World Liberty Financial (WLFI): Trump’s $5B DeFi Token Shaking Up Crypto and Stirring Controversy

Trump-Backed DeFi Venture: World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is a cryptocurrency project launched in 2024 with backing and promotion by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump and his family ^[1] ^[2]. It aims to bridge traditional finance and blockchain, touting a mission to “make crypto and America great” by driving adoption of USD-backed stablecoins ^[3].
Massive Token Sale & Distribution: WLFI’s public token sales (requiring KYC verification) raised over $550 million from 85,000+ participants ^[4] ^[5]. The token has a fixed supply of 100 billion, with about 24.7 billion WLFI circulating as of September 2025 ^[6]. Approximately a quarter of all tokens (22.5 billion) were allocated to the Trump family and insiders ^[7], while 35% were sold to the public and the remainder set aside for community incentives and early backers ^[8].
Governance Token (Initially Illiquid): WLFI was introduced as a governance token conferring voting power but no direct economic rights – an unusual setup in DeFi ^[9]. Initially, buyers could not freely trade or sell WLFI; it was non-transferable after purchase, meant only for voting on platform decisions (e.g. protocol upgrades, partnerships) ^[10] ^[11]. This illiquidity and lack of profit-sharing was “unheard of in DeFi”, as one analyst noted, calling the approach “bizarre” and potentially self-sabotaging ^[12]. Early investors were essentially betting on Trump’s backing rather than immediate token utility ^[13].
Unlock and Exchange Debut: In mid-2025, holders voted overwhelmingly to make WLFI tradable, reversing the initial lock-up ^[14]. A token “Lockbox” mechanism was launched in August 2025 to let investors begin unlocking their coins, with the first 20% of tokens released on September 1, 2025 ^[15]. On that date, WLFI finally began public trading on major exchanges like Binance, OKX, and Bybit ^[16]. It debuted above $0.30 but quickly settled near $0.20, giving a market capitalization around $6–7 billion (among the top 30 cryptocurrencies) ^[17] ^[18]. Roughly $1 billion worth of WLFI traded in the first hour of launch, reflecting intense market interest ^[19].
Stablecoin and DeFi Platform Plans: Beyond the token, World Liberty Financial introduced its own USD₁ stablecoin in March 2025, billed as a U.S. dollar–pegged cryptocurrency backed by cash and Treasuries ^[20] ^[21]. USD₁ gained a high-profile use case when an Abu Dhabi state-backed firm chose it to facilitate a $2 billion transaction involving Binance in mid-2025 ^[22]. The WLFI team has indicated that their primary platform will launch as a crypto lending and borrowing marketplace built on Aave’s blockchain infrastructure ^[23], integrating stablecoins like USD₁. By June 2025, USD₁ expanded onto the Tron network after approval from the TRON DAO ^[24], underscoring the project’s multi-chain ambitions.
Ownership and Team: World Liberty Financial is run through a U.S.-registered company (Delaware), giving it a formal corporate structure ^[25]. A Trump business entity owns a 60% stake in the company and is entitled to 75% of all revenue from token sales ^[26]. Donald Trump himself holds the ceremonial title of “Chief Crypto Advocate,” while his sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. serve as “Web3 ambassadors” actively involved in management ^[27] ^[28]. Barron Trump is also listed as a project “visionary.” Day-to-day operations are led by co-founders Zachary Witkoff (CEO), Chase Herro, and Zachary Folkman, with advisors including crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun of Tron fame ^[29] ^[30]. Notably, Justin Sun invested tens of millions of dollars into WLFI and joined as an advisor in early 2025; shortly thereafter, a pending SEC fraud investigation into Sun’s other businesses was reportedly put on hold ^[31] ^[32].
Tokenomics and Use Cases: The WLFI token’s max supply is 100 billion units ^[33]. According to the project’s tokenomics, 35% of supply was allocated to public buyers, 32.5% reserved for community growth incentives (e.g. user rewards, yield programs), 30% set aside for initial supporters/insiders, and 2.5% for team members and advisors ^[34]. Holders of WLFI can vote on governance proposals “like shareholders” — for example, decisions about protocol upgrades or treasury allocations ^[35] ^[36]. However, WLFI does not grant dividends or claims on company profits ^[37]. In effect, its value proposition has been tied to the expectation that Trump’s influence and policies will drive demand, rather than traditional utility. (Indeed, the White House confirmed Trump’s WLFI assets are in a family trust, meaning he personally can’t trade them while in office ^[38].) To prevent outsized control, the platform reportedly caps any single wallet at 5% of total voting power ^[39], encouraging decentralized governance participation.
Major Developments & Press Coverage: Initially, WLFI’s launch was met with skepticism and modest uptake. When the whitelist opened in October 2024 for accredited U.S. and overseas investors, thousands signed up despite the vague business plan ^[40]. Scammers immediately tried to capitalize on the hype – fake accounts on X (Twitter) impersonated the official WLFI profile and posted phishing links, forcing the team to issue warnings to users ^[41] ^[42]. By late October 2024, only about $2.7 million of WLFI tokens had been sold ^[43]. Everything changed in November 2024 when Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election; interest in WLFI soared, and a second token sale was launched on January 20, 2025 (Inauguration Day) to meet demand ^[44] ^[45]. On that day, the project also made a splashy publicity stunt – purchasing $47 million each of ETH and Bitcoin (plus smaller amounts of other cryptos like Aave, Chainlink, and Tron) to “commemorate” Trump becoming the 47th President ^[46] ^[47]. In the ensuing months, World Liberty Financial secured high-profile deals (e.g. the USD₁ stablecoin’s role in the Binance–MGX transaction) and rang the NASDAQ opening bell in August 2025 to celebrate a related offering ^[48]. By September 2025, as WLFI hit public markets, Reuters estimated the Trump family had already reaped about $500 million in income from the project’s various fees and deals ^[49], and the notional value of their token holdings added roughly $5 billion to the family’s net worth on paper ^[50].
Regulatory and Ethical Concerns: World Liberty Financial has been steeped in controversy due to the intermingling of a sitting president’s business interests with crypto finance. Government ethics experts and opposition lawmakers have decried the venture as a “roadmap for corruption,” arguing that the Trump family’s crypto foray — coinciding with President Trump actively shaping U.S. crypto regulations — is a profound conflict of interest ^[51]. The New York Times described WLFI’s rise as “eviscerating the boundary between private enterprise and government policy in a manner without precedent in modern American history,” after reporting that foreign figures under investigation made secret payments to the firm and seemingly received favorable outcomes (including at least one presidential pardon) ^[52] ^[53]. Of particular note, $30 million from Justin Sun and a $2 billion token purchase by an Abu Dhabi fund both flowed into WLFI in 2025, raising questions about whether investors were buying influence along with tokens ^[54] ^[55]. Democratic lawmakers have called out the arrangement, especially as President Trump has used the Oval Office to push crypto-friendly policies that could boost WLFI’s value ^[56] ^[57]. The project’s legal status, however, appears carefully structured: the company is U.S.-registered and limited initial sales to accredited investors, likely aiming to comply with securities regulations and avoid direct violation of laws. The SEC has not publicly taken action against WLFI to date, although observers point to the uncanny timing of Trump’s SEC easing pressure on Sun (a WLFI advisor) as a red flag ^[58] ^[59]. In response to criticism, the White House insists that Trump is walled off from day-to-day decisions (his assets in a family-run trust) and that no conflicts exist ^[60]. Meanwhile, WLFI’s website emphasizes that no Trump family members sit on the company’s board, framing them instead as external “advisors” – a distinction meant to mitigate political entanglement ^[61].
Community Reception and Market Sentiment: Community sentiment around WLFI is strongly polarized. The project attracted a large base of buyers, including Trump supporters and crypto speculators who were drawn by the Trump brand and the expectation that his backing (and presidency) would drive the token’s value higher ^[62]. Indeed, early investors openly cited Trump’s involvement as the primary reason for their confidence ^[63]. This hype translated into substantial market interest: WLFI’s trading debut saw extremely high volume and immediate listing on top exchanges, an unusual feat for a new token ^[64] ^[65]. However, volatility has been significant – within days of trading, WLFI spiked to about $0.46 and plunged to $0.16, a swing of over 65% ^[66], underscoring the speculative nature of the token. Crypto analysts are split on the long-term outlook: some argue WLFI’s unique political backing gives it a built-in community and potential policy advantages, while others warn it could be a house of cards if divorced from real utility. The broader crypto community keeps a wary eye on WLFI; while many DeFi enthusiasts are intrigued that a former President is involved in a crypto project (lending it high visibility), there’s also skepticism toward what some see as a politically charged “meme token” with governance bells and whistles. Notably, WLFI has to compete for credibility against established decentralized finance projects – a challenge, given that WLFI’s decisions ultimately trace back to a centralized company and a politically connected few, rather than a grassroots developer community.
Competitors and Comparisons: In terms of functionality, World Liberty Financial’s upcoming platform would put it in competition with DeFi lending protocols like Aave and Compound. The twist is WLFI’s top-down, centralized leadership and nationalist branding – a stark contrast to the typical decentralized, community-driven ethos of its peers. The WLFI governance token has been compared to other project tokens like Uniswap’s UNI or MakerDAO’s MKR, but with a key difference: unlike those tokens which often confer both voting power and a share in protocol revenues or reserves, WLFI offers only governance and was initially illiquid ^[67]. This means WLFI holders have influence in proposals but no claim on profits or underlying assets of the platform ^[68]. Such a model is virtually unprecedented among major crypto projects – most projects entice users with at least the prospect of future utility or profit-sharing, whereas WLFI explicitly disclaimed any economic rights from the start ^[69]. Another point of contrast is regulatory posture: many DeFi projects try to remain outside heavy regulation, but WLFI’s team incorporated in the U.S. and courted institutional and political ties, more akin to a fintech startup than a cypherpunk DAO ^[70] ^[71]. In the stablecoin arena, WLFI’s USD₁ stablecoin goes up against giants like USDT (Tether) and USDC (Circle) – but with a political imprimatur. By explicitly seeking to bolster the U.S. dollar’s dominance in crypto settlements ^[72], WLFI is positioning itself as a patriotic alternative in a sector where other stablecoins have at times faced regulatory doubt. Whether USD₁ can gain trust and adoption at scale remains to be seen, especially given that its management ultimately ties back to a private company with political baggage, unlike more distributed stablecoins.
Future Roadmap and Outlook: Looking ahead, World Liberty Financial’s roadmap includes launching its flagship DeFi platform for lending/borrowing, likely by leveraging Aave V3 smart contracts ^[73]. This would allow users to deposit crypto assets and take loans, with WLFI tokens potentially playing a role in governance or fee discounts. The project’s treasury is well-funded (holding an estimated $462 million in various crypto assets post-raise) ^[74] ^[75], which should help bootstrap liquidity and partnerships. A major question is how the remaining 80% of locked WLFI tokens will be unlocked and distributed; as of the first unlock on Sep 1, 2025 (20% release), the team has not publicly announced the schedule for future unlocks ^[76]. A careful, phased unlock could help avoid flooding the market, but investors are wary that large releases of tokens in coming months or years could put downside pressure on WLFI’s price. Analysts also speculate on regulatory changes: if the U.S. government under Trump continues to implement crypto-friendly regulations (as has been done via executive orders to “expand” favorable rules ^[77] ^[78]), WLFI and USD₁ might benefit significantly, potentially even finding usage in government-related fintech initiatives. On the other hand, any scandal or legal action could derail the project’s momentum. Crypto market experts note that trust and transparency will be critical for WLFI’s longevity. Given the controversies, the project may seek third-party audits, clearer governance frameworks, or even broader decentralization to build confidence. In terms of price trajectory, some optimistic forecasts see WLFI climbing if its DeFi platform gains traction and if Trump’s endorsement continues to draw in new users. More cautious observers point out that once the initial excitement fades, WLFI will need real use cases and revenue generation to justify its multibillion-dollar valuation. The coming year will be pivotal: success of the lending platform launch, stability of USD₁, and the ability to navigate political scrutiny will determine whether World Liberty Financial proves to be a lasting player in crypto or a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon tied to a unique political moment. As one industry commentator put it, “Never before have we seen a crypto project quite like this – it’s a high-stakes experiment mixing politics, finance, and decentralized tech. The world is watching to see if it delivers innovation or merely controversy.” ^[79] ^[80]

Sources:

Lipton, Eric et al. “Secret Deals, Foreign Investments, Presidential Policy Changes: The Rise of Trump’s Crypto Firm.” The New York Times, Apr. 29, 2025 ^[81] ^[82].
Loke Choon Khei. “What Is World Liberty Financial (WLFI)? Donald Trump’s Crypto Project.” CoinGecko, Updated Sep. 9, 2025 ^[83] ^[84].
Reuters – Conlin, Michelle et al. “Trump’s World Liberty token falls in first day of trading.” Reuters, Sept. 1, 2025 ^[85] ^[86].
The Guardian – “Trump fortune balloons by billions after family firm’s crypto token starts trading.” The Guardian, Sept. 2, 2025 ^[87] ^[88].
Maccioni, Federico. “Trump’s stablecoin chosen for $2 billion Abu Dhabi investment in Binance, co-founder says.” Reuters, May 1, 2025 ^[89].
Fast Company – Chandonnet, Henry. “Scammers are flooding Trump’s new crypto exchange.” Fast Company, Oct. 4, 2024 ^[90] ^[91].
World Liberty Financial White Paper (via CoinDesk summary) – indicates WLFI is built on Ethereum/Aave ^[92].
CoinMarketCap. “World Liberty Financial (WLFI) – Price and Supply.” CoinMarketCap, Sept. 2025 ^[93].
Yaffe-Bellany, David. “At a Dubai Conference, Trump’s Conflicts Take Center Stage.” The New York Times, May 1, 2025 ^[94].
Kirkpatrick, David D. “How Much Is Trump Profiting Off the Presidency?” The New Yorker, Aug. 11, 2025 ^[95] ^[96].
CBS News. “New crypto token boosts Trump family’s wealth by $5 billion.” CBS News, May 2, 2025 ^[97] ^[98].
World Liberty Financial Official Website – Mission Statement ^[99] and Token Unlock Instructions ^[100].

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World Liberty Financial (WLFI): Trump’s $5B DeFi Token Shaking Up Crypto and Stirring Controversy

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