Nikolas Sargeant
World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a decentralized finance (DeFi) project backed by the Trump family, has raised $550 million through two public token sales. The project, which launched in September 2024, aims to revolutionize DeFi by promoting stablecoins pegged to the US dollar. Endorsed by President Donald Trump and his sons Eric, Donald Jr., and Barron, WLFI has garnered attention as a financial innovation step away from traditional banking systems.
The company’s first token sale, held in October 2024, raised $300 million, selling 20 billion WLFI tokens at $0.015 each. Due to massive demand, WLFI launched a second sale on January 20, 2025, selling 5 billion tokens at $0.05 each, a 230% increase from the initial price. This second round met its target, raising $250 million and bringing the total funds raised to $550 million, with WLFI now having sold 25% of its total token supply.
Beyond the public sales, WLFI attracted investments from high-profile figures in the crypto space, including Tron Founder Justin Sun, who invested $30 million in November 2024. The company also secured a $10 million investment from Web3Port in January 2025, and a strategic partnership with Oddiyana Ventures in February 2025. Despite the influx of funds, WLFI faces scrutiny over its business model and high fees, with critics accusing the project of being a "pay-to-play" scheme rather than offering true DeFi innovation.
While WLFI’s massive fundraising success positions it as a major player in the DeFi sector, its legitimacy has been questioned by some in the crypto community. With concerns about its utility and value proposition, WLFI remains a controversial figure despite its impressive financial backing. The company has not addressed these criticisms publicly, leaving the future of the project and its role in the DeFi space uncertain.
