UAE Firm Invests $100 Million in Trump-Tied Crypto Platform

A company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made a significant investment in the cryptocurrency world by purchasing $100 million worth of WLFI, the governance token of World Liberty Financial. This cryptocurrency platform is notably tied to U.S. President Donald Trump and his family. The investment is part of a strategic move to accelerate the development of a blockchain ecosystem focused on real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, stablecoin infrastructure, and decentralized finance.

The deal positions Aqua1, a self-described Web3-native fund, as a major WLFI stakeholder, surpassing Tron founder Justin Sun, who had previously committed $30 million to the project. Dave Lee, founding partner at Aqua1, highlighted the vision for integrating traditional finance with blockchain protocols, describing it as "a trillion-dollar pivot opportunity." The collaboration between Aqua1 and WLFI aims to identify and support blockchain projects with transformative potential.

This investment marks another high-profile link between the Trump family and international crypto dealings. World Liberty Financial, co-founded by President Trump’s three sons, has already drawn scrutiny from lawmakers. President Trump disclosed $57.4 million in income tied to WLFI and holds 15.75 billion of the platform’s governance tokens, according to recent filings. The overlap between legislative developments and the Trump family’s crypto business has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and foreign influence in American policymaking.

During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to comment directly when pressed by Senator Jeff Merkley on the president’s involvement with World Liberty Financial. Merkley warned against foreign influence in American policymaking, emphasizing that "Americans should make American decisions — not have them bought through crypto coins."

Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to capitalize on crypto market momentum. According to financial disclosures, the pulled in $58 million from crypto ventures in 2024, primarily through WLFI token sales. That total trailed only his hospitality income and is expected to climb further in 2025 with an anticipated $390 million token sale and gains from his meme coin, launched in January. His involvement in Bitcoin mining, tokenized assets, and digital ETFs is raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as some of his businesses have seen tailwinds from favorable policy decisions during his time in office.

As reported, the SEC has approved Trump Media and Technology Group’s (TMTG) registration statement tied to a $2.3 billion Bitcoin treasury initiative. This move further solidifies the Trump family's involvement in the cryptocurrency sector, despite the growing scrutiny and concerns from lawmakers and critics.