The digital token backing the Trump family’s new cryptocurrency venture generated a paper windfall estimated at $5 billion after its trading debut on Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported.
WLFI, the token tied to the World Liberty Financial venture, was initially non-transferable, but since Monday, it can be bought and sold on the market like a stock. World Liberty said founders’ tokens remain “locked,” meaning they cannot yet be sold, but the launch of public trading gives the holdings a market value and likely makes WLFI the family’s most valuable asset.
The move marks a sharp reversal for US President Donald Trump, once a vocal crypto skeptic who dismissed Bitcoin as “a scam.” Now, government ethics experts and Democratic lawmakers are criticizing the family’s venture, citing potential conflicts of interest stemming from the Trumps’ regulatory influence and possible insider transactions.