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BTC $96,420 +2.34% ETH $3,280 +1.82% SOL $185.40 -0.92% BNB $642.50 +0.45% XRP $2.18 +3.12% DOGE $0.082 -1.50% ADA $1.05 +0.80% AVAX $42.10 +1.15%
08/28/2026

UAE ‘Spy Sheikh’ Acquires 49% Stake in Trump Family’s Crypto Bank Venture

What happened: Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security advisor, acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial (WLF) for $500 million via StringZ Holding RSC, according to WSJ

UAE ‘Spy Sheikh’ Acquires 49% Stake in Trump Family’s Crypto Bank Venture

What happened: Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security advisor, acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial (WLF) for $500 million via StringZ Holding RSC, according to WSJ and The Block. The deal, signed by Eric Trump in January 2025, directed $263 million to Trump family entities. The same investor group now controls 49% of WLTC Holdings, the parent of the newly approved World Liberty Trust Company. The OCC granted preliminary approval for the national trust bank on August 14, 2026.

Why it matters: The investment cements foreign influence in a major US crypto banking venture, raising ethical and national security questions. The timing of the deal—just before Trump’s inauguration—and subsequent US approval for AI chip exports to the UAE have drawn scrutiny. WLF’s USD1 stablecoin, now the fourth-largest with a $4B market cap, further increases the project’s systemic relevance.

Source: The Block