UAE Firm Invests $100M in Trump-Linked Crypto Project, Fueling Controversy in Washington
A United Arab Emirates-based investment firm has made a significant bet on World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a cryptocurrency platform backed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his family. The firm, Aqua1 Foundation, has acquired $100 million worth of WLFI governance tokens, making it one of the project’s largest stakeholders — ahead of even high-profile crypto investor Justin Sun.
A Strategic Investment in Blockchain and Real-World Asset Integration
In a joint announcement on Thursday, WLFI and Aqua1 described the deal as a strategic initiative to “accelerate the creation of a blockchain-powered financial ecosystem.” The focus will be on real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, stablecoin infrastructure, and capital efficiency improvements, with both firms planning to co-develop high-potential blockchain ventures.
Aqua1 founding partner Dave Lee praised WLFI’s role in what he called a “trillion-dollar structural pivot,” blending traditional capital markets with decentralized finance (DeFi) primitives.
This purchase positions Aqua1 above Tron founder Justin Sun, who invested $30 million into WLFI in November 2024. The UAE-based fund is now among the platform’s top tokenholders, reflecting growing global interest in Trump-affiliated blockchain projects.
Trump Family’s Deep Involvement Raises Eyebrows
The Trump family’s entanglement with WLFI continues to attract scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers. President Trump’s three sons are listed as co-founders of the company, and Trump himself reported $57.4 million in income from WLFI in June, along with 15.75 billion governance tokens under his personal ownership.
This comes amid ongoing debate in Congress over stablecoin regulation. Critics argue that President Trump’s active involvement in the crypto space could present a conflict of interest, especially as his administration pushes for laws that could potentially benefit his business interests.
In May, Eric Trump revealed that Abu Dhabi-based MGX would use WLFI’s USD1 stablecoin to settle a $2 billion investment in Binance. This announcement sparked bipartisan concern, with many Democrats urging stronger safeguards against potential influence-peddling through crypto channels.
Legal and Political Ramifications Mount
During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing this week, Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi about the administration’s crypto ties. Bondi declined to comment directly on the matter.
“I think it’s important for the leader of the Justice Department of the United States to be very concerned about foreign influence,” Merkley said, referencing concerns that overseas crypto investments could sway domestic political or regulatory outcomes.
In response to the growing controversy, several lawmakers have floated proposals to limit or prohibit sitting presidents from holding digital assets or investing in blockchain projects during their term. These could be introduced as amendments to the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act or as separate legislation entirely.
WLFI’s Expanding Global Footprint
Despite the political headwinds, World Liberty Financial continues to attract large-scale investments from around the world. Since its launch in September 2024, the project has raised over $550 million across multiple token sales and has established itself as a key player in the growing intersection of stablecoins, real-world assets, and DeFi ecosystems.
As U.S. regulators weigh new laws to govern stablecoins and crypto governance, the Trump-affiliated venture is likely to remain a flashpoint in both crypto and political circles, especially heading into the 2025–2026 legislative cycle.
