Crypto Reporter

Shalini Nagarajan

Crypto Reporter

Shalini Nagarajan

About Author

Shalini is a crypto reporter who provides in-depth reports on daily developments and regulatory shifts in the cryptocurrency sector.

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Last updated: 

September 2, 2025

The Trump family’s cryptocurrency token, World Liberty Financial, stumbled on its first day of trading, erasing early gains and showing the immediate losses faced by investors.

WLFI, the governance token of the decentralized finance platform launched last year, began trading above $0.30 on Monday before sliding to $0.24, according to CoinGecko. That represented a more than 15% drop from intraday peaks.

The decline left WLFI with a market capitalization just below $7b, ranking it as the 31st largest cryptocurrency in circulation. Several of the world’s biggest exchanges, including Binance, OKX and Bybit, listed the token at launch, drawing immediate attention from traders.

Early Investors Allowed To Sell Up To 20% Of Holdings

The launch followed a July vote by investors to make WLFI tradable. Until then, the tokens functioned only as governance instruments, giving holders the right to weigh in on code changes and business adjustments. Early investors are permitted to sell up to 20% of their holdings, the company said.

That first 20% unlock, estimated at 3b to 5b tokens sold at presale prices of $0.015 and $0.05, triggered a wave of selling. The pressure tempered excitement from the debut and weighed on prices despite strong speculative demand.

According to the project’s official blog, 24.6b tokens were made available at the time of launch.

The Trump Factor: Driving Investor Interest

Trading activity was robust. Spot volumes hit $2.25b while derivatives turnover surged to between $3b and $8b, reflecting heavy positioning across futures platforms. Pre-market trading on venues such as Hyperliquid and Binance Futures had already signalled turbulence, with WLFI changing hands between $0.30 and $0.56.

Since its inception last year, World Liberty Financial has reportedly generated around $500m for the Trump family. The platform also issues a stablecoin and has been marketed as a gateway for retail investors into decentralized finance.

For early backers, the main attraction was the Trump name. Many said they believed the token’s value would rise on the strength of that connection rather than its technical design. The tradable launch gave them the first real chance to test that assumption in open markets.

World Liberty’s debut drew political scrutiny as well. Democratic lawmakers and ethics experts have warned that the Trump family’s crypto ventures raise conflicts of interest, given the president’s influence over digital asset regulation.

Influencer Trades Add To Speculative Frenzy Around WLFI

Traders also followed the token’s celebrity exposure. Blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain reported
that influencer Andrew Tate’s WLFI long was liquidated for a $67,500 loss Tuesday. Soon after, he re-entered the market with a new long. This move shows the highly speculative mood surrounding the token.

WLFI’s circulating supply at launch was limited to about 4% to 6.8% of the total, intensifying volatility. The combination of a constrained float, political ties and future unlocks has left market sentiment cautious despite heavy trading volumes.

The launch marked one of the most closely watched token debuts of the year. Its rocky first session showed the Trump brand’s drawing power and the risks of tying political capital to a speculative market.

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World Liberty Financial, the Trump family-linked crypto project, is reportedly engaging major investors to form a public company to hold its WLFI tokens. The proposal aims to place WLFI on a corporate balance sheet and contribute to the rising trend of digital-asset treasury companies in the US.

World Liberty Pitch: From Token Sales To Public WLFI Treasury

World Liberty Financial was unveiled in 2024 as a DeFi protocol and cryptocurrency company by US President Donald Trump to be managed by his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr. The crypto initiative recorded the successful launch of the WLFI token in October 2024, which raised $2.7 million in primary sales within that month alone. In 2025, World Liberty Financial also introduced a dollar-pegged stablecoin known as USD1. 

However, anonymous sources have informed Bloomberg that World Liberty Financial is now exploring the idea of a more traditional capital-markets vehicle that would consolidate WLFI on a public firm’s balance sheet.

The crypto company is reportedly approaching large tech and crypto investors about a fundraising round expected to target about $1.5 billion. Although talks remain private, discussions are said to be progressing as all parties work out the structure of a potential deal.

Crypto Treasury Companies On The Rise

Notably, World Liberty Financial’s reported recent move points to a bullish trend in the emergence of digital asset treasury companies (DATCOs). 

According to data by analytics firm Galaxy, these DATCOs now hold a combined $100 billion in crypto assets. Unsurprisingly, Bitcoin treasury companies, e.g, Strategy led by Michael Saylor, account for 93% of these holdings, with the remainder consisting of alt-focused DATCOs such as SharpLink Gaming. Based on Bloomberg’s report, these crypto treasury companies still intend to raise an additional $79 billion targeted solely at Bitcoin purchases, to increase their current BTC holdings of 3.98% of the market cap. 

Interestingly, this optimism by DATCOs has been inspired by pro-crypto policies implemented by President Donald Trump. The Republican remains committed to making America the central stage in the crypto industry, as indicated by initiatives such as the National Bitcoin Reserve, approval of the GENIUS Act, and legal deescalations by regulators.

At press time, the total crypto market is valued at $3.87 trillion, with Bitcoin maintaining 59.2% dominance. The premier cryptocurrency presently trades around $116,421 following a 2.3% gain in the past week. During this period, major altcoins such as Ethereum, XRP, and Solana have also experienced similar bullish action as indicated by gains of 18.30%, 10.78% and 10.20%.

Featured image from Protos, chart from Tradingview

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Holders of the World Liberty Financial token, WLFI, have voted overwhelmingly to make these tokens tradable, a decision that could significantly impact their market value and the financial interests of the Trump family. 

WLFI Transition From Voting Rights To Tradable Assets

World Liberty Financial, a venture associated with Donald Trump’s family, launched the WLFI tokens last autumn as part of its decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, which also includes a stablecoin called USD1. 

Initially, these tokens were not designed for trading; instead, they granted holders voting rights on certain business developments, including changes to the platform’s underlying code. 

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Early investors were primarily drawn to WLFI due to its association with Trump, banking on the expectation that the tokens would appreciate in value thanks to his backing.

The recent vote to allow trading of the tokens marks a crucial shift, enabling market forces to set their prices. This transition is likely to attract a wider array of investors, potentially generating trading fees for exchanges that list WLFI and fueling speculation about the tokens’ future value. 

Although it remains unclear how this will directly benefit the Trump family, the increased trading activity may enhance the overall value of their holdings, which are substantial.

Trump’s Potential Conflicts Of Interest

Critics, including several Democratic lawmakers, have raised concerns regarding the ethical implications of the Trump family’s financial involvement in World Liberty Financial. 

Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Maxine Waters have voiced their worries to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), arguing that the family’s financial stake constitutes a significant conflict of interest that could influence regulatory oversight of the cryptocurrency industry. 

They pointed out that the WLFI tokens have not been classified as securities by the SEC, which means they are not subject to the same level of regulatory scrutiny as traditional investments like stocks.

The White House has maintained that Trump’s assets are managed by a trust overseen by his children, asserting that there are no conflicts of interest. However, the specifics of this trust arrangement remain undisclosed.

World Liberty Financial Promises More Details

Trump’s company, DT Marks DEFI LLC, was allocated 22.5 billion of the total 100 billion WLFI tokens, with Trump himself holding approximately 15.75 billion tokens as of the end of last year. Reports suggest that the Trump family has generated around $500 million from World Liberty since its inception.

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In light of the recent vote, the White House declined to comment to Reuters on how the tradability of WLFI might affect the family’s financial interests. A spokesperson for World Liberty Financial indicated that further details about the trading process would be provided soon.

The proposal to initiate tradability received overwhelming support, with 99.94% of approximately 20,900 votes in favor. Many token holders expressed their motivations for voting, with some citing expectations of price increases and others aligning their investment with support for Trump. 

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) token holders approved a governance proposal to make the WLFI token tradable, allowing the project to begin enabling transfers and secondary market access. 

Token holders cast overwhelmingly affirmative ballots before the July 16 close, with 11.1 billion tokens voting “Yes,” equivalent to 99.94%. 

World Liberty posted the “Make $WLFI Token Tradable” measure to its governance forum on July 4 and opened on‑chain voting on July 9. 

The proposal directs the team to activate transferability, allowing holders to move WLFI peer-to-peer and list on secondary venues, thereby shifting the network from a closed model to one of open participation. 

The plan also outlines staged unlocks, where a portion of the early supporter allocations becomes eligible once trading starts. In contrast, founder, team, and adviser allocations remain locked under a longer schedule that requires a later community vote. 

Timing and any eligibility screens will follow in a separate implementation update.

Backed by the Trump family

World Liberty Financial is a decentralized finance and digital wealth platform backed by President Donald Trump and his family.

The application links traditional financial services with on-chain products, including the WLFI governance token and the USD-pegged stablecoin, USD1. 

According to one of the initial statements on the project, WLFI’s goal is to maintain the dollar and the global settlement layer through US-pegged stablecoins. 

Next steps for transfer enablement

With authorization in place, the team will execute transfer functionality, initiate eligible early‑supporter unlocks, and schedule a second vote to govern the broader release schedule for locked allocations. 

Governance participants will also gain a broader role in determining emission parameters, incentive programs, and treasury actions once WLFI transitions to a permissionless circulation model. 

Project documentation on the forum states that implementation will occur within a reasonable time from passage. 

Mentioned in this article

Crypto Reporter

Shalini Nagarajan

Crypto Reporter

Shalini Nagarajan

About Author

Shalini is a crypto reporter who provides in-depth reports on daily developments and regulatory shifts in the cryptocurrency sector.

Share

Last updated: 

July 16, 2025

World Liberty Financial’s crypto token, WLFI, is set to become tradable following a landslide community vote that could significantly boost President Donald Trump’s crypto fortune.

On Wednesday, token holders overwhelmingly approved a proposal to unlock WLFI for trading, with 99.94% voting in favor.

The move marks a turning point for the Trump-linked project, which was launched last year as a decentralized finance platform offering both a governance token and a stablecoin.

The proposal, first introduced on July 9, outlined plans to transition World Liberty from a closed ecosystem to one with broader market participation.

Trading Begins for Early World Liberty Financial Holders, Full Unlock Still Pending

“This would mark a major milestone in the development of the World Liberty Financial ecosystem,” the team wrote. It added that this would open the door for wider community access and protocol development.

WLFI tokens were initially sold in two tranches, priced at $0.015 and $0.05. However, buyers were not allowed to trade them at the time. Instead, they received voting rights on protocol decisions and access to Trump-related events.

For instance, in May, top TRUMP memecoin holders were invited to a gala dinner with the president. Among the guests was Tron founder Justin Sun.

With trading enabled, price discovery and speculation will now begin. Although only early investor tokens will be unlocked initially, a second vote will determine when the remaining supply of the 100b WLFI tokens can be released.

Trump’s Inner Circle Anchors World Liberty’s Leadership and Ownership

The team noted that founder, advisor and team allocations will follow a longer vesting schedule. This is meant to signal long-term alignment with the project’s success.

Meanwhile, Trump’s three sons serve as official advisors to World Liberty. They are joined by real estate executive and longtime Trump ally Steve Witkoff, who now serves as the US special envoy to the Middle East. Additionally, Witkoff’s sons, Zach and Alex, are co-founders of the project.

A company linked to Trump, DT Marks DEFI LLC, is expected to receive 22.5b WLFI tokens. Additionally, Trump personally held 15.75b WLFI as of the end of last year.

According to Bloomberg, the Trump family has earned roughly $390m from WLFI sales, contributing to a total $620m in crypto-linked wealth.

Lawmakers Question Conflicts as Trump Crypto Profits Soar

Democratic lawmakers have voiced concerns over Trump’s growing involvement in crypto. This includes his ventures in Bitcoin mining and stablecoin development. As a result, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Maxine Waters have called on the US SEC to investigate possible conflicts of interest.

Meanwhile, the White House has stated that Trump’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children and has denied any conflict of interest. However, the terms of this trust have not been disclosed. Importantly, Trump remains the sole beneficiary. This means he could access proceeds from crypto ventures at any time or once he leaves office.

Despite the controversy, supporters see WLFI’s trading debut as a financial opportunity and a show of political loyalty. “We invested to get rich,” one holder posted on the project website.

Another simply wrote, “To make America great again.” Most token holders remain anonymous, shielded behind crypto wallet addresses.

World Liberty Financial, the decentralized finance platform linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s family, has unveiled a proposal that would allow its WLFI governance token to become transferable and tradeable across the wider crypto market.

Currently confined within its own protocol, the WLFI token cannot be traded externally, restricting price discovery and limiting participation in governance. The team initially hinted at the new proposal last month.

The new proposal aims to shift the project toward a more open and decentralized model by enabling token trading on secondary markets such as decentralized exchanges and peer-to-peer platforms.

If the community endorses the plan, holders of WLFI tokens will gain expanded voting powers over key areas, including token emissions, ecosystem incentives, and treasury management.

The initiative comes as Trump’s deep involvement in digital assets continues to draw criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who have raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest. Transitioning WLFI to a decentralized structure could ease some of the political pressure currently stalling comprehensive crypto regulation efforts in Congress.

The Trump family recently reduced its ownership stake in World Liberty Financial by 20%, down from an initial 75% holding. Financial disclosures filed in June showed that President Trump had recorded $57 million in profits from WLFI alone.

Across his broader digital asset portfolio, including the Official Trump memecoin, non-fungible token sales, and holdings in other cryptocurrencies, Trump’s net worth has grown by an estimated $620 million. Digital assets now account for about 9% of his total $6.4 billion fortune.

In June, Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff introduced the COIN Act in response to the president’s crypto ventures. The act seeks to prohibit the President, executive branch officials, and their immediate families from issuing or promoting specific cryptocurrencies while in office.

WLFI is also conducting an independent audit of its USD1 stablecoin, which is seen as having strong potential to become a significant player in the market. USD1 currently has a circulating supply of $2.2 billion and was recently airdropped to WLFI holders to test on-chain distribution.

Mentioned in this article

World Liberty Financial, the DeFi project part-owned by US President Donald Trump, has announced plans to enable transfers of its WLFI token.

In a June 25 post on X, the team stated:

“You asked to make WLFI transferable — we heard you. The team is working behind the scenes to make it happen.”

The team failed to provide further information about the timeline for this development.

WLFI is the core governance token for World Liberty Financial. It is designed to give holders voting rights over protocol upgrades and help steer the direction of the platform.

Until now, investors who acquired WLFI earlier this year have been unable to trade the asset, raising concerns about transparency and liquidity. The tokens are currently non-transferable between wallets, with the smart contract enforcing a restriction and indefinitely locking all tokens in wallets or smart contracts.

Despite the restrictions, select platforms like LBank have begun offering WLFI in a pre-market environment. At press time, the token is trading around $1, with daily trading volume nearing $5 million, according to LBank’s data.

Rising institutional interest

The decision to make WLFI transferable comes as the DeFi project’s ecosystem is experiencing significant improvements.

During a recent industry gathering, Zak Folkman, a co-founder of World Liberty Financial, reportedly revealed that the project is developing a mobile app to improve retail users’ accessibility to crypto tools.

While full details have not been released, the app is expected to simplify entry into DeFi for newcomers.

Meanwhile, he also revealed that multiple public companies are exploring adding WLFI to their crypto holdings.

According to Folkman:

“There has been a lot of interest from several public vehicles who want to use WLFI to be held in their treasuries as well.”

This trend mirrors a broader shift in traditional finance, where firms increasingly engage with crypto, especially under the current administration’s pro-crypto stance.

USD1 prospects

At the same time, Folkman revealed that the firm is also conducting an independent audit of its USD1 stablecoin.

Notably, the DeFi project executive believes the dollar-pegged asset has strong market potential and could replace Tether as the largest stablecoin by market cap.

According to data from CryptoSlate, USD1’s current circulating supply is estimated at $2.2 billion. Earlier this month, USD1 was distributed via an airdrop to WLFI holders as part of a community incentive and to test on-chain distribution mechanics.

Mentioned in this article

President Donald Trump has reportedly pocketed tens of millions of dollars in income from World Liberty Financial (WLFI), his family-backed decentralized-finance platform.

According to a new report from the New York Post, records released by the Office of Government Ethics show that Trump’s stake in WLFI raked in just over $57.3 million for him, one of his largest sources of income in the past year.

WLFI, which was launched last year, was co-founded by Trump’s three sons – Donald Jr., Eric and Barron –  and others as a response to what they say is the growing politicization of the banking system. Previously, Donald Trump Jr. said that his family was debanked after getting into politics and described the banking system as a “pyramid scheme.”

“There was a time… where I could call any single banker in New York City, they’d pick up the phone [and] I’d be able to get a loan for whatever real estate project I was doing across the street. Then we got into politics, and all of a sudden, they wouldn’t take your call. You couldn’t get financing. We were debanked.”

The disclosure reports that Trump’s personal crypto wallet is valued at between $1,000,001 and $5 million while listing millions of dollars worth of royalty payments he received for selling items with his name and likeness.

Some of the President’s noteworthy liabilities include $100 million worth of mortgage loans for various properties, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of lawsuits and tens of thousands of dollars worth of credit card bills.

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