An Emirati investment vehicle backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan acquired a 49% stake in WLFI for $500 million just days prior to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Saturday.
The transaction, executed by Eric Trump on behalf of WLFI four days before the January 2025 inauguration, was not publicly disclosed.
The acquiring entity, Aryam Investment 1, is based in Abu Dhabi and supported by Sheikh Tahnoon, the UAE’s national security adviser and brother of President Mohammed bin Zayed.
Under the terms of the agreement, half of the $500 million was paid upfront, with $187 million directed to Trump family-controlled entities and at least $31 million allocated to entities affiliated with Steve Witkoff, co-founder of World Liberty and former U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East.
His son Zach Witkoff currently serves as CEO of the project.
Executives from G42 played a role in managing Aryam Investment 1 and secured board positions at World Liberty, making Sheikh Tahnoon’s vehicle the largest external shareholder in the crypto venture.
The disclosure clarifies a previously unexplained change in World Liberty’s ownership structure. As reported by The Block in June 2025, DT Marks DeFi LLC, the Trump-linked firm behind WLFI, had quietly reduced its equity stake in the holding company from 60% to 40%, down from 75% in December 2024, without revealing the buyer.
The figures align if Aryam’s 49% stake was proportionally sourced from existing shareholders: a 75% stake diluted by a 49% outside investment would leave DT Marks with roughly 38%, consistent with current information on World Liberty’s website.
