World Liberty Financial’s USD1 hits $2.9B in 7 months, partners with Solana’s Bonk and Raydium, but insider trading allegations threaten its credibility.

World Liberty Financial dropped a bombshell on November 5th that sent ripples through the crypto community.

The Trump-backed DeFi platform announced its partnership with Bonk and Raydium, two of Solana’s biggest players, marking a strategic push to establish its USD1 stablecoin as a major force in one of crypto’s fastest-growing ecosystems.

The move signals WLFI’s aggressive expansion beyond Ethereum and BSC, targeting Solana’s thriving DeFi landscape where USDC currently commands over $9 billion of the network’s $14.12 billion stablecoin supply.

WLFI’S ROLLERCOASTER RIDE SINCE TGE

The journey began with considerable fanfare back on September 1st when WLFI launched its token generation event.

That day saw extraordinary trading volume as early presale participants—who bought in at $0.015 and $0.05—finally got their chance to trade. The token hit an all-time high of $0.46 within hours, delivering returns exceeding 2,900% for those earliest believers. However, what goes up often comes down hard in crypto, and WLFI proved no exception to this rule.

By October 11th, the token had crashed to its all-time low of $0.091, representing a brutal 80% drawdown from peak prices. Fast forward to today, and WLFI trades around $0.122 with a market cap hovering near $3 billion. That October crash coincided with broader market turbulence triggered by Trump’s tariff announcements, but the token has since stabilized and even showed signs of recovery following the recent Solana partnership news, jumping nearly 10% in 24 hours.

The tokenomics designed into WLFI’s launch created interesting market dynamics from day one.

Only 3 billion tokens—roughly 3% of the 100 billion total supply—became tradable at TGE, while the remaining 80% of presale allocations stayed locked in the Lockbox smart contract, subject to community governance votes. This careful supply management aimed to prevent massive sell pressure, though it hasn’t stopped the token from experiencing significant volatility throughout its first three months of trading.

USD1’S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH TRAJECTORY

While the WLFI token itself has struggled to maintain momentum, the project’s USD1 stablecoin tells a remarkably different story. Launched in April 2025, USD1 has catapulted from zero to $2.91 billion in circulation within just seven months, making it the sixth-largest stablecoin globally. This blistering pace positions USD1 among the fastest-growing stablecoins of 2025, trailing only behind the established giants: Tether’s USDT ($146 billion), Circle’s USDC ($56 billion), MakerDAO’s DAI, and Sky’s USDS.

The stablecoin’s growth got a massive boost when Binance listed it on October 29th. Within days of that listing, USD1’s market cap exploded from $127 million to over $2.1 billion—an increase of more than 1,550%. The exchange simultaneously formed a dedicated task force to deepen WLFI integration, citing “strong institutional demand” for the dollar-pegged asset. Currently, the vast majority of USD1 supply sits in Binance wallets, allowing World Liberty Financial to generate approximately $80 million annually by investing these reserves in government bonds and money market funds.

The USD1 Points Program has proven particularly effective at driving adoption. Launched about two months before TGE, this loyalty platform generated over $500 million in trading activity by rewarding users who traded USD1 pairs on partner exchanges. On October 28th, WLFI announced it would distribute 8.4 million WLFI tokens to early USD1 adopters across six exchanges—Gate.io, KuCoin, LBank, HTX, Flipster, and MEXC—as a thank you for helping bootstrap liquidity.

SOLANA STRATEGY TARGETS USDC DOMINANCE

The latest Bonk and Raydium partnership represents WLFI’s most aggressive expansion move yet. Through this collaboration, USD1 will integrate into Bonk.fun’s memecoin launchpad and Raydium’s automated market maker pools, giving token creators the option to pair new launches with USD1 instead of traditional alternatives like USDC or USDT. The integration also enables trading of USD1 pairs through both platform interfaces and third-party trading bots, significantly expanding accessibility for Solana users.

This strategic push makes sense when you consider the numbers. USDC controls more than 64% of Solana’s stablecoin market, creating a massive opportunity for any competitor that can offer comparable utility with better incentives. WLFI is sweetening the deal with multi-million dollar promotional rewards for users who provide liquidity or trade USD1 pairs, leveraging the platform’s political connections and deep pockets to compete against Circle’s established dominance.

Beyond Solana, USD1 continues expanding its DeFi footprint across multiple chains. The stablecoin now operates on four major networks—Ethereum, Solana, TRON, and BNB Smart Chain—with TRON hosting roughly 85% of USD1’s market share. On October 24th, USD1 added Aptos blockchain support, further enhancing its cross-chain accessibility. The stablecoin has also integrated with lending protocols like JustLend, yield platforms through partnerships with Euler and KernelDAO, and DeFi infrastructure providers like Chainlink for price data.

INSIDER TRADING ALLEGATIONS SHAKE CONFIDENCE

However, USD1’s impressive growth story now faces serious credibility challenges stemming from widespread market manipulation concerns. The crypto community erupted with suspicion following the October 10-11 market crash, when a mysterious whale opened massive short positions on Bitcoin and Ethereum just 20-30 minutes before Trump announced shocking 100% tariffs on Chinese goods. That perfectly-timed trade netted the whale approximately $160-200 million in a single day, with many speculating the trader had advance knowledge of Trump’s policy announcement.

The timing was simply too precise to ignore. This “10.11 insider whale” shorted $1.1 billion worth of crypto right before markets tanked, leading to $19 billion in total liquidations across the industry. Social media immediately lit up with theories connecting the whale to Trump’s youngest son Barron, though no definitive proof has emerged. The whale has since denied being a “Trump insider” but continues making massive leveraged bets that seem suspiciously well-timed with Trump family announcements.

This incident wasn’t isolated, either. Senator Adam Schiff publicly called for congressional investigations into whether Trump engaged in insider trading when he posted “Now is a great time to buy!!! DJT” on Truth Social in April, just hours before announcing a 90-day tariff pause that sent the S&P 500 soaring 9.5% in a single day. Trump personally gained approximately $410 million from that move through his holdings in Trump Media & Technology Group. CNN’s Abby Phillip described Trump’s prediction betting market venture as “insider trading by another name,” highlighting how political power creates unprecedented opportunities for market manipulation.

TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS MOUNT

These insider trading controversies have amplified existing concerns about USD1’s transparency—or rather, its troubling lack thereof. Unlike USDT, which publishes quarterly attestations, and USDC, which provides monthly reserve reports, USD1 hasn’t released any reserve documentation since July 2025 despite its $2.9 billion market cap. This five-month silence stands in stark contrast to the stablecoin’s claims of “full transparency with monthly attestation reports” prominently featured on World Liberty Financial’s website.

The opacity becomes even more concerning when you consider USD1 maintains zero excess reserves, unlike most major stablecoins that hold surplus capital as a safety buffer. While USD1 is supposedly backed 1:1 by U.S. Treasury bills, dollar deposits, and money market funds managed by Fidelity Investments—with custody provided by BitGo Trust Company—the absence of independent verification leaves users taking these claims on faith. Approximately 78% of USD1 supply sits in offshore exchange wallets, further complicating efforts to verify proper backing.

Market data reveals another red flag: USD1’s trading volume turnover rate sits at just 15.1%, dramatically lower than USDC’s approximately 50% turnover. This suggests the stablecoin primarily functions as a reserve asset rather than an actively traded medium of exchange, raising questions about whether its $2.9 billion market cap accurately reflects genuine demand or whether it’s inflated by strategic holdings and political maneuvering.

The combination of insider trading allegations, lack of reserve audits, political conflicts of interest, and the Trump family’s documented history of market manipulation creates a perfect storm of credibility issues. If future investigations reveal that Trump associates profited from insider information while promoting USD1 and WLFI, the regulatory and reputational fallout could be severe. With the GENIUS Act expected to establish comprehensive stablecoin regulations by 2027, USD1’s current opacity may become legally untenable, forcing either dramatic transparency improvements or potential regulatory action.

For now, USD1’s growth continues unabated, driven by exchange listings, DeFi integrations, and the Trump family’s unparalleled ability to generate attention. Whether this momentum can survive mounting scrutiny over market manipulation and transparency failures remains the billion-dollar question facing World Liberty Financial as it charges into 2026.

〈WLFI Partners Solana as USD1 Hits $3B Amid Insider Fears〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

• Justin Sun strategically holds 3 billion WLFI, framing it as a political investment to secure ties with Trump rather than a short-term profit play.

• On-chain whales harvested massive gains, with some selling aggressively while others used Falcon Finance’s stablecoin protocol as a disguised liquidity exit channel.

Over the last 24 hours, the spotlight of the crypto market was firmly fixed on WLFI’s long-awaited Token Generation Event (TGE). The launch turned into a fast-moving, high-stakes game — with major political families, crypto whales, and retail participants each playing very different roles.

A LAUNCH WITH UNEXPECTED SUPPLY SHOCK

Prior to launch, the market expected WLFI’s initial circulating supply to hover around 5 billion tokens. Instead, the WLFI team disclosed that over 24.6 billion tokens would circulate from the start. The surprise addition of nearly 20 billion tokens triggered a wave of skepticism, dragging WLFI’s pre-launch price from $0.35 down to under $0.30.

Yet the fear was short-lived. At 20:00 Beijing time, WLFI went live. On-chain, its price quickly touched $0.458, while centralized exchanges reflected similar enthusiasm — peaking at $1.1 on Gate.io and nearly $0.48 on Binance an hour later. Early investors walked away with outsized gains, with first-round participants seeing 30x returns and second-round participants enjoying about 9x.

TRUMP FAMILY EMERGES AS BIGGEST WINNER

No matter how the market spins it, the Trump family walked away as the undeniable MVP. According to The Wall Street Journal, their holdings translated into over $5 billion in book wealth after WLFI’s debut — likely their single largest financial windfall since Trump’s presidency.

Public disclosures revealed that Trump personally held 15.75 billion WLFI tokens — about 15.75% of total supply — worth more than $3.6 billion at current market prices. While the team insists that founder allocations remain locked, few believe such holdings cannot be partially monetized through intermediaries like Alt 5 Sigma Corporation, which previously announced new share issuances tied directly to WLFI.

This success builds on the Trump family’s earlier crypto ventures, such as TRUMP-branded tokens, where profits reportedly exceeded $350 million. WLFI now surpasses decades of real estate assets to become their most lucrative bet.

JUSTIN SUN PLAYS THE POLITICAL LONG GAME

Tron founder Justin Sun also made headlines. Reports confirmed he held roughly 3 billion WLFI (3% of supply), and on launch day, he claimed 600 million tokens worth $138 million. Sun, however, publicly vowed not to sell in the short term.

For Sun, WLFI is less a speculative play and more a political investment. His participation is seen as a strategic “donation” to secure favor with the Trump circle, a move that could safeguard Tron’s regulatory position and aid Huobi or Tron’s U.S. ambitions. Sun’s payoff may not come from immediate profits, but from influence and access down the line.

WHALES HARVEST GAINS — AND SEEK LIQUIDITY

On-chain whales, meanwhile, treated WLFI’s launch as a lucrative harvest. Addresses like 6ccDoT pulled in profits of $263,000 in just 10 minutes of trading. Gas fees spiked to over 129 Gwei, but that didn’t deter whales from moving tokens to exchanges like Binance for exits.

Early presale investors sold aggressively. One whale, moonmanifest, claimed 200 million unlocked WLFI (purchased at $0.015) and sold 10 million the next morning for $2.1 million. Others liquidated even faster — according to monitoring, 4 of the top 10 holders sold part or all of their allocations within half an hour of TGE. OTC platforms like Whales Market facilitated millions in block trades.

At the same time, whales may have found a safety valve. DWF Labs partner Andrei Grachev announced that their stablecoin protocol Falcon Finance would accept WLFI as collateral. Using WLFI, investors can mint USDf stablecoins — essentially providing an alternative “exit channel” without direct market selling. As Odaily’s analysts note, this creates a disguised liquidity backdoor: whales can mint, hedge, and slowly cash out without crashing prices outright.

LOOKING AHEAD

WLFI’s launch delivered everything from political drama to DeFi innovation. The Trump family secured billions, Justin Sun played the long game, and whales found multiple ways to lock in profits. With governance proposals now surfacing — including token buybacks using Protocol Owned Liquidity (POL) fees — WLFI’s trajectory remains volatile but strategically important.

For now, WLFI’s debut has already reshaped narratives around crypto, politics, and wealth distribution. Whether it sustains momentum or collapses under whale exits will determine if its launch was just another hype cycle — or the beginning of a new era where political power and crypto finance intersect at an unprecedented scale.

〈WLFI’s MVP: Trump Family Nets $5 Billion While On-Chain Whales Cash Out〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

WLFI token launch recap: from presale to airdrop, pre-market trading, and day-one crash. Learn where profits were made and why retail buyers lost.

The debut of WLFI was one of the most anticipated token launches of 2025. Backed by political branding and enormous media hype, the token drew attention from retail traders, institutions, and the wider crypto community. Many expected an explosive rally on day one. Instead, WLFI opened at around $0.30 and quickly tumbled toward the $0.21–$0.25 range.

This article combines two critical perspectives: first, a breakdown of where investors actually made money leading up to WLFI’s launch; second, an analysis of why the token’s price collapsed immediately after listing. Together, these insights reveal the structural dynamics behind WLFI and offer lessons for future launches.

The above views refer to @web3_batulu

EARLY PRESALE: THE FOUNDATION OF PROFITS

The most profitable stage of WLFI was never accessible to the general public. In 2024, the project raised approximately $550 million through a private presale.

• Price range: $0.015–$0.05 per WLFI.

• Unlock schedule: at launch, presale buyers were able to access 20% of their holdings.

• Eligibility: restricted to accredited investors only. Requirements included an annual income of at least $200,000 for two consecutive years or a net worth exceeding $1 million (excluding a primary residence).

When WLFI opened at around $0.30, presale buyers sat on 6–20x profits instantly. Even with just 20% unlocked, the incentive to sell was overwhelming, which later translated into heavy selling pressure on the open market.

HOLDER AIRDROP: USD1 DISTRIBUTION

Another opportunity came shortly before launch. In late August 2025, WLFI rewarded holders with an airdrop of USD1 stablecoins.

• Distribution: approximately $47 worth of USD1 per address on average.

• Mechanism: no action required; tokens were distributed automatically to wallets and exchange accounts.

• Condition: only those already holding WLFI were eligible.

This stage again excluded outsiders. Unless you had WLFI in your wallet before the snapshot, you had no access to the airdrop rewards.

PRE-MARKET TRADING: THE LAST OPEN DOOR

For retail investors, the only real chance to enter WLFI before its official launch was through pre-market trading on platforms like KuCoin and MEXC.

• Timeline: about one week before listing.

• Price movement: surged from presale valuation into the $0.30–$0.36 range.

• Stabilization: by launch day, most pre-market trades settled between $0.30–$0.33.

These pre-market venues allowed participants to trade WLFI IOUs that would later convert into real tokens. But while this gave retail access, the entry point was already 6–20x higher than presale. In effect, most of the upside had already been captured before ordinary traders could join.

OPENING DAY PERFORMANCE

On September 1, 2025, WLFI was officially listed on major exchanges.

• Early listing: Huobi and WEXC opened trading about an hour before other platforms.

• Opening price: approximately $0.30 USDT, almost identical to pre-market averages.

• Price action: within hours, WLFI dropped to $0.21–$0.23.

• Closing level: stabilized around $0.24–$0.25.

Critically, the opening price was nearly the same as the pre-market price. Unlike other tokens that rally first before retracing, WLFI skipped the upward move altogether. Retail buyers who entered at launch faced losses almost immediately.

WHY WLFI CRASHED IMMEDIATELY

Several structural and behavioral factors explain why WLFI failed to rally:

1. Heavy Sell Pressure from Presale Holders
   Early investors bought at $0.015–$0.05. Launching at $0.30 meant instant 6–20x profits, even with partial unlocks. This created an unavoidable wave of sell orders.

2. Expectations Already Priced In
   WLFI had been trading in pre-market venues for a week, stabilizing at $0.30–$0.33. By the time of the official launch, the price was already “anchored.” There was no fresh capital to push it higher.

3. Retail and Pre-Market Holders Exiting
   Many pre-market buyers entered around $0.30. When the token opened at the same level and began sliding, they rushed to sell, either to cut losses or because they were disappointed by the lack of a rally.

4. Lack of Market-Making Support
   Most token launches benefit from market makers or project teams who temporarily support prices to generate FOMO. WLFI lacked such backing. With strong political associations, the project’s focus may have been fundraising and publicity rather than supporting secondary trading.

WHY RETAIL HAD LIMITED PROFIT OPPORTUNITIES

Looking at WLFI’s full journey, it becomes clear why retail traders struggled to profit:

• Presale: life-changing returns, but exclusive to institutions and accredited investors.

• Airdrop: rewards went to existing WLFI holders only.

• Pre-market: accessible but already at $0.30+, leaving little room for upside.

• Official listing: opened flat and quickly dropped, leaving late entrants in the red.

In short, retail had no low-cost entry point. By the time the token reached public markets, most of the upside had been extracted.

KEY LESSONS FROM WLFI

• Understand Tokenomics: Study unlock schedules and presale prices. If insiders hold massive multiples of your entry cost, expect sell pressure.

• Don’t Chase Political Hype: Branding and headlines don’t guarantee profits if fundamentals aren’t aligned.

• Pre-Market Sets the Tone: If a token has already stabilized in pre-market, don’t expect a fresh breakout at listing.

• Accept Retail Limits: You cannot make money beyond the limits of your knowledge and access. Recognize when you’re late to the game.

CONCLUSION

WLFI’s launch demonstrated how profits in crypto are distributed unequally. Early investors captured 6–20x returns. Holders received a stablecoin airdrop. Pre-market participants had limited opportunities but at inflated prices. Retail traders who waited for the official listing found themselves buying at the top, only to watch the token fall.

The case of WLFI shows that the real money is made long before a token lists on major exchanges. For future launches, traders must pay close attention to presale structures, pre-market activity, and the psychology of unlock events. Without this preparation, retail risks becoming exit liquidity for earlier players.

〈WLFI TOKEN LAUNCH: HOW PROFITS WERE MADE AND WHY THE PRICE CRASHED〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

There are only two days left until the Trump family’s cryptocurrency project, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), officially welcomes its first unlock and opens for trading. However, many users still do not have a clear enough understanding of WLFI’s economic model and circulation status, and are even unclear about the initial circulation amount of WLFI , making it difficult to formulate targeted trading strategies around the opening of WLFI.

The reason for this situation is that unlike other tokens whose token economic models have been clearly defined at the same time as TGE, WLFI adopts a “governance first” model, and the unlocking rules for most tokens have not yet been determined – it is expected that multiple rounds of community voting will be required to finalize the plan.

As of the time of writing, we have little information available on the token economics model.

One is the token distribution plan disclosed by WLFI in the “Golden Book”, which is as follows:

Total supply: 100 billion WLFI;

Token sales: 33.9 billion (33.893%);

Community growth and incentives: 32.6 billion (32.6%);

Co-founder: 30 billion (30%);

Team and advisors: 3.5 billion (3.507%);

The second is the initial unlocking rules announced by WLFI on August 23rd: only the token shares of early pre-sale users will be unlocked at the initial opening of WLFI. Specifically, 20% of the WLFI purchased by each address in the $0.015 and $0.05 rounds will be unlocked, and the unlocking plan for the remaining 80% will still be determined by the community through governance voting. The token shares of founders, team, advisors, and partners remain locked and will not be included in the initial unlocking.

In short, to answer the question of WLFI’s initial circulation rate, we don’t need to consider other types of shares at all. We only need to track the token shares of early supporters who participated in the $0.015 and $0.05 fundraising rounds. Fortunately, there are traces of this data in the WLFI contract.

Tokenomist, a token economic model analysis agency, published an article on X last night stating that WLFI has encoded 18 attribution categories in its smart contract ( https://etherscan.io/address/0x4f61A99e42e21eA3c3EaF9B1b30Fb80A7900d3ce ), but currently only one category ( https://etherscan.io/address/0x74B4f6A2E579D730aAcb9dD23cfbbAEb95029583#code ) has complete metadata, and the specific attribution details of the remaining 17 categories are still unclear.

This user category with clear metadata is the early pre-sale user share recorded by WLFI, with a total amount of approximately 18.43 billion . As to why the data is 18.43 billion, rather than the total sales of 25 billion from two pre-sale rounds, the Chinese-language on-chain analyst “CryptoNyaRu” (@CryptoNyaRu) has made a more detailed analysis of this, that is, 6.57 billion of the 25 billion were not included. For details, please click on the original link to watch: https://x.com/CryptoNyaRu/status/1959999708086321439

The WLFI ecological lottery project WLFI Winner has made a clearer visualization chart of the token shares in this category and other categories, as detailed below.

Odaily Note: The number of token shares in different categories, of which only 20% of the first category will be unlocked at the beginning of circulation.

Odaily Note: In the first category, the distribution of addresses with different holding sizes.

So far, the initial circulation of WLFI seems to be very clear. The maximum initial circulation volume is 184.3 * 20% = 3.69 billion, accounting for about 3.69% of the total supply of WLFI, but in fact this is not over yet.

For the initial unlocking process, WLFI uses a “lockbox” mechanism . Even early pre-sale users who meet the initial unlocking requirements must sign the unlocking agreement and proceed with the unlocking process. After completing this process, all relevant WLFI will be transferred to a separate unlocking contract ( https://etherscan.io/address/0x74B4f6A2E579D730aAcb9dD23cfbbAEb95029583#readProxyContract ).

As shown in the figure above, the current amount of WLFI deposited in the “lock box” contract is approximately 15.703 billion. This number represents the total holdings of early pre-sale users who have executed the unlocking process, that is, the base number of shares that will eventually be unlocked on September 1st. Based on this base number, the initial circulation of WLFI will be 157.03 * 20% = 3.14 billion, accounting for approximately 3.14% of the total supply of WLFI.

Taking into account that more users will execute the unlocking process in the next two days, the final initial circulation ratio of WLFI is expected to be between 3.14% and 3.69%, corresponding to an initial circulation volume of approximately 3.14 billion to 3.69 billion tokens.

As of the time of writing, WLFI’s pre-market contract on Binance is temporarily reported at 0.2681 USDT. Based on the initial circulation volume of the above tokens, the initial circulating market value is approximately between US$841.8 million and US$989 million.

The above is only an analysis of the initial circulation status of WLFI. As for how to operate after the opening, you may wish to refer to our earlier article ” WLFI cut in half before the opening. Will it reach its peak on September 1st or will it plummet? “

〈what is the initial circulation rate of WLFI?〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

At 8:00 a.m. ET on September 1, 2025, World Liberty Financial (WLFI) officially started its token claim event. It triggered a rush of transactions on the Ethereum network and pushed gas fees into the triple-digit range, reaching the highest level since the Web3 boom in 2021. This event marks a key milestone for WLFI and also exposes bottlenecks in Ethereum under heavy traffic. 

I. OVERVIEW OF WORLD LIBERTY FINANCIAL (WLFI)

World Liberty Financial is a DeFi project closely associated with the Trump family. It aims to promote the U.S. dollar’s dominance in global finance through a stablecoin and decentralized finance tools. The WLFI token is the core governance token. It is issued on Ethereum mainnet under the ERC-20 standard, with a total supply of 100 billion. Through multiple public sales, the project raised up to $2.26 billion. It attracted more than 85,000 wallets, including institutions and retail users.

WLFI’s main goal is to combine TradFi and DeFi to drive large-scale adoption of stablecoins. The project launched its own stablecoin, USD1. As of August 2025, its total supply reached $2.4 billion and it is listed on major exchanges such as Coinbase. The WLFI platform plans to offer lending, trading, and governance. It is built on Aave V3 infrastructure and stresses community governance and transparency.

On September 1, 2025, WLFI unlocked 20% of its presale tokens (about 5 billion). Early investors could claim and trade on Ethereum mainnet. This moved WLFI from a governance-only, non-circulating token to a tradable asset and drew strong market attention.

II. WLFI TOKEN UNLOCK AND TRADING RUSH

WLFI uses a phased unlock plan to reduce sell pressure and help price stability. On September 1, 2025, the first 20% of presale tokens (about 5% of total supply) were unlocked through the “Lockbox” smart contract for early investors to claim. The remaining 80% will be released over time by community governance votes. Founders’ and team tokens stay locked at the start to align incentives.

The unlock sparked a market rush. According to CoinMarketCap, WLFI rose 13% soon after launch to $0.2525. The 24-hour trading volume topped $1.8 billion across CEXs and DEXs. Major exchanges such as Binance, Bybit, and OKX support WLFI trading, while DEXs like Uniswap were among the first venues.

The high volume also had clear network effects. The WLFI smart contract became a top gas consumer on Ethereum. Daily transactions topped 1.58 million, and daily active addresses passed 550,000. This activity helped price discovery for WLFI and greatly affected Ethereum’s operating costs.

III. REASONS AND MECHANISM OF THE ETHEREUM GAS FEE SURGE

Ethereum gas fees are the fees users pay to execute transactions or smart contract calls. They are measured in gwei (1 gwei = 10⁻⁹ ETH). On September 1, 2025, the surge in WLFI claims and trading pushed gas from near-zero levels to over 100 gwei, and at times above 150 gwei. DEX trades briefly cost up to $145. Even simple token or ETH transfers went above $10. This was the highest level since 2021.

1. High trading volume drives network congestion

WLFI’s unlock and trading drew many users to act at the same time. They claimed tokens, moved them to exchanges, and traded actively on DEXs. The rush in a short window clogged the mempool and pushed gas higher. According to Eth Gas Station, the WLFI contract became the largest gas sink on the network, showing its big impact on Ethereum.

2. Smart contract complexity

WLFI’s “Lockbox” contract manages unlocks and claims. It involves several steps (activation, transfer, claim), which require more gas. WLFI also integrates Chainlink CCIP for cross-chain support. That adds complexity and gas demand.

3. Market speculation and high-frequency trading

WLFI’s political background and its link to the Trump family made it a market focus. Many speculators joined. Derivatives volume jumped 530% before the unlock to $4.6 billion, showing strong interest. High-frequency trading and arbitrage increased competition for block space and pushed gas up.

IV. ETHEREUM BOTTLENECKS AND LONG-TERM IMPACT

This gas spike exposes Ethereum’s limits under extreme traffic. In recent years, Ethereum improved scale with sharding plans and Layer 2s like Optimism and Arbitrum. But congestion is not fully solved. In 2025, developers are discussing EIP-9698, which would raise the gas limit over four years to 3.6 billion and target about 2,000 TPS. The WLFI event shows that Ethereum still needs more optimization for peak demand.

For DeFi users, high gas directly raises costs. It hurts the user experience for trading, lending, and bridging. Even simple transfers can cost more than $10, which may limit the broad reach of the Ethereum ecosystem.

〈WLFI Token Launch Triggers Ethereum Gas Fee Surge〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

WLFI’s long-term value depends on stablecoin USD1 adoption, Aave v3 integration, governance quality, and token circulation. Observing these key indicators separates sustainable growth from speculative hype.

INTRODUCTION

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) has generated significant attention in the DeFi space, not only due to high-profile endorsements but also because of its bold ambition to create a governance-driven ecosystem anchored by a compliant stablecoin. Initially launched as a non-transferable governance token, WLFI later transitioned into a tradeable asset after community approval. While this shift fueled speculation and trading volume, it does not in itself establish intrinsic value. The real question is whether WLFI can evolve into a token with genuine long-term significance.

This article explores WLFI’s governance model, the stablecoin USD1, the planned Aave v3 integration, and the specific performance indicators that investors should monitor to evaluate its future potential.

WLFI’S GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

WLFI is a governance token with no equity rights, dividends, or claims on platform revenue. Token holders use Snapshot voting to participate in governance, with decisions executed by a multisignature wallet. To prevent centralization, WLFI enforces a strict five percent voting cap per wallet, ensuring that no single actor dominates the process.

The platform’s revenue model further highlights this design. Revenues, after setting aside $15 million for operations, are directed to entities affiliated with the project’s founders rather than distributed to token holders. This makes governance the sole utility of WLFI, leaving long-term value dependent on whether governance evolves into a decision-making process with real economic impact.

FROM NON-TRANSFERABLE TO TRADEABLE

When WLFI was introduced, it was initially non-transferable, with the intent to emphasize its governance-only nature. However, community sentiment shifted, and by July, a Snapshot vote passed with overwhelming support to enable transfers. This decision paved the way for WLFI’s token generation event on September 1, when early allocations were unlocked and secondary market trading began.

This change improved liquidity and allowed the market to price WLFI, but it did not fundamentally alter the token’s underlying structure. WLFI remains a governance pass, and trading simply makes its value more visible rather than more substantive.

USD1 STABLECOIN AS THE PRIMARY VALUE DRIVER

The most important component of WLFI’s ecosystem is USD1, a fully reserved, dollar-backed stablecoin structured around short-term U.S. Treasuries and cash. Its design emphasizes compliance, transparency, and trust. Regular audits and smooth redemption are necessary conditions for its adoption at scale.

The trajectory of USD1 will directly influence WLFI’s long-term relevance. If USD1 achieves meaningful circulation across exchanges, wallets, and DeFi protocols, governance decisions about issuance, redemption, and reserve management will gain importance. Without broad adoption, however, WLFI governance risks becoming symbolic rather than consequential.

AAVE V3 INTEGRATION AND DEFI MODULES

Another potential growth avenue lies in WLFI’s plan to launch a branded Aave v3 lending and borrowing market. Still subject to governance approval in both AaveDAO and the WLFI community, this integration would allow WLFI to operate a DeFi module with real financial activity.

Critical metrics to observe include total value locked, borrowing demand, interest rate spreads, and liquidation performance. If the Aave v3 instance successfully launches and attracts liquidity, it will add meaningful weight to WLFI governance by giving token holders influence over risk parameters and liquidity incentives.

LONG-TERM VALUE OBSERVATION FRAMEWORK

To evaluate WLFI’s long-term value, investors should monitor five key dimensions that define whether governance transitions from symbolic to substantial.

USD1 Stablecoin Performance

• Circulating supply and net issuance trends
  
• Frequency and transparency of third-party audits
  
• Redemption efficiency at a one-to-one peg
  
• Integration into exchanges, DeFi platforms, and payment systems
  

DeFi Module Deployment

• Governance approval and deployment of the Aave v3 instance
  
• Liquidity, borrowing activity, and default rates
  
• Comparative competitiveness versus established lending platforms

Governance Quality

• Participation levels in Snapshot votes
  
• Concentration of voting power among top addresses
  
• The nature of proposals, particularly those addressing treasury use and platform direction
  
• Execution fidelity of multisignature transactions

Token Circulation and Market Structure

• Unlocking schedule and circulating supply dynamics
• Depth of liquidity on exchanges and spreads
• Derivatives indicators such as funding rates and open interest
• Early investor wallet behavior, including signs of long-term holding versus exit activity

Quarterly and Monthly Tracking Discipline

• Weekly: monitor USD1 supply, redemptions, and active governance proposals
  
• Monthly: review audits, Aave v3 lending data, and token unlocks
  
• Quarterly: evaluate governance concentration, proposal quality, and broader adoption progress
  

This structured approach provides a clear method to separate narrative from fundamentals.

LONG-TERM VALUE OUTLOOK

WLFI’s long-term value will rest on three pillars:

1. Whether USD1 grows into a widely adopted, fully trusted stablecoin.

2. Whether DeFi modules such as the Aave v3 instance are successfully deployed and used.

3. Whether governance evolves to bind economic flows or strategic influence meaningfully to the token.

At present, WLFI remains best described as a governance pass with speculative potential. The transition to tradability created market excitement but did not fundamentally change the absence of direct value capture. Long-term strength will only emerge if USD1 scales, DeFi products launch, and governance decisions begin shaping real financial outcomes.

CONCLUSION

WLFI represents a unique experiment in governance-focused token design. Its path from a non-transferable instrument to a tradeable token highlights the tension between symbolism and substance in DeFi. The key for investors and observers is not short-term price swings but whether WLFI evolves into a governance system with real economic weight.

Monitoring USD1’s adoption, the progress of the Aave v3 instance, governance participation, and token unlock patterns will determine whether WLFI matures into a credible long-term asset or remains primarily an instrument of speculation.

〈WLFI AND ITS LONG-TERM VALUE: BEYOND THE HYPE〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

World Liberty Finance (WLFI), Trump family’s crypto project, surges 34% pre-market as OKX and Backpack announce listings. Governance token and USD1 stablecoin gain global attention.

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD LIBERTY FINANCE

World Liberty Finance (WLFI) has rapidly become one of the most discussed crypto projects in the United States and globally. Launched in 2024, WLFI is directly tied to the Trump family, marking one of the boldest intersections of politics, business, and blockchain innovation to date. The project has not only introduced governance and stablecoin products but has also attracted massive capital inflows, controversy, and attention from global investors.

At its core, WLFI revolves around two tokens: WLFI, the governance token, and USD1, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar and backed by cash and U.S. Treasury securities. Both tokens aim to reshape decentralized finance (DeFi) by combining blockchain technology with traditional financial underpinnings.

THE WLFI TOKEN: GOVERNANCE AND BEYOND

WLFI was initially designed as a non-transferable governance token. Holders were empowered to participate in ecosystem decision-making but could not trade or speculate on the asset during its early stages. That changed dramatically in July 2025, when the WLFI community voted to transform the token into a tradeable asset.

To manage supply and unlocks, WLFI introduced the Lockbox mechanism, releasing 20% of tokens on September 1, 2025. This release schedule has been central to shaping investor expectations, as it balances governance rights with liquidity and speculative potential. With billions of tokens in circulation, WLFI now occupies a space not just as a governance tool but as a speculative instrument closely watched by traders worldwide.

THE USD1 STABLECOIN: BRIDGING DEFI AND TRADITIONAL FINANCE

Alongside WLFI, the USD1 stablecoin plays a critical role in the ecosystem. Launched in March 2025, USD1 is designed to serve as a fully backed digital dollar, offering the benefits of blockchain payments with the stability of fiat reserves. Its reserves include cash equivalents and U.S. Treasury securities, reflecting a hybrid model of crypto-native infrastructure with traditional compliance.

A key milestone came in May 2025, when Abu Dhabi–based MGX Capital invested $2 billion into USD1-related initiatives, signaling institutional appetite for the stablecoin. This capital injection positioned USD1 as not only a transactional currency within the WLFI ecosystem but also as a competitor in the broader stablecoin market dominated by USDT and USDC.

THE TRUMP FAMILY’S ROLE AND FINANCIAL STAKES

Unlike many blockchain projects that are anonymous or founder-driven, WLFI’s ties to the Trump family are explicit and public:

• Donald Trump holds the honorary title of Co-Founder Emeritus.

• Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. act as “Web3 Ambassadors.”

• Barron Trump is described as a “DeFi Visionary.”

Financially, the Trump family maintains 60% ownership of the controlling entity and receives 75% of token sale revenues. Reports estimate that the family collectively holds 2.25 billion WLFI tokens, with valuations exceeding billions of dollars. By August 2025, some reports suggested the Trumps had already realized hundreds of millions in profit, underscoring the project’s immense wealth-generation capacity.

WLFI’S CONTROVERSIAL RISE

WLFI has not been without controversy. Critics have raised concerns about:

• Conflicts of Interest: The Trump family benefits directly from WLFI token issuance and sales.

• Transparency Issues: Questions remain around governance processes, reserve audits, and long-term sustainability.

• Regulatory Scrutiny: Given the political profile of the family, WLFI has attracted attention from regulators wary of potential conflicts with financial laws and anti-money-laundering frameworks.

Nevertheless, controversy has also fueled WLFI’s visibility. With global media coverage and debates over its legitimacy, the token has achieved cultural prominence few crypto projects can rival.

WLFI PRICE SURGES IN PRE-MARKET TRADING

On August 31, 2025, WLFI’s pre-market trading price jumped to $0.3709 USDT, representing a 34% increase within 24 hours. This spike suggests renewed investor enthusiasm ahead of major exchange listings.

Such pre-market moves are often a precursor to heightened volatility once tokens go live on major platforms. The rally highlights speculative anticipation surrounding WLFI, with traders positioning ahead of liquidity expansion.

WLFI TO BE LISTED ON OKX AND BACKPACK

In another development,  OKX and Backpack Exchange will list WLFI for spot trading. OKX further announced that pre-market contracts would be converted into perpetual contracts, significantly enhancing liquidity and hedging options for traders. Backpack’s listing provides additional market access, particularly for decentralized and retail traders.

These listings are crucial milestones for WLFI, as exchange adoption is often a litmus test of market legitimacy. OKX, being one of the largest global exchanges, ensures WLFI gains exposure to institutional-grade liquidity, while Backpack caters to a more community-driven, emerging-market audience. Together, they broaden the token’s investor base and expand its speculative potential.

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS FOR WLFI INVESTORS

Short-Term Tradersshort-Term Traders

The exchange listings and pre-market surge offer immediate opportunities for short-term traders. Volatility will likely be elevated during initial listing hours, creating conditions favorable for scalping, arbitrage, and short-term speculation.

Long-Term Holders

For long-term supporters of WLFI, the listings validate the project’s credibility. Broader exchange access enhances liquidity and strengthens the case for WLFI’s role as both a governance token and a speculative asset.

Cautionary Perspective

Despite excitement, risks remain. Regulatory pressures, governance disputes, or sudden shifts in Trump family involvement could destabilize the token. Investors must balance opportunity with caution.

WLFI IN THE BROADER CRYPTO LANDSCAPE

The rise of WLFI represents several broader trends in crypto:

• Political Branding Meets Blockchain: WLFI is one of the first major tokens explicitly tied to a political dynasty, creating a unique blend of financial and cultural capital.

• Stablecoin Evolution: USD1 demonstrates how stablecoins are moving beyond Silicon Valley and into geopolitical and institutional finance.

• Speculation and Identity: WLFI shows how tokens can carry symbolic weight, with buyers not just purchasing governance rights but also aligning with a brand identity.

These dynamics make WLFI not just another token but a case study in the intersection of politics, finance, and technology.

CONCLUSION: A DEFINING MOMENT FOR WLFI

World Liberty Finance (WLFI) is entering a critical phase. With its 34% pre-market surge and imminent listings on OKX and Backpack, WLFI is transitioning from a politically charged experiment into a mainstream-traded asset. The Trump family’s deep involvement ensures both high visibility and high controversy, making WLFI one of the most polarizing tokens in the market today.

For investors, the coming weeks will be decisive. Will WLFI sustain momentum and establish itself as a cornerstone governance token? Or will speculative hype give way to regulatory and market pressures? Either way, WLFI has cemented its role as one of the most closely watched projects in the crypto ecosystem.

〈WORLD LIBERTY FINANCE (WLFI): TRUMP FAMILY’S CRYPTO PROJECT ENTERS A NEW ERA〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

• The Trump family’s direct involvement turned WLFI into a political narrative coin, drawing both strong support and sharp criticism.

• With a $20B–$55B FDV and only 5% initial float, WLFI’s future hinges on unlock schedules and whether narrative can turn into real utility.

On September 1, 2025, WLFI (World Liberty Financial) began trading on multiple exchanges. The timing was the U.S. Labor Day holiday, but the market was not quiet. Screens lit up as WLFI pairs opened on major venues. Traders called it one of the most watched listings of the year. Supporters saw a new chapter for “political crypto.” Critics saw another attempt to turn political capital into market value. Either way, WLFI showed one thing from the first minute: when politics steps into crypto, the rules feel different. The launch was not a small event. It was a test of how narrative, capital, and power can move price. That is why the day mattered, and why the story is not finished.

SCARCE LISTING AND HIDDEN TENSIONS

Preparation for the listing started weeks earlier. Futures venues and large exchanges offered WLFI perpetuals before spot went live. Open interest climbed toward hundreds of millions of dollars. Twenty-four hour turnover reached well over a billion. Money took positions early. The bowstring was tight. At the same time, the team set a strict float plan. Early public buyers could claim only 20% at launch. The other 80% would unlock later, with timing decided by community votes. Team, advisors, and partners had nothing unlocked on day one. Supply in the market would be small by design.

This setup cuts sell pressure at the start. It also creates scarcity that can push price. But most tokens still sit off-market. The release schedule depends on future governance. No one knows when or how the rest will appear. That uncertainty becomes the central risk. WLFI entered the market like a limited drop with a long fuse. The approach can lift price fast. It can also plant the seeds of future shocks. That tension is the first thing to understand about WLFI.

POLITICAL FAMILY AND A CRYPTO NARRATIVE

WLFI’s base is not a typical crypto team. It is a political brand. The Trump family backed the project in public. Donald Trump presented himself as a “chief crypto advocate.” His sons acted as “Web3 ambassadors.” Barron Trump took the “DeFi visionary” label. The platform name is World Liberty Financial. The slogan is “make finance great again.” The message is simple: use DeFi and stablecoins to reshape finance and support the dollar’s role. The story is clear and catchy. It uses a voice people already know.

But the information that many builders want—code, audits, detailed roadmaps—was thin in early messaging. Supporters said the unique value is reach. A political brand can form fast consensus and bring users. Skeptics said this looks like a political meme experiment first, and a DeFi product second. The truth may sit between these views. WLFI is what happens when political capital meets crypto narrative. It leads with identity before it proves utility. That strategy can open doors. It can also raise the bar. The question is how far a narrative can carry a token before real usage must appear. That question hangs over every price move.

A COMPLIANCE VEIL AND THE REAL INTERESTS

WLFI took a different compliance path than many launches. The sale used a U.S. Reg D exemption. Only accredited U.S. investors could buy in those rounds. The token was framed at first as a non-transferable governance asset to avoid a securities label. Materials stated that more than 60% of supply would go to the public and the community, while the team would hold about 3.5%. On paper, this sounds friendly to users and careful with regulation. It is a neat story for a complex market.

Yet control is not only about the “team” bucket. The Trump family, through a holding entity, reportedly controls 22.5 billion WLFI, or 22.5% of the total supply, and a large share of sale proceeds. That means the family sits at the center of value even if the “team” share looks small. In practice, WLFI can be compliant and still be interest-heavy. The governance votes may decide unlock timing. The brand may speak of community. But concentration of upside and tokens remains real. If the veil of compliance is thin, markets will see through it. That is why trust here will depend on actions after launch, not labels before it.

TOKEN ECONOMICS: FROM BILLIONS TO FIFTY BILLION HOPES

WLFI has a total supply of 100 billion tokens. Before spot trading, perps at times printed $0.55. That implies a fully diluted valuation (FDV) near $55 billion. When price cooled to around $0.22, FDV was still above $22 billion. Even at those levels, WLFI would sit among the largest assets in crypto by market cap. At the same time, the initial float was small. With 20% of early public rounds claimable and team buckets locked, the live float at launch equated to a market cap near $1.1 billion at $0.22. A low float can make price jump on modest demand. It also makes price easy to push. That is opportunity and risk at once.

Early investor costs highlight the spread between insiders and the public. Justin Sun reportedly bought 3 billion WLFI for $30 million in 2024, or about $0.01 each. DWF Labs invested $25 million earlier this year. Aqua 1 Fund disclosed a $100 million purchase of 800 million tokens. As listing hype lifted the price many times above those entry points, even a 20% unlock gave large paper gains. This structure creates a delicate balance. It gives the market room to dream. It also loads the future with overhang. If unlocks arrive into weak demand, the chart turns heavy. If unlocks come with growing utility and volume, the market can absorb them. WLFI must choose its moment. That choice will shape its next trend.

DAY ONE: A CASINO-LIKE MARKET

When spot trading opened, the chart behaved like a casino table. Price rushed up, then fell hard, then bounced. This is normal when float is tight and leverage is high. Perp markets had already staged a duel. Some longs were squeezed at the top. Some shorts were squeezed on the way up. After spot opened, large bids and early claims hit together. Depth looked fine on major books. Yet real control sat with a few hands. Liquidity felt deep and fragile at the same time. For many traders, WLFI day one was a short-term trade, not an investment. For long-term holders, the swings were a stress test. The message was simple. This market moves on narrative and positioning first, and on fundamentals later. That is not new in crypto. WLFI only made it clearer.

Order books filled across exchanges. Volumes spiked, and WLFI pairs climbed leaderboards. But speed is not safety. In a small float market, a single whale can move the tape. Spreads are tight until they are not. Cross-venue gaps appear during spikes. Arbitrageurs close them when they can. When they cannot, tails grow. This is what a price discovery phase looks like when a token is scarce and famous. The headline was not the close price. The headline was the range. That range tells you how little it takes to tip the balance.

COMMUNITY ECSTASY AND DIVIDE

Community reaction split fast. In the official Discord, many small buyers talked about selling near $0.50. Some larger holders said they would wait for $1.00 or more. A few early participants said they would sell only a slice of the 20% unlock “to buy a car” or “to pay for a trip,” and keep the rest. On social platforms, the tone was sharper. Critics called WLFI a “political stunt coin,” a place where the public provides exit liquidity for the well-positioned. Supporters said the brand itself is value, and that community reach is the true moat. When Donald Trump posted a congratulatory message, the split widened. Bulls felt seen. Bears doubled down. Price moved with that mood. The token became a mirror. People saw what they wanted to see.

This is WLFI’s unique trait. It is not only a financial product. It is a political symbol. It can gather believers in a day and face backlash in the same hour. That energy can attract new users and capital. It can also burn them. Projects built on story must keep the story fresh and credible. If real product shows up, the mood hardens into support. If it does not, the same mood turns brittle. WLFI now lives on that edge. Every update will add or subtract trust.

CONCLUSION: THE POWER OF NARRATIVE AND AN OPEN QUESTION

WLFI’s launch is an experiment in narrative, capital, and politics. Scarcity created heat. A famous brand created reach. Compliance language created a safe frame. Together they produced a violent first day and a global debate. In the short run, WLFI brought flow and trades. In the long run, it must build an actual financial stack to match its words. If it does, WLFI could become the first true “political coin” template. If it does not, it may fade after the initial hype. The market will decide which path is real.

Crypto has always lived on story. WLFI shows the most extreme version yet. Politics and speculation mix. Emotion and positioning lead. Utility lags. That is why this launch matters beyond one ticker. It asks a simple question with a hard answer. Is crypto a financial innovation first, or a narrative engine that sometimes becomes finance? WLFI does not close that question. It keeps it open. The next unlock vote, the next product release, and the next market swing will all speak. Until then, everyone is still at the table.

〈WLFI Launch: When Politics Enters The Crypto Casino〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

• September 1 marks WLFI’s official trading debut, with expectations split between a rebound and further downside.

• Market sentiment and liquidity will likely decide whether WLFI recovers to prior highs or continues to slide.

WLFI is really coming. On August 23rd, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the Trump family’s crypto project, announced that it would open its initial WLFI token redemption and trading on September 1st. Early supporters (in the $0.015 and $0.05 rounds) will only unlock 20% of the tokens, with the remaining 80% unlocked by the community through a governance vote. Tokens held by the founding team, advisors, and partners will not be unlocked at launch.

Following the announcement of the token’s launch date and unlocking schedule, exchanges such as Binance, OKX, and Hyperliquid also announced the launch of pre-market trading for WLFI/USDT perpetual contracts, pre-pricing WLFI. According to Binance data, WLFI reached a high of $0.55 before declining, currently hovering around $0.22. WLFI’s fully diluted valuation remains at $22 billion.

Even though WLFI’s pre-market price has halved from its peak, participants in the first and second rounds of the public offering have already realized over 14 times their expected returns. With only one week left until WLFI’s official launch, what will the price trend be like after the market opens? Odaily Planet Daily will analyze this in this article for your reference.

SCENARIO 1: ALL PARTICIPANTS HEDGED, AND THE OPENING PRICE PLUMMETED

Many people have directly felt that WLFI is too expensive. The pre-market price of WLFI on Binance soared to $0.55, giving WLFI a fully diluted valuation of $55 billion. This valuation has surpassed TRX and DOGE, and directly ranked WLFI as the 8th largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. Even with the current price falling back to around $0.22, the fully diluted valuation of $22 billion surpasses a number of recently popular tokens like LINK and HYPE.

If the current price is maintained upon launch, early investors (participants in the first and second rounds of the public offering) will realize returns exceeding 14 times. Even if only 20% is unlocked, this is already a substantial return. It is highly likely that WLFI will be “poured” into the market after launch. Based on this analysis, facing the selling pressure from early investors, it is highly unlikely that major funds will actively take over the selling pressure upon WLFI’s launch. WLFI will likely “plummet” in the first wave of launch.

Moreover, the fermentation period of WLFI from its birth last year to its upcoming launch is too long, and the temporary benefits have basically been exhausted. The market may have fully priced WLFI in the pre-market contract. The cost for ordinary investors who did not participate in the public offering will be much greater than that of early investors, and they will not be willing to take over the initially unlocked tokens.

Therefore, many participants in the public offering will choose to hedge through WLFI contracts to secure some profits in advance. According to Coinglass data, as of now, the total WLFI contract holdings on the entire network have reached 1.272 billion, valued at approximately US$279 million. Among them, Binance WLFI contracts hold 698 million WLFI contracts, accounting for 53.77% of the total network, valued at US$150 million.

Many investors also believe that while the WLFI team and institutions haven’t unlocked their tokens, they may have profited through pre-market hedging. This is because, compared to retail investors, project owners and institutions with large volumes and a higher tolerance for error are more capable of hedging through contracts. This isn’t groundless speculation about the Trump family; it’s no secret that they use the crypto industry as a cash-out destination. A previous Financial Times analysis suggested that Trump has profited at least $350 million from TRUMP, including both token sale proceeds and market-making fees.

According to public data, the Trump family has earned $57.35 million from WLFI tokens through token sales alone. If the team and partners don’t initially unlock their tokens, they could potentially profit from pre-market hedging. This also means that after WLFI launches, the team and its market makers may not actively drive up its price for a period of time.

SCENARIO 2: WLFI WILL REPLICATE TRUMP’S INITIAL LAUNCH SCENARIO

However, some believe that pre-market contract prices are merely a reflection of market sentiment and market maker manipulation, unrelated to the project itself. Due to the pre-market overheating, market makers liquidated long positions. Similarly, WLFI could also experience a significant price increase due to a short squeeze in the day or two before its launch. According to Coinglass data, WLFI contracts are currently experiencing a surge in long positions, with $2.1636 million in long positions and $1.045 million in short positions liquidated on Binance in the 24-hour period.

Furthermore, as both are funded by the Trump family, WLFI may follow a similar path to TRUMP upon launch. While WLFI’s current fully diluted valuation has reached tens of billions of dollars, its actual circulating market capitalization is relatively low. WLFI sold a total of 25 billion tokens in its first and second public offerings, but only 5 billion remain in circulation in this initial offering. The unlocking schedule for the remaining public offering tokens is subject to community vote, and tokens held by the founding team, advisors, and partners will not be unlocked upon launch. This means that, based on the current price of $0.22, WLFI’s circulating market capitalization upon launch will be $1.1 billion, a significant undervaluation for a project of its size.

In fact, this is similar to the initial scenario of TRUMP’s launch. The total amount of TRUMP is 1 billion, and its circulation volume at the initial launch is 200 million. This resulted in even though TRUMP’s market value quickly passed 10 billion US dollars on the same day, when players realized TRUMP’s token structure, the market still believed that the token endorsed by President Trump was undervalued.

WLFI also has Trump’s endorsement, and on the day of its official launch, there’s a high probability that Trump will congratulate WLFI on social media or make various “calls” for WLFI. His ambiguous relationship with the president will also create more hype for WLFI. Therefore, the price of WLFI will likely continue to rise when it goes online.

Even if TRUMP’s release drained market liquidity, and the market recognized the Trump family’s true colors and disenchanted celebrity coins, we can still assume that the Trump family is well aware that “pulling the price is the best marketing.” Furthermore, WLFI isn’t just a meme coin; it also operates the USD1 stablecoin. Only by driving up WLFI’s price can crypto financial flows be transformed into substantial ecological drivers.

〈WLFI was cut in half before the market opened. Will it reach its peak when it goes online on September 1, or will it “plummet”?〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。

Trump’s crypto bet nets $57 million amid ethics concerns as financial disclosures reveal token sales from World Liberty Financial, family-controlled ventures, and minimal oversight under pending legislation.

$57 MILLION FROM CRYPTO: TRUMP’S NEW GOLD RUSH

President Donald Trump reported a stunning $57.3 million income from a family-backed crypto project, World Liberty Financial (WLF), making it one of the largest individual crypto earnings ever disclosed by a U.S. president. Filed on June 13, the 234-page Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure detailed Trump’s growing portfolio and revealed how central crypto has become to his post-election financial empire.

The WLF venture launched in September 2024 and is tightly knit within the Trump family. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump manage its operations, while Barron Trump, now 18, is described as the “DeFi visionary.” The leadership also includes Zach Witkoff, son of Trump’s Middle East envoy. According to the document, Trump owns 75% of WLF Holdco LLC via DT Marks Defi LLC, which collected over $57.35 million from token sales.

This income came exclusively from WLFI token sales during the calendar year and does not include 2025 earnings, such as the launch of the Trump-themed memecoin, $TRUMP, or the $MELANIA meme coins, which hit the market just before Trump’s January inauguration.

A FAMILY AFFAIR WITH GLOBAL REACH

WLF’s crypto footprint is expanding fast. It raised a total of $550 million from its two WLFI public sales, involving over 85,000 global investors. The project allocated 63% of its total 100 billion token supply for public distribution. In March 2025, WLF launched a new U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, USD1, supported by treasury bonds and airdropped to WLFI holders earlier this month.

Trump’s active role in these projects coincides with sweeping deregulation efforts under his administration. The GENIUS Act, expected to pass soon in the Senate, would allow banks and private firms to issue stablecoins with little oversight – a development critics argue benefits Trump’s own crypto interests.

Senator Elizabeth Warren labeled it “a superhighway for Donald Trump’s corruption,” echoing broader bipartisan concern about blurred lines between policy and profit.

MIXING POLICY WITH PROFITS

Trump’s disclosure shows he’s aggressively leveraging his political brand. Alongside crypto, his other revenue streams include:

• Mar-a-Lago Club: Over $50 million in income.
• Trump Endeavor 12 LLC (Miami golf resorts): $110 million.
• Royalty and Licensing: $2.8 million from Trump Watches, $2.5 million from sneakers and fragrances, $1.3 million from Greenwood’s “God Bless America” Bible, and $1 million from Trump Guitars.
• NFTs and Digital Collectibles: $1.2 million via NFT INT LLC and at least $1 million held in Ethereum.

He even hosted an exclusive dinner for the 220 biggest $TRUMP coin holders, triggering a 56% price surge. Yet despite the crypto windfall, his golf empire remains the financial cornerstone, consistently generating the highest income year-over-year.

THE SHIFT FROM SKEPTICISM TO ADVOCACY

Ironically, Trump once dismissed Bitcoin as a scam. Today, he positions himself as crypto’s top ally. Under his administration:

• Pro-crypto leadership: Former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins, a known crypto advocate, was reappointed to lead the SEC.
• Federal Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: A new initiative to track and audit government-held bitcoins, especially those seized from criminal cases.
• Public embrace of blockchain: The White House now routinely refers to blockchain innovation as a pillar of financial sovereignty.

Vice President JD Vance, also a crypto enthusiast, disclosed his own Bitcoin holdings (up to $500,000) and praised Trump’s pivot. “Crypto finally has a champion in the White House,” he said.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL SHADOWS

Despite these achievements, Trump’s expanding crypto empire comes with baggage. The disclosure lists eleven major liabilities, including legal judgments related to E. Jean Carroll’s sexual assault and defamation cases, and Trump’s recent 34-count felony conviction. All remain stayed pending appeals.

He also owes over $50 million per loan on multiple properties, including Trump Tower and Doral.

Critics argue that Trump is entangling public policy with personal enrichment. Representative Gerry Connolly called it “open corruption,” while watchdogs say Trump’s legislative moves directly benefit ventures like World Liberty Financial.

CONCLUSION: CRYPTO PRESIDENT OR CONFLICT OF INTEREST?

The 2024 financial disclosures make one thing clear – Trump is no longer just a real estate mogul but a full-fledged crypto capitalist. With $57 million in crypto earnings alone and a much larger digital asset ecosystem forming under his family’s guidance, Trump is blending politics, personality and profit in unprecedented ways.

〈Trump’s Crypto Bet Nets $57 Million Amid Ethics Concerns〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。