Here’s the latest verified news on the report that an Abu Dhabi entity bought 49 % of a Trump-linked crypto venture:
The Wall Street Journal
The Block
‘Spy Sheikh’ Bought Secret Stake in Trump Company
UAE Sheikh secretly acquired 49% of Trump's World Liberty Financial days before inauguration: WSJ
Yesterday
Yesterday
📌 What happened
An Abu Dhabi-backed investment vehicle, reportedly Aryam Investment 1, agreed in January 2025 to buy 49 % of World Liberty Financial (WLF) — a cryptocurrency company tied to Donald Trump’s family — for about $500 million. �
Cointelegraph
The deal was signed just days before Trump’s presidential inauguration and was not publicly disclosed at the time. �
The Block
💸 Financial details
Around $187 million of the payment went directly to Trump family-controlled entities, with additional sums flowing to affiliates of other WLF co-founders. �
Cointelegraph
Executives from Abu Dhabi-linked tech companies (like G42) reportedly took board seats at WLF as part of the transaction. �
The Block
🧑💼 Who’s behind the buyer?
The investment vehicle is backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a powerful Abu Dhabi royal and the UAE’s National Security Adviser, who has major influence over UAE tech and finance sectors. �
Wikipedia
🧨 Why it matters
The timing — right before Trump’s inauguration — and the scale of the investment have raised questions in the U.S. about conflicts of interest, transparency, and the role of foreign capital in ventures tied to a sitting president’s family. �
Financial Times
Some analysts and lawmakers are calling for scrutiny due to the intersection of politics, foreign investment, crypto, and subsequent policy decisions (notably U.S.–UAE access to advanced AI chips later in 2025). �
The Block
📊 Ownership & public disclosure
World Liberty Financial’s own filings later showed a sharp reduction in the Trump family’s ownership stake, consistent with a near-majority sale, though the Abu Dhabi deal was not initially disclosed publicly. �
The Block
WLF and White House spokespeople have stated that Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children and denied that the deal influenced policy. �
The Edge Malaysia
If you want, I can summarize the potential regulatory and political implications of this deal too.
#BreakingNews #ForeignInvestment