Exclusive: Eric Trump Announces Maldives Hotel as the First Real‑Estate Tokenization Venture for World Liberty Financial
February 20, 2026 –
In an interview with The Defiant, Eric Trump, co‑founder of World Liberty Financial (WLFI), confirmed that the upcoming Trump International Hotel & Resort in the Maldives will become the inaugural property whose loan‑revenue streams are being digitized through tokenization. The initiative, unveiled on February 18, is being built in partnership with luxury‑real‑estate developer DarGlobal and token‑issuance platform Securitize.
What the project entails
The Maldives development is slated to open in 2030 and will feature roughly one hundred beach‑front and over‑water villas. WLFI plans to issue digital tokens that represent fractional interests in the loan cash‑flows tied to the resort. Accredited investors who purchase the tokens will receive a fixed return linked to loan payments, a share of the underlying income, and the possibility of upside if the asset is sold later.
According to a WLFI press release, the tokens will be minted on public blockchain networks and are designed to be compliant with securities regulations. The same infrastructure could later enable token holders to pledge their positions as collateral on WLFI’s broader DeFi platform.
Partners and technology
- DarGlobal – the real‑estate firm behind the Maldives resort, which will provide the underlying asset and operational expertise.
- Securitize – a veteran tokenization service that has previously launched compliant securities such as BlackRock’s BUIDL fund. Securitize’s CEO Carlos Domingo highlighted the focus on “scalable on‑chain real‑estate products built with compliance, governance and market structure in mind.”
Market context
Tokenized real‑world assets (RWAs) continue to gain traction. Data from RWAxyz shows that the total value of tokenized RWAs reached approximately $24.8 billion on February 19, reflecting an 11 % month‑over‑month increase. The number of token holders grew by more than 30 % during the same period, underscoring expanding investor interest.
The WLFI native token, which underpins the ecosystem, was trading near $0.12 at the time of writing, down 3.8 % over the previous 24 hours. The price dip follows a 30 % rally sparked by a WLFI forum hosted at Mar‑A‑Lago earlier in the week. WLFI’s USD‑1 stablecoin also hit a new milestone, surpassing $5.1 billion in circulation and becoming the fifth‑largest stablecoin by market cap according to DeFiLlama.
Analysis
Bridging traditional finance and DeFi – By tokenizing loan revenue rather than the property itself, WLFI sidesteps many regulatory complexities while still offering investors exposure to a high‑profile hospitality asset. The structure may serve as a template for future projects seeking a balance between compliance and on‑chain liquidity.
Investor accessibility – The token sale targets accredited investors, but the broader vision articulated by Trump suggests a roadmap toward wider participation. If subsequent offerings adopt a similar compliant framework, it could democratize access to large‑scale real‑estate investments that were previously restricted to institutional players.
Strategic positioning – WLFI’s move aligns with a broader industry shift toward tokenizing tangible assets. As the RWA market expands, firms that can integrate token issuance, secondary‑market trading, and collateral usage within a single DeFi stack may capture a competitive edge.
Key takeaways
- First‑of‑its‑kind tokenization – The Maldives resort will be the debut property where WLFI tokenizes loan revenue streams, marking a new chapter for the firm’s on‑chain asset strategy.
- Compliance‑first approach – Tokens will be issued on public blockchains with a compliance layer, potentially enabling future use as collateral in WLFI’s DeFi ecosystem.
- Growing RWA sector – Tokenized real‑world assets now exceed $24 billion in value, with rapid growth in both total value and holder count.
- WLFI ecosystem momentum – Despite a modest pullback in WLFI’s native token price, the firm’s stablecoin has achieved a top‑five ranking, indicating robust demand for its on‑chain financial products.
- Future outlook – Eric Trump signaled that additional tokenization projects across diverse asset classes are in the pipeline, aiming to make “everything” from commodities to entertainment tokens.
As the Maldives project moves from announcement to execution, market participants will watch closely to gauge whether tokenized loan revenues can deliver the promised liquidity, transparency, and regulatory certainty that the broader DeFi community is seeking.
Source: https://thedefiant.io/news/defi/exclusive-eric-trump-calls-maldives-hotel-first-of-many-real-estate-tokenization-projects
