An Abu Dhabi royal is reportedly bankrolling a significant portion of a new US trust bank tied to the Trump family's crypto venture World Liberty Financial, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
The Deal Details
A group led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan is said to be backing a 49% stake in the holding company that sits behind World Liberty's newly proposed trust bank. The institution has reportedly received conditional approval to operate as a US trust bank, a status that would allow it to offer custody and related financial services within a regulated framework.
Sheikh Tahnoon, a prominent member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, has become an increasingly active player in global finance and technology investments in recent years. His involvement in the venture underscores the growing appetite among Gulf investors for exposure to digital-asset infrastructure linked to high-profile American names.
A near-half stake places Gulf capital at the heart of a Trump-linked crypto banking push.
Political and Regulatory Questions
The reported arrangement is likely to draw scrutiny given the intersection of a foreign royal, a family connected to the sitting US president, and a federally recognized banking charter. World Liberty Financial has already faced questions about potential conflicts of interest tied to its Trump-family associations.
Key points emerging from the report include:
- A 49% backing of the holding company behind the trust bank
- Conditional approval already granted for the bank to operate
- Involvement of a senior Abu Dhabi royal in the ownership structure
The conditional nature of the approval means the bank must still satisfy regulatory requirements before it can begin full operations. Observers will be watching closely to see how oversight bodies treat a venture with such politically sensitive ownership ties as the crypto sector continues to seek deeper integration with traditional banking.