 ▲ Donald Trump, WLFI/ChatGPT-generated image |
|
▲ Donald Trump, WLFI/ChatGPT-generated image |
World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the virtual asset project linked to Donald Trump, has unveiled a controversial proposal tying governance voting rights to token staking, drawing fierce criticism from the market along with allegations of favoritism toward large investors.
According to a March 8 report by crypto-focused media outlet BeInCrypto, World Liberty Financial recently announced a governance overhaul that would require token holders to stake their holdings for at least 180 days to retain voting rights. The project, which raised more than $550 million between October 2024 and March 2025, currently has 80% of external investor tokens locked without a fixed timetable, and the new proposal applies to the remaining 20% that is in circulation.
Under the proposal, holders of circulating tokens must stake them for at least 180 days to exercise voting rights and will receive an annual yield of 2% paid in WLFI tokens. This decision will also directly impact the vote determining the unlock schedule for the currently locked 80% of tokens. Lex Sokolin, managing partner at Generative Ventures, criticized the move, stating, “It is highly unusual for a project not to disclose a clear unlock schedule from the outset,” pointing to a lack of operational transparency.
Investor backlash has also intensified. Morten Christensen, a token holder and operator of AirdropAlert.com, expressed his intention to vote against the proposal, saying, “This proposal has emerged while investors entered the market without clear information.” Christensen warned that the staking requirement could suppress token value and prolong selling pressure. In particular, a clause offering direct meetings with the team only to investors staking more than 50 million WLFI has been criticized as a dual-structure system that grants privileges exclusively to whale investors.
Major investment firm DWF Labs has also taken a cautious stance. Managing Partner Andrei Grachev stated, “We purchased $25 million worth of WLFI last year, but we have no plans for additional investment until the tokens are unlocked and liquidity is secured.” On March 5, the World Liberty Financial team explained that the proposal was intended to support the project’s long-term stability, emphasizing that “governance decisions should reflect the views of long-term participants, not short-term speculators.”
World Liberty Financial now faces the dual challenge of restoring investor trust and stabilizing its ecosystem, with the outcome of the upcoming vote expected to serve as a key indicator of the project’s future direction. As concerns persist over the opaque token unlock schedule and policies perceived to favor large holders, attention is focused on the team’s final decision and the market’s response.
Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only, and we are not responsible for any investment losses incurred based on it. The content should be interpreted for informational purposes only.