- UAE-backed firm invests $500M in Trump-linked crypto amid controversy.
- Trump family receives $187M in mysterious crypto deal with UAE.
- Growing scrutiny over Trump’s ties to foreign crypto investments.
An Abu Dhabi-backed investment firm, Aryam Investment 1, has quietly secured a $500 million deal to purchase nearly half of World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency startup with strong connections to former U.S. President Donald Trump. According to The Wall Street Journal, the deal, signed in January 2025, saw half of the payment—$187 million—transferred to entities controlled by the Trump family.
This high-stakes transaction has attracted attention due to the involvement of Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the influential brother of the UAE’s president and a key figure in Abu Dhabi’s push for dominance in artificial intelligence. His investment vehicle is now the largest outside shareholder in World Liberty Financial. The deal also indicates the UAE’s increasing influence in the global tech sector, with G42, a firm under Sheikh Tahnoon’s control, reportedly managing the deal and taking seats on the World Liberty board.
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The timing of the agreement has raised questions about possible conflicts of interest, especially as it took place just days before Trump’s return to the White House. Despite the Trump family’s denial of any influence over U.S. policy, the connection between the Trump family and the crypto firm has caught the attention of U.S. lawmakers.
Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed, have called for an investigation into the company’s token sales, which reportedly involved blockchain addresses linked to sanctioned entities like North Korea’s Lazarus Group, and other Russian and Iranian actors.
Growing Scrutiny of Crypto Investments
The deal has sparked further scrutiny due to the fact that most of World Liberty’s token revenue flows directly to Trump family-controlled entities. Lawmakers are concerned that this ownership structure could create a direct conflict of interest. World Liberty Financial has defended itself, claiming no wrongdoing, but the controversy surrounding its connections to foreign powers is likely to intensify.
With the UAE pushing hard for access to advanced U.S. technology and World Liberty Financial now at the heart of this deal, it’s clear that this is more than just a crypto investment. The consequences of such international involvement in U.S.-based cryptocurrency startups are bound to continue making waves, with both political and financial implications on the horizon.
The Trump family’s growing ties to international investment groups in the crypto space will likely be under even more scrutiny as investigations unfold. With major figures like Sheikh Tahnoon playing key roles, this deal has set the stage for an ongoing political and financial debate.
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