Compass Investments

It was recently revealed a $500 million investment from a senior Abu Dhabi official that gave a UAE-linked entity a 49% stake in the Trump family’s cryptocurrency company, World Liberty Financial (WLF).

This agreement was formalized on January 16, 2025, just four days before Donald Trump’s inauguration for a second term. The stake was acquired through Aryam Investment 1, an investment firm backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser and brother of the country’s president.

Sheikh Tahnoon, often referred to as the “spy sheikh” because of his influence on intelligence and security, also chairs the board of directors of Abu Dhabi-based technology company G42.

This infusion of capital has reportedly given Arab entities a nearly equal stake in WLF, a crypto project integrated into the Trump family’s overall digital asset strategy.

Of the initial $250 million listed under the terms of the deal, about $187 million went to entities affiliated with Trump, namely DT Marks DEFI LLC and DT Marks SC LLC. The remaining funds were allocated internally for operational needs and strategic development.

As part of the arrangements, two top G42 executives joined WLF’s five-member board of directors, giving Abu Dhabi representatives direct access to the firm’s management.

The deal has attracted increased attention due to its timing and subsequent U.S. policy decisions favorable to the UAE.

Within months of the investment, the Trump administration authorized the sale of approximately 500,000 advanced AI chips annually to the UAE. Previously, exports of these components were restricted to protect national security, artificial intelligence and dual-use technologies.

Opponents believe the close chronological link between the share deal and the lifting of export restrictions requires further verification, especially given Sheikh Tahnoon’s role at the intersection of technology, intelligence and state power in the UAE.

The 49% stake is seen as part of a broader plan for Emirati engagement with World Liberty Financial and related digital assets throughout 2025 and early 2026.

In May 2025, UAE government fund MGX reportedly used the $2 billion WLF USD1 stablecoin to invest in Binance, one of the most significant real-world uses of the token.

A month later, in June 2025, UAE-based Aqua1 invested $100 million in WLF’s management token, WLFI, making it the largest token holder in the project at the time.

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Binance’s operation received additional publicity due to its proximity to the successful pardon petition of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao. This petition was granted in October 2025, a few months after the USD1 2 billion deal was finalized.

Although direct causal links have not been officially established, the overlap in the use of stablecoins, overseas investment, and executive liberation has intensified demands for greater openness in the WLF ecosystem.