The United States Congress has launched a formal investigation into the purchase of a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial (WLFI) by a UAE consortium. The investment, estimated at $500 million, is being investigated for potential conflicts of interest and national security risks.
The investment under investigation was made by Aryam Investment 1, an entity allegedly controlled by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a national security advisor to the United Arab Emirates and a key figure in the management of its sovereign wealth fund. The agreement was signed on January 16, 2025, and involved the acquisition of 49% of WLFI for $500 million.
Of that total, approximately $187 million was allegedly channeled to entities associated with the Trump family, while some $31 million was allegedly directed to structures linked to the Witkoff family. WLFI was co-founded by members of both families, with Zach Witkoff serving as CEO and Steve Witkoff holding positions more closely involved in national politics, including his role as presidential envoy.
Chronology and national security concerns
The sequence of events following the investment is one of the main focuses of the investigation. In March 2025, an entity called MGX, also linked to Sheikh Tahnoon, allegedly used WLFI’s USD1 stablecoin to facilitate a $2 billion investment in Binance. Months later, in October 2025, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao received a presidential pardon.
In November of that same year, the US administration approved export licenses allowing the United Arab Emirates access to large volumes of advanced US-made artificial intelligence chips, reversing previous restrictions imposed by the Biden administration.
These events prompted questions from Representative Ro Khanna, who raised whether the timing and magnitude of the investment could have influenced US public policy decisions. The House committee is investigating whether the financial arrangements constituted a possible quid pro quo or if they somehow jeopardized the country’s strategic technological advantages.
The researchers also highlight that WLFI’s alleged role in facilitating large crypto transactions—and the impact of those flows on its revenue, especially that associated with Binance—makes it difficult to separate commercial logic from potential political influence.
As a result, increased regulatory scrutiny of the company’s licenses, custody agreements, and stablecoin operations is anticipated, along with the possible imposition of stricter KYC/AML and disclosure requirements for similar cross-border investments.
