Bitcoin traders weigh UAE stake in Trump-linked WLFI stablecoin empire
UAE security chief Sheikh Tahnoon quietly bought 49% of Trump-linked World Liberty Financial, tying its USD1 stablecoin to a $2B Binance deal and sensitive US AI chip policy.
- Aryam Investment, a Sheikh Tahnoon-backed vehicle, acquired a secret 49% stake in Trump-linked World Liberty Financial for about $500 million, signed by Eric Trump.
- MGX, also chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon, later used WLFI’s USD1 stablecoin to route a $2 billion investment into Binance, instantly vaulting USD1 into the top tier of dollar-pegged tokens.
- The deal landed just as Washington moved to ease AI chip export curbs on the UAE, raising questions—though no proven quid pro quo—about how crypto infrastructure is now entangled with sanctions, national security and Trump-era diplomacy.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a senior United Arab Emirates official, acquired a 49 percent stake in World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company linked to the family of former President Donald Trump, according to multiple media reports.
The transaction was completed months before the United States began easing export restrictions on advanced AI chips to the UAE.
Sheikh Tahnoon oversees UAE intelligence and national security operations and controls G42, the country’s primary artificial intelligence holding company. G42 has been engaged in negotiations with the United States regarding access to advanced AI hardware, including chips subject to strict export controls.
US policy toward AI chip exports to the UAE had maintained tight restrictions for years, with authorities citing concerns over technology leakage and strategic risk. The policy began to shift recently following diplomatic engagement and new security assurances from the UAE. The investment in World Liberty Financial occurred before the policy change became public, though no official connection between the two events has been established.
World Liberty Financial and Emirati Sheikh ink deal
World Liberty Financial is developing a US dollar-denominated stablecoin and broader payment infrastructure. The company has attracted attention due to its connections to the Trump family. According to available information, a portion of the transaction proceeds flowed to entities connected to Donald Trump’s family.
Sheikh Tahnoon also chairs MGX, a UAE-linked investment fund that previously committed substantial capital to Binance, positioning the fund as a major institutional backer of the cryptocurrency exchange. The investments suggest a coordinated approach to digital asset infrastructure, according to industry observers.
The transaction highlights how cryptocurrency companies are positioned at the intersection of political systems, capital markets, and emerging technologies. In this instance, a crypto firm linked to a former US president connects US politics, Middle Eastern capital, and AI policy.
No public evidence of wrongdoing or policy violations has emerged. However, questions remain regarding the structure of the investment, its timing relative to the US policy shift, and the role of crypto-linked entities in strategic negotiations. These issues are expected to draw scrutiny from regulators and policymakers as they assess the role of digital assets in global power dynamics.
The acquisition represents a development in how cryptocurrency infrastructure intersects with strategic capital and geopolitical considerations, according to industry analysts.
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