 ▲ Donald Trump, WLFI/ChatGPT-generated image © |
Amid mounting internal and external challenges—including the evaporation of $2 trillion from the crypto market and intensified political attacks from Democrats—“World Liberty Financial,” a cryptocurrency project led by President Donald Trump’s family, is attempting to shift the narrative by hosting a large-scale forum. Despite investor disappointment and a series of controversies, some in the industry expect the event to serve as a positive signal marking the convergence of traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem.
According to DL News on February 18 (local time), the Trump family will host the World Liberty Forum on February 18 at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, bringing together major figures from the cryptocurrency and financial sectors. Approximately 300 global leaders and regulators are expected to attend, including CEOs from companies such as Coinbase, BitGo, Franklin Templeton, and Goldman Sachs, as well as FIFA President Gianni Infantino, rapper Nicki Minaj, and prominent investor Kevin O’Leary. Participants will discuss the future of American innovation and economic influence.
At the heart of the initiative, World Liberty Financial positions itself as a DeFi platform and stablecoin issuer bridging traditional finance and digital assets. It has issued USD1, a U.S. Treasury-backed dollar-pegged stablecoin, rapidly growing to become the industry’s fifth-largest stablecoin with a circulation of $5 billion. However, behind its rapid ascent lies internal discord: investors who purchased $550 million worth of WLFI tokens have expressed strong dissatisfaction after facing trading restrictions and a 69% price collapse, resulting in significant losses.
Political pressure is also intensifying. Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim cited reports that a United Arab Emirates (UAE) company acquired a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million just before President Trump’s inauguration. Citing national security concerns, they sent a formal letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging a thorough investigation. Allegations have additionally surfaced linking the pardon of former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao to investment transactions centered on USD1, prompting the White House to step in and address the controversy directly.
Bitcoin (BTC), which surged past $126,000 at the beginning of President Trump’s term, has since fallen sharply amid rising diplomatic uncertainties, including tariff policies and attempts to acquire Greenland. As a result, $2 trillion—roughly half of the total cryptocurrency market value—has been wiped out. A series of negative developments, including stalled pro-crypto legislation and the more than 95% collapse of Trump-related memecoins, has also shaken industry support for the administration’s crypto policies.
Nevertheless, industry observers remain hopeful about the Mar-a-Lago forum. Pranav Agarwal, Portfolio Advisor at Ajna Capital, expressed optimism that the event could serve as a key turning point in integrating blockchain-based solutions such as DeFi and stablecoins with traditional policymakers and financial heavyweights.
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