Aryam Investment 1 buys 49% of World Liberty Financial
- Status
- Reported; not previously disclosed
- Type
- Equity sale · Jan 16, 2025
- Counterparty
- Aryam Investment 1, an Abu Dhabi entity backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE national security adviser
- Amount
- $500 million
- People
- Donald Trump · Eric Trump
WHO PAID, WHO GOT WHAT
Signed by Eric Trump four days before the inauguration and not disclosed until The Wall Street Journal reported it on January 31, 2026. Half was paid up front, sending about $187 million to Trump-family-controlled entities and tens of millions more to co-founders including relatives of envoy Steve Witkoff.
WHAT THE RECORD SHOWS
Executives of G42 helped manage the vehicle and took World Liberty board seats. Within months the administration committed to granting the UAE access to hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips a year.
Fortune, citing the president’s disclosure, reported nearly $263 million net to Trump from the sale.
RESPONSE
World Liberty said the deal had “no connection” to chips policy. The White House says there are no conflicts of interest and that Trump has no involvement in family business deals.
Correction. An earlier version said The Wall Street Journal reported the stake in February 2026. It reported it on January 31, 2026. Corrected September 18, 2026.
SOURCES
- CNBC: UAE ‘Spy Sheikh’ bought secret stake in Trump crypto company: WSJ ↗
- The Block: UAE Sheikh secretly acquired 49% of Trump’s World Liberty Financial days before inauguration: WSJ ↗
- Cointelegraph: UAE-backed investor took 49% stake in Trump-linked crypto firm for $500M ↗
- Fortune: Inside Trump’s $1.4 billion crypto empire ↗
- PBS NewsHour (Associated Press): How the Trump family’s business deals could open the door for future presidents to profit from office ↗
- The Wall Street Journal (Wayback Machine capture): ‘Spy Sheikh’ Bought Secret Stake in Trump Company ↗
A connection recorded here is not proof that it bought the outcome. Where a response exists, it is part of the record. How entries are labeled · Submit a correction or response · Download the ledger
