Trump Crypto Empire Faces Scrutiny Over 49% Saudi Linked Stake in New Bank

Trump-linked crypto venture company, World Liberty Financial, is preparing to launch a federally chartered national trust bank after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted preliminary conditional approval earlier this month. An entity linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan and co-investors reportedly owns 49% of the holding company, the largest stake in that structure.

Abu Dhabi Sheikh Tahnoon and Co-Investors Hold 49% Stake in World Liberty’s New Bank Holding Company

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser, and co-investors hold a 49% stake in WLTC Holdings, the holding company for World Liberty Financial’s… pic.twitter.com/jZWVPbucVi

The proposed bank is intended to issue, redeem, and safeguard USD1, the dollar-backed stablecoin World Liberty launched last year. The venture links World Liberty’s stablecoin business to a proposed federally chartered trust bank.

The OCC’s action is preliminary and conditional rather than a final banking charter. According to the Journal, the approval concerns World Liberty Financial’s plan to launch a federally chartered national trust bank.

The proposed bank’s stated functions are to issue, redeem, and safeguard USD1. The conditional approval does not amount to a final charter.

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Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan and co-investors are behind an entity that owns the largest stake, 49%, in World Liberty’s banking holding company, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to the Journal. The Journal previously reported that Tahnoon backed a $500 million investment in World Liberty Financial last year in exchange for a 49% stake in the company.

The reported holding-company stake places an entity linked to Tahnoon and co-investors in the ownership structure of the proposed bank.

Tahnoon serves as the United Arab Emirates’ national security adviser and is the brother of the country’s president. He oversees a business empire valued at more than $1.3 trillion and funded by his personal fortune and state money, according to the Journal.

The new venture marks an expansion of the business relationship between the Trump-backed crypto company and a foreign government official, according to the Journal. World Liberty Financial is pursuing a proposed bank whose holding company ownership includes an entity linked to Tahnoon and co-investors.

The OCC’s preliminary conditional approval and the reported ownership structure are central elements of the proposed venture. The bank’s planned role is tied to USD1’s issuance, redemption, and safeguarding.

The approval remains preliminary and conditional. World Liberty Financial’s proposed bank has not yet received a final charter. For now, the proposed bank’s stated role is to issue, redeem, and safeguard USD1.

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