A cryptocurrency company linked to President Donald Trump's family has reportedly secured a large investment from an investment vehicle linked to members of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) royal family, raising concerns about the connection between the timing of the investment and subsequent policy changes by the U.S. government.
According to US political and financial sources, an investment vehicle linked to the UAE royal family signed a contract in mid-January to acquire a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company with ties to the Trump family. The deal came just days before President Trump's inauguration.
Through this deal, the UAE became the company's largest outside shareholder, and Eric Trump, President Trump's eldest son, reportedly participated in the contract process as a company representative. A portion of the investment reportedly flowed to the Trump family and related entities.
In this regard, the US government has announced policy measures easing restrictions on the UAE's access to advanced artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, leading some to note the temporal proximity between the investment and the policy change. This measure reportedly partially eases restrictions imposed under the previous administration for reasons such as national security.
Some members of the U.S. Congress have expressed the need for further explanation regarding this transaction and the policy decision-making process, and have cited the need for a review of related matters. However, to date, no official judgment or conclusion has been reached regarding the legality of this investment or policy decision.
This case represents a case where the cryptocurrency industry intersects with politics and foreign policy, and is expected to garner additional attention depending on how related discussions unfold in the future.
