UAE Investment Firm Acquires 49% Stake in Trump Family Crypto Venture for $500 Million

TLDR

• Aryam Investment 1, backed by UAE Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, bought 49% of World Liberty Financial for $500 million in January 2025
• The deal was signed by Eric Trump four days before Donald Trump’s inauguration, with $250 million paid upfront
• $187 million went to Trump family entities, with tens of millions going to entities tied to co-founders including relatives of US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff
• Two months after Trump took office, the UAE secured access to 500,000 advanced AI chips annually, reversing previous Biden administration restrictions
• Democratic senators previously called for investigations into World Liberty Financial over alleged token purchases by sanctioned foreign actors

An Abu Dhabi investment vehicle bought nearly half of World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency startup connected to President Donald Trump, in a deal signed days before his inauguration. The transaction marks the first known case of a foreign government official taking a major ownership stake in an incoming US president’s company.

Aryam Investment 1, backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, signed the agreement on January 16, 2025. The sheikh serves as the UAE’s national security adviser and is the brother of the country’s president. Eric Trump signed the deal on behalf of World Liberty Financial, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The purchase price totaled $500 million for a 49% stake in the company. Half of that amount was paid immediately. The first installment directed $187 million to Trump family entities DT Marks DEFI LLC and DT Marks SC LLC.

At least $31 million went to entities tied to Steve Witkoff’s family. Witkoff is a World Liberty co-founder who was named US envoy to the Middle East weeks before the deal. Another $31 million was directed to an entity linked to co-founders Zak Folkman and Chase Herro.

The deal made Aryam the company’s largest outside shareholder. Two Aryam executives joined World Liberty’s five-person board. These executives also held top positions at G42, an AI firm led by Tahnoon.

AI Chip Agreement Follows Investment

Sheikh Tahnoon had been seeking access to advanced US AI chips. The Biden administration blocked these efforts over concerns that sensitive technology could reach China. G42 raised particular alarm due to its previous ties to Huawei and other Chinese companies.

Trump’s election changed the situation. Tahnoon met multiple times with Trump and US officials after the election. He visited the White House in March 2025, expressing his desire to work with the US on AI and other matters.

Two months after the March meeting, the administration agreed to give the UAE access to around 500,000 advanced AI chips annually. The framework allows the country to build one of the world’s largest AI data center clusters. Roughly one-fifth of the chips would go to G42.

World Liberty Financial’s website showed the Trump family’s equity interest dropped to 38% from 75% last year. The company never disclosed who bought the stake. The Aryam deal explains this change.

Weeks before the US-UAE chip agreement was announced, MGX completed a $2 billion investment into Binance. MGX is another Tahnoon-led firm that used World Liberty’s stablecoin for the transaction. The G42 executives on World Liberty’s board also served on MGX’s board.

World Liberty CEO Zach Witkoff, Steve Witkoff’s son, promoted the MGX deal as an endorsement of the company’s technology. He did not reveal that MGX and World Liberty shared leadership.

David Wachsman, a World Liberty spokesman, defended the Aryam investment. He said the company made the deal because it was best for business growth. He stated that President Trump and Steve Witkoff had no involvement in the deal.

Wachsman said neither has been involved in World Liberty since taking office. He added that Witkoff never played an operational role in the company. He claimed the deal provided no government access or policy influence.

A person familiar with Tahnoon’s investment said the sheikh reviewed World Liberty’s plans for months before investing. The person said the investment did not involve G42 money. They stated the investment was never discussed with President Trump.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump only acts in the American public’s best interests. She noted his assets are in a trust managed by his children. She said there are no conflicts of interest.

White House counsel David Warrington said Trump has no involvement in business deals that would affect his constitutional responsibilities. He said Witkoff follows government ethics rules and has divested from World Liberty Financial.

Democratic senators called for investigations into World Liberty Financial last year. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed wrote to the Justice Department and Treasury in November. They cited claims that WLFI governance tokens were bought by blockchain addresses tied to North Korea’s Lazarus Group and Russian and Iranian-linked entities.

The controversy centers on WLFI’s ownership structure. Trump family-linked entities control the majority of token revenue. Lawmakers argue this creates a direct conflict of interest since most token sale proceeds flow to the president’s family.

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