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Trump Crypto Venture Faces Scrutiny Over 49% Stake Held by UAE Official
World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency venture linked to Donald Trump, is preparing to launch a federally chartered national trust bank after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted preliminary conditional approval earlier this month. An entity linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan and co-investors reportedly holds a 49% stake in the holding company, representing the largest ownership share in the structure.
Abu Dhabi Sheikh Tahnoon and Co-Investors Hold 49% Stake in World Liberty’s New Bank Holding Company
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser, and co-investors hold a 49% stake in WLTC Holdings, the holding company for World Liberty Financial’s… pic.twitter.com/jZWVPbucVi— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) August 27, 2026
The proposed bank is designed to issue, redeem, and safeguard USD1, the dollar-backed stablecoin launched by World Liberty last year. This venture connects World Liberty’s stablecoin operations to a proposed federally chartered trust bank.
The OCC’s action is preliminary and conditional rather than a final banking charter. According to the Wall Street Journal, the approval pertains to World Liberty Financial’s plan to establish a federally chartered national trust bank.
The stated functions of the proposed bank include the issuance, redemption, and safeguarding of USD1. This conditional approval does not constitute a final charter.
Trump Crypto Bank and the 49% Stake
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan and co-investors are behind an entity that owns the largest stake, 49%, in World Liberty’s banking holding company, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to the Journal. The Journal previously reported that Tahnoon backed a $500 million investment in World Liberty Financial last year in exchange for a 49% stake in the company.
This reported holding-company stake places an entity linked to Tahnoon and co-investors within the ownership structure of the proposed bank.

Tahnoon serves as the United Arab Emirates’ national security adviser and is the brother of the country’s president. He oversees a business empire valued at more than $1.3 trillion, funded by his personal fortune and state money, according to the Journal.
An Expanded Business Relationship
The new venture marks an expansion of the business relationship between the Trump-backed cryptocurrency company and a foreign government official, according to the Journal. World Liberty Financial is pursuing a proposed bank whose holding company ownership includes an entity linked to Tahnoon and co-investors.

The OCC’s preliminary conditional approval and the reported ownership structure are central elements of the proposed venture. The bank’s planned role is tied to the issuance, redemption, and safeguarding of USD1.
The approval remains preliminary and conditional. World Liberty Financial’s proposed bank has not yet received a final charter. For now, the proposed bank’s stated role is to issue, redeem, and safeguard USD1.