World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol and cryptocurrency enterprise closely associated with the Trump family. Launched in 2024, it has rapidly become one of the most controversial and notable tokens in the crypto space.
Background & Structure
- Founded in 2024, World Liberty Financial identifies as a DeFi platform promising to blend traditional finance with decentralized technology. It gained attention for openly advertising its ties to Donald Trump and his family.
- A Trump-controlled business entity owns roughly 60% of World Liberty Financial and receives 75% of proceeds from WLFI token sales.
- Donald Trump’s sons—Eric and Donald Jr.—are actively involved in operations, supported by partners including Zach Witkoff, Chase Herro, and others.
- Another offering from the firm is USD1, a dollar-backed stablecoin launched in March 2025, backed by U.S. treasuries and cash equivalents.
Funding, Investments & Controversies
- High-profile investors include Chinese billionaire Justin Sun, who reportedly invested $75 million, and an Abu Dhabi–state-linked entity which deployed around $2 billion in the USD1 stablecoin to Binance.
- The platform has drawn criticism for conflicts of interest, secretive foreign investments, and blurred lines between Trump’s presidential duties and private enterprise.
WLFI Token Launch & Trading Performance
- Initially non‑transferable and used for governance, investors later voted in July 2025 to enable public trading of WLFI ﹣ paving the way for speculation.
- It debuted in public markets in early September 2025, trading briefly above $0.30 before declining to around $0.246 on its first day—representing a 12% drop by market close. The market cap stood near $7 billion, ranking WLFI among the top 30 cryptos by valuation.
- Across the first two days, the token fluctuated between approximately $0.21 and $0.33, with intense volatility and high trading volume driving speculation
Ownership and Impact on Trump Family Wealth
- The Trump family reportedly holds about **22.5 billion WLFI tokens**. At current prices (around $0.23), Paper wealth from WLFI alone is estimated at roughly **$5 billion**, though these tokens remain locked for now.
- Reuters estimated the family made about **$500 million** from World Liberty Financial since its inception.
Recent Developments & Market Dynamics
- On September 2, 2025, World Liberty Financial **burned 47 million WLFI tokens**—about 0.19% of the circulating supply—to reduce supply and potentially bolster prices.
- According to CoinGecko, WLFI is trading at ~$0.228, with a 24-hour volume around $1.1 billion and a circulating supply of approximately 27 billion tokens.
- CoinMarketCap reports WLFI trading around $0.228 with a market cap of ~$5.63 billion, rank #27, and a circulating supply near 24.7 billion out of a 100 billion max.
- CryptoRank confirms similar statistics: price ~$0.228, circulating supply ~24.67 billion, all-time high at $0.343 on September 1, 2025, and max supply 100 billion.
Conclusion
World Liberty Financial, and its WLFI token, exemplify the volatile intersection of crypto innovation and high-stakes political influence. While strategically positioned for rapid valuation gains, WLFI remains highly speculative, and its launches and revenue flows have drawn scrutiny regarding conflicts of interest. Investors should weigh the risks of extreme volatility, governance centralization, and ethical red flags against potential upside—especially in the wake of token burns and locked holdings.
