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Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan and co-investors have acquired a 49% stake in the holding company for the Trump family’s proposed U.S. crypto bank through a vehicle called StringZ Holding RSC. The bank received preliminary OCC approval earlier this month. The original World Liberty Financial deal, signed four days before Trump’s inauguration, directed $263 million to Trump family entities. Tahnoon-chaired MGX previously used World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin for a $2 billion Binance investment, and the sheikh also chairs AI firm G42, which benefited from eased U.S. export restrictions. The CLARITY Act, which would restrict officials from operating crypto businesses, remains stalled in the Senate with Polymarket traders assigning it a 14% chance of passage this year.
Key Elements
An investment group led by Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan has acquired a 49% stake in the holding company for the Trump family’s proposed U.S. cryptocurrency bank, deepening financial ties between the sitting president’s business empire and one of the Middle East’s most powerful government officials.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Tahnoon and his co-investors are using a separate vehicle called StringZ Holding RSC to hold the minority position in the bank holding company, extending their relationship beyond the original $500 million investment in World Liberty Financial into its proposed banking arm. The bank recently received preliminary regulatory approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
That original World Liberty deal was signed in January 2025, just four days before Trump’s inauguration. The president’s latest financial disclosure shows it ultimately directed $263 million to Trump family entities, according to the Journal.
Tahnoon’s ties to World Liberty extend well beyond equity. In 2025, MGX — an investment firm chaired by the sheikh — used World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin to complete its $2 billion investment in Binance, giving the token a major early use case. USD1 has since grown to roughly $4 billion, with its reserves generating an estimated $150 million a year in interest.
The Binance connection adds another layer of complexity. The crypto exchange paid $4.3 billion in 2023 to settle U.S. anti-money-laundering and other violations, while founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao pleaded guilty and later served prison time. Trump pardoned Zhao later in 2025. Lawyers for Binance and Zhao have said any suggestion that the MGX investment or its use of USD1 was connected to Zhao’s pardon request is without foundation.
Tahnoon also chairs AI firm G42. Last month, the Trump administration eased U.S. export restrictions for the United Arab Emirates, allowing firms including G42 easier access to certain advanced computing equipment, including AI chips and servers. There is no evidence that Tahnoon’s World Liberty investment influenced that decision. A person familiar with the investment told the Journal it was never discussed with Trump, while the White House denies any conflict of interest.
The disclosure lands at a sensitive moment for crypto regulation in Washington. The CLARITY Act, which would restrict government officials from operating their own crypto businesses, has stalled in the Senate amid disagreements over several provisions, including crypto ethics rules. Democrats have pushed for tougher enforcement of those restrictions. Polymarket traders currently give the legislation roughly a 14% chance of becoming law this year, with about $11 million wagered on the outcome.
World Liberty’s bank is moving ahead regardless. The OCC granted preliminary approval earlier this month, though the institution must still satisfy final regulatory conditions before opening.
| Entity | Connection | Details |
|---|---|---|
| World Liberty Financial | Trump family crypto venture | Received $500M from Tahnoon-led investors |
| StringZ Holding RSC | Bank holding company vehicle | 49% owned by Tahnoon group |
| MGX | Tahnoon-chaired investment firm | Used USD1 for $2B Binance investment |
| Binance | Crypto exchange | $4.3B settlement in 2023; founder pardoned |
| G42 | UAE AI firm | Gained export relief under Trump administration |
Note: Figures drawn from Wall Street Journal reporting and public disclosures cited in the original coverage.
The deepening relationship between the Trump family’s crypto ventures and Abu Dhabi’s ruling circle raises questions about the intersection of presidential power and private business interests. While no evidence has emerged of direct quid pro quo arrangements, the timing of regulatory decisions — from export-control relief for G42 to the OCC’s preliminary bank approval — has drawn scrutiny from ethics watchdogs and Democratic lawmakers.
For investors and market participants, the arrangement signals that World Liberty’s banking ambitions have secured significant backing from sovereign-adjacent capital in the Gulf. The stablecoin’s rapid growth to $4 billion and its integration into a major Binance transaction suggest the venture is positioning itself as a serious player in the digital asset infrastructure space, even as its political entanglements complicate the regulatory landscape in Washington.
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Source: finance.biggo.com