UAE-linked investors expanded their role in a Trump-backed crypto project as US–UAE talks gained pace.
An undisclosed deal has revealed deep financial ties between a Trump-linked crypto project and investors connected to Abu Dhabi’s ruling family. Company records indicate that a major equity sale occurred just days before Donald Trump returned to office. Market turmoil has since added pressure to several tokens linked to the Trump brand.
Documents Show Early Foreign Backing for World Liberty Financial
A major ownership shift at World Liberty Financial took place just days before Donald Trump’s inauguration. An investor group linked to an Abu Dhabi royal secured a 49% stake in the crypto firm, valuing the company at around $500 million. Approximately $187 million from the initial payment was transferred to entities linked to the Trump family.
Moreover, filings show more than $30 million allocated to businesses linked to Steve Witkoff’s family. Witkoff, a co-founder of the project, had recently been appointed US envoy to the Middle East. A portion of those funds was paid at closing, with the balance scheduled later.
An Abu Dhabi royal backed a secret $500 million investment in Trump’s crypto company. Months later, U.A.E. won access to tightly guarded American AI chips. https://t.co/7jVpCE1KK7
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 1, 2026
The documents were signed by Eric Trump on behalf of the family. Buyers were tied to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE national security adviser and brother of the country’s president.
As per reports, Tahnoon played a central role in Abu Dhabi’s drive to gain influence in artificial intelligence. Under the Biden administration, efforts to secure advanced US-made AI chips faced limits over concerns tied to China.
WLF Stablecoin Used in $2B Binance Investment by UAE-Backed Firm
After Trump won the election, talks between US officials and UAE leaders increased. Tahnoon met Trump and senior officials several times. Soon after, the US agreed to provide the UAE with access to large quantities of advanced AI chips annually.
During the same period, executives from G42, a tech company tied to Tahnoon, became involved in the deal. Several executives also joined World Liberty’s board, making Aryam the firm’s largest outside shareholder.
Just before the US and UAE announced their chip agreement, MGX completed a major crypto transaction. The Tahnoon-backed firm used World Liberty’s stablecoin to invest $2 billion in Binance.
However, WLF and the White House have reportedly denied breaking any rules. As stated, President Trump was not involved in the deal and had no policy influence on it.
At the same time, crypto tokens tied to the Trump name have seen heavy losses. The official Trump memecoin has fallen more than 94% from its peak and now trades at around $4.13.
Melania Trump’s memecoin has dropped even further, losing 99% of its value since January 2025 and sitting near $0.12. Meanwhile, WLFI, the token linked to World Liberty Financial, is down 72% from its peak and has fallen 20% over the past week.
