UAE fund takes large stake in Trump crypto venture

A UAE-based investment firm has acquired a 49% holding in World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency platform linked to Donald Trump, in a transaction that values the venture at about $500 million and places foreign capital at the heart of a politically sensitive digital-asset business.

The investment, disclosed through corporate filings and confirmed by people familiar with the transaction, gives the Gulf investor a near-equal stake in a company that has traded heavily on the former US president’s brand while struggling to gain traction in an increasingly crowded crypto market. Control remains formally with Trump-affiliated entities, but the size of the holding grants the new shareholder extensive economic rights and influence over future strategy.

World Liberty Financial was launched with ambitions of becoming a broad-based crypto finance platform, spanning token issuance, payments infrastructure and decentralised finance tools. Despite high-profile promotion and a loyal retail following drawn to the Trump name, the venture has faced muted user growth, regulatory scrutiny in multiple jurisdictions and a sharp fall in crypto valuations that exposed weaknesses in its business model.

Within the company, the deal has been presented as a strategic partnership rather than a bailout. Executives have told investors that the UAE firm brings long-term capital, regional market access and experience in scaling financial technology platforms across the Middle East and parts of Asia. The funds are expected to be used to shore up liquidity, invest in compliance systems and relaunch products that were paused amid regulatory uncertainty.

The valuation implied by the transaction is striking given World Liberty Financial’s operational challenges. At around $500 million, it places the venture well above several rival platforms with larger user bases and established revenue streams. People close to the negotiations say the price reflects the perceived political and branding value of the Trump association, as well as optionality linked to a potential rebound in crypto markets.

UAE fund buys near-half of Trump crypto project, as the arrangement has been described internally, is already drawing scrutiny in Washington and among governance specialists. Although foreign ownership of US-linked businesses is not unusual, the proximity of the investment to a figure who remains central to American politics has raised questions about conflicts of interest, transparency and national influence. Legal experts note that the structure of the deal appears designed to avoid outright control, a threshold that can trigger more intensive regulatory review.

The Trump Organisation has said that appropriate firewalls are in place between political activity and commercial ventures, and that World Liberty Financial operates as an independent business. Representatives for the UAE investor have emphasised that the stake is purely financial and that the firm has no involvement in US political affairs. Even so, ethics analysts point out that large cross-border investments tied to political brands carry reputational risks for both sides.

For the UAE conglomerate, the move fits a broader pattern of selective bets on digital assets and blockchain infrastructure. Over the past few years, Abu Dhabi and Dubai have positioned themselves as regulated hubs for crypto activity, attracting exchanges, custodians and tokenisation platforms under bespoke licensing regimes. The investor behind the World Liberty Financial stake has holdings across fintech, payments and alternative assets, and has been seeking exposure to consumer-facing crypto brands with global recognition.

Market participants are divided on whether the partnership can revive World Liberty Financial’s prospects. Supporters argue that fresh capital and access to Gulf markets could unlock new revenue streams, particularly in tokenised real-world assets and cross-border payments. Critics counter that the platform’s core challenge lies not in funding but in differentiation, at a time when users are gravitating towards established exchanges and tightly regulated products.