Crypto world spectacle: Trump family's "core token" begins trading
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Crypto world spectacle: Trump family's "core token" begins trading
Digital assets may have become an important part of Trump's wealth structure.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthors: Ye Zhen, Bao Yilong
Source: Wall Street Insights
Based on current futures prices ranging from $0.20 to $0.30, WLFI's fully diluted valuation has surpassed $40 billion, placing it among the top 45 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Early investors will be able to unlock and sell 20% of their total token holdings—approximately 5% of the overall supply. Some analysts believe that by limiting early liquidity, the project team can reduce short-term selling pressure and maintain price stability. However, others argue that "a low float makes it easier to pump the price."
A cryptocurrency project deeply tied to the Trump family is launching its token into the public market—an event that marks not only a significant moment in the crypto world but also a definitive test of Trump’s influence in the fintech arena.
Today (September 1), WLFI—the governance token of World Liberty Financial, publicly backed by the Trump family—will officially begin trading. At 12:00 UTC, the token generation event (TGE) will commence, allowing early investors to unlock and sell 20% of their total token allocation, representing about 5% of the total supply.
The debut will take place on major cryptocurrency exchanges including Binance and Coinbase, drawing intense market attention.
With current futures prices between $0.20 and $0.30, WLFI’s fully diluted valuation exceeds $40 billion, securing its position within the top 45 cryptocurrencies by market cap. However, as of Tuesday in the Asia-Pacific session, the WLFI/USDT perpetual contract had already plunged over 30% compared to Monday morning’s quote of $0.3151.
WLFI/USDT drops more than 30% intraday
Estimates suggest that Trump himself could hold tokens worth over $6 billion through affiliated entities—surpassing previous net worth estimates by Forbes.
This move comes amid growing influence of the Trump family in the crypto space. Since Trump’s return to the White House, he has signed a stablecoin bill into law, and his sons have become deeply involved in crypto ventures. The launch of WLFI trading will serve as the market’s first comprehensive evaluation of this politically charged financial innovation.
What is WLFI?
WLFI is the governance token of the decentralized finance project World Liberty Financial, with a total supply of 100 billion tokens. The project was launched last September under the guidance of real estate magnate Steve Witkoff and his son Zach, with co-founders including prominent figures in the crypto space, Chase Herro and Zak Folkman.
The Trump family occupies a central role in the project. Trump is listed on the project website as an “emeritus” member and “Chief Crypto Advocate,” while his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump serve as “Web3 Ambassadors.” An entity linked to the president and family members, DT Marks DEFI LLC, owns 38% of World Liberty Financial’s holding company and holds 22.5 billion WLFI tokens.
The project’s technical team is also notable, featuring industry veterans such as Rich Teo, founder of stablecoin firm Paxos, and Corey Caplan, co-founder of DeFi platform Dolomite.
How high is this token’s valuation?
Market expectations for WLFI’s valuation are extremely high.
WLFI raised $550 million across two private token sales in October 2024 and January 2025 at prices of $0.015 and $0.05 per token, respectively. On pre-launch decentralized trading platforms like Whales Market, WLFI futures have been trading in the $0.20–$0.30 range.
According to Cryptonews, based on current futures pricing, WLFI’s fully diluted valuation (FDV) has exceeded $40 billion. DT Marks DEFI LLC, the Trump-affiliated entity holding 22.5 billion WLFI tokens, includes Trump’s personal stake of 15.75 billion tokens—valued at over $6 billion. This suggests digital assets may now constitute a significant portion of Trump’s wealth structure.
What makes this project’s design unique?
As previously reported by Wall Street Insights, WLFI’s massive valuation rests on a triad of “financial foundation, market dynamics, and macro narrative.”
First, its solid financial foundation. According to analysis by the WeChat account “Wiseman Notes,” the USD1 stablecoin within the WLFI ecosystem is fully backed by high-credit real-world assets (RWA), with approximately 85% invested in government money market funds. Reserves are held by BitGo, a U.S.-regulated custodian, and independently verified by accounting firm Crowe LLP. WLFI acts solely as a brand partner. This separation of operations and branding significantly reduces systemic risk.
Second, its unique market dynamics mechanism. Nasdaq-listed ALT5 Sigma has committed to purchasing up to $750 million worth of WLFI tokens. Per SEC filings by ALT5, this purchase agreement has “no specific time or price constraints,” which one analyst from The Block described as a “strategic arsenal” for long-term objectives—potentially used to stabilize prices during volatility or deter short sellers.
Finally, its macro narrative. WLFI is seen as a showcase of “U.S. compliant innovation” for global regulators. In the context of the U.S. pushing for crypto compliance, this deep alignment with regulatory direction grants WLFI a substantial “regulatory certainty” premium.
Why release only 20% of tokens?
According to the unlocking schedule, only early investors who purchased tokens during the presale can unlock 20% of their holdings; tokens allocated to founders, team members, and advisors remain locked. This arrangement is viewed by the market as a carefully designed strategy.
Messari analyst Dylan Bane calls it a “standard circulating supply management strategy.” In an interview with Bloomberg, he said, “By restricting early liquidity, the project team can reduce short-term selling pressure, maintain price stability, and improve market perception.”
However, some traders hold differing views. WLFI holder and trader Morten Christensen believes “a low float makes it easier to drive up the price,” calling it “a great, explosive cocktail.”
Retail investor expectations are also diverging. In a survey within a WLFI holders’ community, some small holders plan to sell at $0.47, while larger holders expect prices to reach $1 or higher—with some jokingly aiming to buy a Lamborghini.
Who are the big players?
WLFI’s investor roster brings together capital power and industry influence.
Besides the Trump family entity holding a massive stake, according to joint disclosures by Accountable.US and Bloomberg, TRON founder Justin Sun is one of the largest independent investors. His TRON DAO acquired 3 billion WLFI tokens for $30 million in November 2024 at just $0.01 per token—far below the prevailing market price at the time.
Recently, Web3-native fund Aqua1 Fund announced a strategic purchase of $100 million worth of WLFI, holding 800 million tokens in its on-chain address, making it one of the largest external holders, surpassing even Sun.
Additionally, Abu Dhabi-based market maker DWF Labs invested $25 million in the token. Other notable investors include Mike Dudas, founder of 6th Man Ventures.
What risks and controversies exist?
Despite its sophisticated design, WLFI’s launch is accompanied by risks and ethical scrutiny.
CryptoNews pointed out that Trump’s previously signed GENIUS Act—a bill aimed at regulating stablecoins—did not include conflict-of-interest safeguards. This absence raises concerns about potential ethical issues surrounding the simultaneous launch of WLFI, in which his family is deeply involved.
For investors, WLFI presents a unique risk-return profile: systemic collapse risk is greatly reduced thanks to its solid RWA foundation, but market manipulation risks and exposure to shifts in macro policy—on which its value heavily depends—have emerged as new focal points.
The project’s long-term value depends not only on its own operations but also on unpredictable political and regulatory developments. With trading now live, the market will conduct its first full assessment of this hybrid financial innovation.
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