UAE-Backed Investor Acquired 49% of Trump-Linked Crypto Firm for $500M Before Inauguration, Reports Say

An Abu Dhabi investment vehicle, Aryam Investment 1, agreed to buy roughly 49% of World Liberty Financial for about $500 million in a deal signed in January 2025, days before President Trump’s inauguration, according to reporting that cited documents and people familiar with the transaction ^[1][2].

The buyer is reported to be linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the transaction was not widely disclosed until reporting by The Wall Street Journal and other outlets revealed its timing and structure ^[1][2][3].

Reports say Aryam paid roughly half the agreed sum up front and that substantial portions of the funds flowed to entities controlled by Trump family members and company co‑founders; coverage of the deal has prompted questions in Washington about foreign money, access and transparency in the project ^[2][3][5][6].

The transaction’s disclosure in early February 2026 followed investigative reporting that tied Abu Dhabi-linked capital to the Trump-associated crypto project, while noting the deal’s potential implications for governance and influence ^[1][6].