World Liberty Financial Secures $100 Million Investment From UAE Firm Amid Political Scrutiny

World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency platform associated with Donald Trump and his sons, announced on Thursday that it had secured a $100 million investment from a United Arab Emirates-based firm. This significant investment has drawn increased scrutiny from lawmakers in Washington, who are currently considering stricter regulations for stablecoins and political finance.

The investment was facilitated through a Dubai-based group called Aqua1 Foundation, which now holds a substantial stake in WLFI, the governance token issued by World Liberty. This investment surpasses that of other backers, including crypto figure Justin Sun, who purchased $30 million worth of WLFI last year. Aqua1 Foundation described the deal as a strategic move to accelerate the development of a blockchain-based financial ecosystem. This ecosystem is focused on tokenized real-world assets and stablecoin infrastructure, aiming to bridge traditional finance with blockchain technology.

The political ties of World Liberty have raised several questions among U.S. lawmakers. The Trump family's deep involvement in the venture has come under close watch, with Trump's three sons listed as co-founders of the company. The disclosed $57.4 million in income from WLFI and holds more than 15 billion tokens. In May, Eric Trump announced that Abu Dhabi-based MGX Capital planned to use World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin to settle a $2 billion investment in Binance. This announcement sparked a backlash from Democrats, who expressed concerns about foreign influence and potential self-dealing, especially as Congress considers new stablecoin regulations.

During a Senate hearing this week, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi declined to comment directly on the Trump family’s crypto ties, despite questions from Senator Jeff Merkley. Merkley emphasized the importance of addressing foreign influence in the context of the Justice Department's role. Meanwhile, World Liberty co-founder Zak Folkman stated that the firm plans to release an audit of its stablecoin within days and hinted that the WLFI token may soon become tradable. Speaking at the Permissionless conference in Brooklyn, Folkman suggested that major product updates, including a new app, are on the horizon. He expressed optimism about the upcoming developments, stating that stakeholders would be pleased with the progress.

The governance token, launched just ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, has already generated hundreds of millions of dollars for Trump’s business interests. Although the token is not currently tradable, it grants holders voting power over project decisions. The company has promised "very transparent auditing" and plans to publish its first attestation report from an independent accounting firm on its website shortly. However, critics remain skeptical, citing the combination of presidential influence, foreign capital, and crypto policymaking as factors that blur the lines between politics and business.