UAE Investment Firm Buys 49% Stake in Trump-Linked Crypto Startup WLFI for $500M

Abu Dhabi Entity Takes Major Position in World Liberty Financial

A government-backed investment vehicle from the United Arab Emirates has quietly secured nearly half ownership of World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a cryptocurrency startup associated with former U.S. President Donald Trump, in a deal reportedly worth $500 million.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Aryam Investment 1, an Abu Dhabi-based firm backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, agreed in January 2025 to purchase a 49% equity stake in the company.

Sources familiar with the agreement said roughly half of the investment was paid upfront. About $187 million allegedly went to entities controlled by the Trump family, while additional payments reportedly flowed to companies connected to WLFI co-founders and relatives of U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

The transaction was reportedly signed by Eric Trump and had not been publicly disclosed at the time. Later disclosures from World Liberty indicated that the Trump family’s ownership share had declined significantly.

Who Is Behind the Deal?

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, the UAE’s national security adviser and brother to the country’s president, has played a key role in Abu Dhabi’s broader strategy to expand its footprint in artificial intelligence, advanced tech, and digital assets.

During the Biden administration, the UAE faced restrictions when attempting to acquire cutting-edge U.S. semiconductor technology, due to concerns about sensitive AI tools potentially reaching China through regional firms such as G42.

Following Trump’s return to the political spotlight, those efforts reportedly accelerated. The Journal noted that Tahnoon met several times with Trump and senior U.S. officials, and the U.S. later committed to supplying the UAE with hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips annually.

Executives tied to G42 are said to have helped oversee Aryam Investment 1 and secured board positions at World Liberty Financial, making Aryam the company’s largest external shareholder.

Stablecoin Activity and Binance Connection

The UAE’s crypto ambitions extend beyond this single investment.

Weeks before a new U.S.–UAE chip cooperation framework was announced, another Tahnoon-led firm, MGX, reportedly used World Liberty’s stablecoin to facilitate a $2 billion investment into Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

The move highlights the growing overlap between Gulf capital, blockchain infrastructure, and major global crypto platforms.

Denials of Political Influence

World Liberty Financial and the White House have denied that the deal involved any political considerations.

Representatives told the Journal that Donald Trump was not directly involved in the transaction and that the investment did not influence U.S. government policy.

Still, the combination of foreign capital, family-linked ownership, and regulatory oversight has sparked debate in Washington.

Lawmakers Call for Investigation

World Liberty Financial is already under scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers.

In late 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed urged federal agencies to investigate the startup’s token sales. Their letter to the Justice Department and Treasury raised concerns that governance tokens may have been purchased by blockchain wallets allegedly linked to:

• North Korea’s Lazarus Group

• Russian-connected actors

• Iranian entities

Lawmakers also pointed to WLFI’s ownership structure, which reportedly directs most token-sale revenue to companies tied to the Trump family. Critics argue this setup could present conflicts of interest, particularly if regulatory or policy decisions affect the crypto sector.

What This Means for Crypto and Global Investment

The reported $500 million purchase underscores how quickly sovereign-backed funds are moving into digital assets and blockchain startups. It also shows how geopolitics, AI strategy, and crypto markets are becoming increasingly intertwined.

For investors and regulators alike, the World Liberty case may become a bellwether for:

• Foreign ownership of U.S.-linked crypto firms

• Stablecoin usage in large-scale transactions

• Transparency around politically connected projects

• Growing Middle East influence in global tech markets

As scrutiny intensifies, further disclosures could shape both policy discussions and investor confidence in politically connected crypto ventures.

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