending and borrowing on the blockchain. It’s one of the Trump family’s main crypto businesses.
Meanwhile, the two sheikh lieutenants who signed onto the World Liberty deal also hold top positions at G42, a technology and venture capital firm backed by the Abu Dhabi royal family. When asked by Fortune in May whether G42 backed the Trump family crypto company, Eric Trump, son of the president and cofounder of World Liberty Financial, said: “I’m not going to get to who the investors are, but we’ve got some pretty meaningful investors.”
The investment comes amid scrutiny over a landmark AI deal that saw the U.S. agree to give access to advanced AI chips to the Abu Dhabi–based G42, which is also a significant investor in AI. Fiacc Larkin, a senior executive at G42, is an advisor to World Liberty Financial, according to his LinkedIn and first reported by the New York Times.
“Any claim that this deal had anything to do with the administration’s actions on chips is 100% false,” said a spokesperson for World Liberty Financial. “The idea that, when raising capital, a privately held American company should be held to some unique standard that no other similar company would be held is both ridiculous and un-American.”
Anna Kelly, a spokesperson for the White House, said: “President Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children. There are no conflicts of interest.”
A spokesperson for G42 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tokens, stablecoins, and DeFi
The deal follows broader worries over conflicts of interest concerning the president’s policies and his family’s crypto businesses, which continue to lean heavily on the commander-in-chief’s likeness and brand. He and the first lady have both promoted their own memecoins. Trump Media & Technology Group, which is behind the Trump-affiliated social media platform Truth Social, has also leaned into crypto. And Eric Trump and his brother Donald Trump Jr. have both backed a Bitcoin mining business called American Bitcoin.
But, among the Trump family’s sprawling crypto empire, World Liberty Financial stands out as the most ambitious and potentially lucrative.
In October 2024, the Trumps announced the launch of the business, which they called a DeFi platform. DeFi is shorthand for decentralized finance—a term those in the crypto industry use to refer to taking traditional banking activities like lending and borrowing and putting them on the blockchain.
When first launched, the company had no products—except for a cryptocurrency that it sold to investors for $550 million. In March, the company launched its own stablecoin, or cryptocurrency pegged to underlying assets like the U.S. dollar. The coin got an immediate bump in market capitalization after MGX, another venture firm tied to the Abu Dhabi royal family, invested $2 billion into the crypto exchange Binance with USD1, the stablecoin.
In January, the company finally released its own DeFi product, which lets users borrow and lend cryptocurrency using USD1.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Huge Shock as UAE Firm Buys Secret $500M Stake in Trump Crypto Firm
Alex Ioannou
Sun, February 1, 2026
A UAE-backed investment vehicle reportedly bought a 49% stake in the Trump-linked crypto startup World Liberty Financial for $500M just before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
A year on from this investment, we take a look at what effect it has had on World Liberty Financial and the broader Trump-linked crypto ecosystem.
It also comes at a time when global funds are pushing deeper into DeFi and the broader crypto space, betting that continued friendlier US policy will unlock more growth.
The crypto market has taken a battering over this weekend, with over $300Bn wiped off the total market cap as the Bitcoin price crashed below $80,000 and is currently trading at $78,250.
(SOURCE: CoinGlass)
Sun, February 1, 2026
A UAE-backed investment vehicle reportedly bought a 49% stake in the Trump-linked crypto startup World Liberty Financial for $500M just before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
A year on from this investment, we take a look at what effect it has had on World Liberty Financial and the broader Trump-linked crypto ecosystem.
It also comes at a time when global funds are pushing deeper into DeFi and the broader crypto space, betting that continued friendlier US policy will unlock more growth.
The crypto market has taken a battering over this weekend, with over $300Bn wiped off the total market cap as the Bitcoin price crashed below $80,000 and is currently trading at $78,250.
(SOURCE: CoinGlass)
What is the Significance of Abu Dhabi’s $500M Investment into Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial?
The Wall Street Journal reports that Aryam Investment 1, an Abu Dhabi vehicle backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, agreed to buy a 49% stake in the company just days before Donald began his second term as US President.
Half the money arrived upfront. About $187M flowed to Trump family-controlled entities, with more paid to groups tied to the project’s founders. Donald’s son, Eric Trump, reportedly signed the agreement.
The deal with World Liberty Financial, which hasn’t previously been reported, was signed by Eric Trump, the president’s son. At least $31M was also slated to flow to entities affiliated with Steve Witkoff’s family, a World Liberty co-founder who, weeks earlier, had been named US envoy to the Middle East, the WSJ said.
Sheikh Tahnoon’s involvement is significant as the Abu Dhabi royal has reportedly been pushing the US for access to tightly guarded artificial intelligence chips. Tahnoon is the brother of the United Arab Emirates’ president, the government’s national security adviser, and the leader of the oil-rich country’s largest wealth fund.
He oversees an empire valued at more than $1.3 trillion, funded by his personal fortune and state money, spanning everything from fish farms to AI to surveillance, making him one of the most powerful single investors in the world.
The deal marked something unprecedented in American politics: a foreign government official taking a major ownership stake in a company linked to the incoming US President.
Why Does Big UAE Money Matter Here?
This is not retail speculation. This is state-linked capital stepping into crypto on a large scale. For everyday investors, that signals confidence that crypto will sit closer to the financial mainstream under Trump.
It also fits a bigger pattern. The UAE has pushed hard into digital assets, from exchanges to stablecoins. Recent moves in the UAE’s crypto expansion show the country wants to influence where finance and tech intersect.
Weeks before the deal surfaced, another Tahnoon-led firm used World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin to settle a $2Bn investment into Binance. That connects Trump Crypto, the world’s leading crypto exchange, with sovereign capital in a single deal.
Trump Crypto Projects are Currently in the News for All the Wrong Reasons
(SOURCE: CoinGecko)
This story, reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes during a period of extreme volatility in the crypto market, especially for projects associated with the President.
The Official Trump memecoin is down over -94% from its all-time high and is currently trading at just $4.15, after briefly trading above $40 in January 2025.
Then there is the President’s wife, Melania, and her official memecoin. MELANIA is down -99% from its January 2025 high of more than $7 and is trading today for just $0.12.
Finally, the native token for Trump’s DeFi platform, World Liberty Financial, is down -63% from its September 2025 high. WLFI is trading for $0.125, down -17% on the day, and its market cap has fallen to $3.2Bn from $6.6Bn just six months ago.
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Read original story Huge Shock as UAE Firm Buys Secret $500M Stake in Trump Crypto Firm by Alex Ioannou at 99bitcoins.com
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