Trump Says He Was Unaware of Abu Dhabi Investment in World Liberty Financial (WLFI)
Washington, DC – February 3 2026 – When asked about a reported $500 million infusion from an Abu Dhabi‑based sovereign investor into the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) cryptocurrency platform, former U.S. president Donald Trump told reporters he had no knowledge of the transaction. “My sons are handling that,” Trump said, adding that his family “gets investments from different people.”
The comment came after a Wall Street Journal investigation published on Saturday that linked Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the ruling family of the United Arab Emirates, to a sizable equity purchase in WLFI. According to the report, an entity controlled by the Sheikh – Aryam Investment 1 – paid $500 million for a 49 % stake in the crypto firm just four days before Trump’s inauguration in January 2025.
What the documents show
- Deal structure: The initial $250 million capital injection was split, with roughly $187 million flowing to companies owned by the Trump family and $31 million to an entity linked to two of WLFI’s co‑founders, Zak Folkman and Chase Herro.
- Shareholder impact: Aryam’s investment would make it WLFI’s largest shareholder, prompting questions about foreign influence over a U.S.–based crypto platform that lists the former president and his three sons among its nine founders.
- Source of the funds: The WSJ’s filing references internal WLFI paperwork and statements from people familiar with the transaction, though the exact terms of the agreement have not been publicly disclosed.
Political and regulatory backdrop
The revelation arrives amid heightened scrutiny of Trump’s crypto ventures. In January, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D‑MA) urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to pause WLFI’s pending application for a national bank charter until the former president divested any personal interest in the platform. The OCC later responded that the review would proceed under the same standards applied to any applicant, rejecting the notion that political ties would alter the process.
WLFI spokesperson David Wachsman echoed that sentiment in an interview with Bloomberg, arguing that private American companies should not be subject to a “unique standard” simply because they raise capital.
Analyst perspective
- Regulatory risk: The involvement of a high‑profile foreign sovereign investor could trigger additional oversight from U.S. financial regulators, especially given the bank‑charter application and the sector’s ongoing focus on money‑laundering safeguards.
- Reputational considerations: Even absent direct knowledge or participation by Trump himself, the perceived connection between a former U.S. president, his family’s business interests, and a foreign royal family may affect WLFI’s relationships with U.S. partners, exchanges, and institutional investors.
- Market impact: While WLFI’s token price has remained relatively stable, the news has prompted short‑term volatility in related crypto assets and a modest uptick in trading volume as investors reassess exposure to politically linked projects.
Key takeaways
- Trump denied personal involvement in the $500 million stake; he attributes the deal to his sons’ management of family investments.
- Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s entity, Aryam Investment 1, is reported to have acquired a 49 % share of WLFI, making it the largest shareholder.
- Financial flows: Roughly $187 million of the first tranche went to Trump‑family entities; $31 million went to other WLFI founders.
- Regulatory eyes are on the deal, with Senator Warren calling for a pause on the bank‑charter application and the OCC maintaining its standard review process.
- Potential implications include heightened compliance scrutiny, reputational risk for WLFI, and possible short‑term market moves in related crypto assets.
The story underscores the intersection of politics, sovereign wealth, and the rapidly evolving crypto‑finance landscape, and it may shape how regulators and investors approach projects with high‑profile political connections.
All information is based on reporting by the Wall Street Journal, statements from WLFI representatives, and publicly available regulatory filings.
Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/trump-denies-involvement-500m-uae-wlfi-stake?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound
