A UAE-based investment fund has committed $100 million to World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a cryptocurrency firm backed by former U.S. President Donald Trump and his family. The investment from Aqua1 Foundation marks one of the largest single injections into a politically connected crypto project to date.
Aqua1 Foundation, a self-described “Web3-native fund” based in the United Arab Emirates, purchased $100 million worth of WLFI governance tokens according to the June 26 announcement. The strategic partnership aims to accelerate development of a blockchain ecosystem focused on Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization and stablecoin integration.
The investment comes amid ongoing scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers regarding the Trump family’s deep ties to World Liberty Financial. President Trump himself disclosed $57.4 million in income tied to WLFI in June 2025 and personally holds 15.75 billion governance tokens.
Aqua1 Foundation’s Strategic Vision
Aqua1 founding partner Dave Lee emphasized the “trillion-dollar structural pivot opportunity” represented by WLFI’s ecosystem. “WLFI and Aqua1 will jointly identify and nurture high-potential blockchain projects together,” Lee stated in the official announcement. The collaboration specifically targets innovations in blockchain infrastructure that merge traditional capital markets with decentralized technologies.
The UAE fund’s investment dwarfs previous commitments to WLFI, including a $30 million purchase by Tron founder Justin Sun in November 2024. Aqua1 now becomes the largest known tokenholder in the Trump-affiliated platform.
World Liberty Financial’s Political Ties
World Liberty Financial operates with President Trump’s three sonsβDonald Jr., Eric, and Barronβlisted as co-founders. The platform centers on creating a blockchain-powered financial ecosystem with three core components: blockchain development infrastructure, RWA tokenization protocols, and stablecoin integration frameworks.
The company’s governance token, WLFI, grants holders voting rights for platform decisions but currently lacks transferability between wallets. Recent announcements indicate the team is developing token transfer functionality, potentially increasing liquidity options for major holders like Aqua1.
Investment Comparison
Investor | Amount | Date | Tokenholder Rank |
---|---|---|---|
Aqua1 Foundation | $100M | June 2025 | Largest |
Justin Sun | $30M | November 2024 | Second Largest |
This transaction represents the second major Middle Eastern investment in World Liberty Financial, following undisclosed funding from regional investors earlier this year. The pattern reflects growing capital flows from Gulf states into blockchain ventures with high-profile political connections.
The WLFI ecosystem includes development of USD1, a proprietary stablecoin designed for integration with traditional financial systems. Aqua1’s resources will accelerate RWA pipeline development targeting real estate and commodity tokenization.
Regulatory concerns persist regarding political figures’ involvement in cryptocurrency ventures. U.S. lawmakers continue examining potential conflicts of interest given President Trump’s substantial personal holdings in WLFI alongside his political influence.
Market analysts observe that investments of this scale signal institutional confidence in blockchain projects despite ongoing regulatory uncertainty. The partnership specifically targets “global capital efficiency” improvements through decentralized financial infrastructure.
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This investment potentially signals growing institutional acceptance of politically connected crypto projects despite regulatory headwinds. The capital infusion could accelerate RWA tokenization adoption in traditional finance sectors while drawing increased scrutiny to political figures’ crypto holdings.
- Real World Asset (RWA) Tokenization
- The process of converting physical assets like real estate or commodities into digital tokens on a blockchain. This enables fractional ownership and enhanced liquidity for traditionally illiquid assets.
- Governance Token
- A cryptocurrency that grants holders voting rights in a decentralized organization. WLFI tokens allow voting on platform decisions but currently lack transferability between wallets.
- Stablecoin
- A cryptocurrency pegged to a stable asset like the US dollar. World Liberty Financial is developing USD1 as part of its ecosystem.
- DeFi (Decentralized Finance)
- Financial systems rebuilt on blockchain technology to operate without traditional intermediaries like banks. WLFI aims to integrate DeFi principles with traditional capital markets.