Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan backs World Liberty Financial’s US bank stake

One of the most powerful figures in the United Arab Emirates is putting serious money behind the Trump family’s crypto venture. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who serves as the UAE’s national security adviser, helped facilitate funding for a 49% stake in the holding company behind World Liberty Financial’s planned US bank. The deal, orchestrated through an entity called Aryam Investment 1, totaled $500 million and was signed around January 16, 2025, just days before Donald Trump’s inauguration. Following the money Of the $500 million commitment, $250 million was paid upfront. Where that initial tranche landed tells a revealing story: roughly $187 million flowed to Trump family entities, while about $31 million went to entities linked to Steve Witkoff, a Trump ally and real estate developer who has served as a diplomatic envoy. In exchange, Aryam and its affiliated technology group G42 secured two board seats at World Liberty Financial. The deal did not, however, include rights to revenue from WLFI governance tokens, which remain a benefit primarily captured by the Trump family. Trump family entities retained approximately 38% equity in the holding company along with 22.5 billi...