UAE Royal Acquires 49% Stake in Trump-Linked World Liberty Financial for $500 Million

2026-02-03 politics

Abu Dhabi, Monday, 2 February 2026.
Sheikh Tahnoon’s firm purchased 49% of Trump’s crypto venture for $500 million days before the inauguration, directing $187 million to family entities while securing critical US AI chip access.

A Strategic Infusion of Foreign Capital

In a disclosure that intertwines high-stakes finance with geopolitical maneuvering, reports confirm that Aryam Investment, an Abu Dhabi-based entity, has secured a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million [1][2]. The agreement, reportedly signed by Eric Trump on January 16, 2025—just four days prior to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration—positions the UAE firm as a dominant minority shareholder in the decentralized finance venture [5]. While the transaction places a high valuation on the platform, the flow of capital reveals a specific distribution structure: of the initial payment, $187 million was directed to Trump family-linked entities, while $31 million flowed to organizations connected to Steve Witkoff, a co-founder of the venture who was subsequently named the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East [1][3][5].

The Intersection of Crypto and Artificial Intelligence

The acquisition is not merely financial but appears deeply rooted in the strategic technology interests of the United Arab Emirates. Aryam Investment is controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser, who also chairs G42, an artificial intelligence giant previously scrutinized by U.S. officials for its ties to China [2][7]. Following the January 2025 crypto deal, the diplomatic posture regarding technology exports shifted significantly. In May 2025, the Trump administration authorized the sale of 500,000 advanced AI chips annually to the UAE, reversing Biden-era restrictions [3][5]. Under this new arrangement, approximately 20% of these chips were allocated specifically to Tahnoon’s G42 [5].

Political Fallout and Ethical Scrutiny

The correlation between the personal financial windfall for the President’s family and the favorable policy shift for the investor’s other business interests has triggered sharp criticism from Capitol Hill. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) characterized the arrangement as “corruption, plain and simple,” demanding that administration officials, including Witkoff, testify before Congress regarding potential compromises to national security [2][5]. Conversely, the White House has dismissed these concerns, with spokesperson Anna Kelly asserting that President Trump’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children and that “there are no conflicts of interest” [3][5]. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche further defended the administration on Sunday, citing the President’s transparency regarding business travel [2].

Market Reaction and Governance Implications

Despite the massive capital injection, market sentiment surrounding the project’s native token, WLFI, remains bearish. As of February 1, 2026, the token was trading at approximately $0.133, representing a decline of -43.162% from its launch-week price of $0.234 [1]. The governance structure of World Liberty Financial is also set to evolve; while Aryam Investment does not hold rights to the WLFI token itself, the deal reportedly grants the firm two seats on the company’s five-person board [3][7]. This development follows a broader pattern of integration between UAE capital and the platform, evidenced by a prior transaction where MGX—another Tahnoon-backed entity—utilized World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin to settle a $2 billion investment in Binance [4][7].

Sources

Cryptocurrency Foreign Investment