Trump-Linked WLFI Token Surges as DeFi Market Gambles on Political Brand Power

OKX has announced the launch of spot trading for the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) token, marking a significant development for the Trump-linked DeFi project. In conjunction with this, OKX will convert all pre-sale futures contracts into standard perpetual contracts, streamlining the trading experience for users. The move comes as WLFI prepares for its official token unlock on September 1, with the first portion of tokens becoming available for trading at 8:00 a.m. ET on that date [4].

The WLFI token has seen substantial pre-market activity, with derivatives volume surging over 400% to $3.13 billion within 24 hours. Open interest has also climbed more than 50% to $760 million, according to Coinglass data. The token's price has fluctuated, dipping to around $0.32 from an initial $0.40, though the perpetual futures launched last week have seen strong participation across major exchanges [3]. Binance, OKX, and Bitget have been the primary platforms facilitating this activity, with Binance accounting for nearly half of the volume and open interest.

The WLFI token is set to debut with a fully diluted value (FDV) of over $31 billion, assuming current prices hold, which would place it among the top 13 crypto projects by FDV. This valuation is based on its total supply of 100 billion tokens and current trading levels. If this trend continues, WLFI could potentially rival projects like Sui, Dogecoin, and Tron, which have FDVs between $32 and $33 billion [3]. The Trump family's stake in WLFI, held through the company DT Marks DEFI LLC, currently represents 22.5 billion tokens. At current prices, this position could be worth over $7 billion, though the tokens will not be immediately unlocked due to vesting schedules.

In anticipation of the token unlock, OKX has already opened deposits for WLFI and is preparing for the transition from pre-sale futures to perpetual contracts. This development aligns with broader market expectations, as platforms like Hyperliquid and Bitget have also reported increased activity. Notably, a WLFI whale on Hyperliquid with a 3x leveraged position has already booked over $1 million in gains, underscoring the speculative appetite for the token [5]. The whale’s trade of 8.6 million WLFI tokens, valued at around $3.2 million, highlights the aggressive bullish sentiment surrounding the token's launch.

The WLFI token is also drawing attention for its broader implications in the DeFi ecosystem. As a governance token, it plays a central role in decision-making processes within the World Liberty Financial protocol. Holders can stake tokens to earn yield, vote on proposals, and provide liquidity on decentralized exchanges. The token's fixed supply and deflationary mechanisms aim to promote long-term holding and community participation. According to recent analytics, over 14,000 unique wallet addresses hold WLFI, reflecting a modest but growing user base [2].

As the launch date approaches, World Liberty Financial has teased an upcoming announcement regarding its USD1 stablecoin, which is pegged to U.S. Treasuries and other cash equivalents. The stablecoin has already attracted significant attention, including a $2 billion investment from an Abu Dhabi state firm to fund an investment in Binance. This move underscores the project’s ambition to integrate both DeFi and real-world financial instruments into its ecosystem [3].

Source: [1] WLFI–Aave Drama Exposes Onchain Governance Risks (https://thedefiant.io/newsletter/defi-daily/wlfiaave-drama-exposes-onchain-governance-risks) [2] Trump World Liberty DeFi Ethereum WLFI Explained (https://www.bitget.com/wiki/trump-world-liberty-defi-ethereum-wlfi) [3] WLFI derivatives volume jumps 400% ahead of World ... (https://www.theblock.co/post/368856/wlfi-derivatives-volume-jumps-400-ahead-of-world-libertys-first-token-unlock-on-monday) [4] OKX will launch WLFI spot trading and convert pre-sale ... (https://www.odaily.news/en/newsflash/445894) [5] World Liberty Financial's WLFI Open Interest Tops $800 ... (https://www.mitrade.com/insights/news/live-news/article-3-1082960-20250831)