Trump-Linked World Liberty Financial Draws $500 Million UAE Investment, Prompting Ethics Scrutiny and Public Denials

UAE-Backed Stake in Trump Family Crypto Venture Raises Conflict Questions

TL;DR

• Trump-linked World Liberty Financial disclosed a major UAE-backed equity investment shortly before the 2026 inauguration.
• Donald Trump publicly denied knowledge of the transaction, saying it was handled by his family.
• The disclosure triggered political scrutiny and market pressure on the project’s associated token.

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World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency venture linked to the Trump family, was featured in reports that say investors connected to the United Arab Emirates had committed $500 million for a 49% equity stake in the company. The confirmation followed earlier coverage by The Wall Street Journal and placed renewed attention on the firm’s ownership structure as Donald Trump entered his second presidential term. The company said the transaction was finalized shortly before Trump’s return to office and involved investors associated with senior Emirati leadership.

World Liberty Financial was launched in late 2024 by Donald Trump’s sons alongside the sons of real estate developer and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, with Trump and Witkoff listed as co-founders emeritus. The company said neither individual has operational involvement following Trump’s assumption of office. A spokesperson for the firm said, “We made the deal in question because we strongly believe that it was what was best for our company as we continue to grow,” adding that the investment was made independently of any government activity.

The investors behind the transaction were reported to be linked to Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser, with two figures from that network joining the company’s board following the deal. Reporting noted that the agreement was signed in January 2026, days before Trump’s second inauguration, a timing that has drawn attention as U.S. policy toward the UAE shifted weeks later, including changes to restrictions affecting advanced artificial intelligence chip exports.

Donald Trump addressed the investment publicly on February 3, 2026, distancing himself from the transaction and denying direct knowledge of it. “I don’t know about it. My sons are handling that… my family is handling it. I guess they get investments from different people,” Trump said when asked about the reported deal. The White House has separately stated that Trump was not involved in the agreement and continues to perform his duties in an ethically sound manner.

Additional reporting tied the World Liberty ecosystem to broader Gulf capital flows into the digital asset sector, including the use of the firm’s USD1 stablecoin by UAE-linked entities such as MGX and G42 in a $2 billion investment into Binance. Critics cited the convergence of foreign capital, crypto infrastructure, and U.S. political leadership as grounds for further examination under existing ethics standards governing foreign influence.

Market reaction followed the public disclosure, with data showing that the WLFI-associated token declined by more than 20%, briefly trading near $0.13, as investors assessed the political and governance risks surrounding the project. The outlet noted that the equity sale occurred while World Liberty Financial had not yet launched live products, and that the reported investor did not receive governance or token control rights as part of the transaction.

Other outlets characterized the episode as damaging for the administration, citing documents reviewed by the Wall Street Journal that showed upfront payments of $187 million to Trump-linked entities and $31 million to affiliates connected to Witkoff as part of related arrangements. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren released a statement calling for action. "Congress needs to stand firm and put an end to Trump’s cryptocurrency corruption," Warren said. "The Trump administration should rescind its decision to sell critical AI chips to the United Arab Emirates." The disclosures have fueled ongoing debate among ethics experts and lawmakers over the intersection of private crypto ventures, foreign investment, and public office.

This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.