World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a decentralized finance (DeFi) initiative supported by the Trump family, has made headlines after successfully concluding its second public token sale, raising a significant $250 million from eager investors. Launched on September 16, 2024, WLFI aims to promote DeFi solutions and stablecoins aligned with the US dollar, positioning itself as a viable alternative to traditional banking practices.
The project’s backing by notable figures such as President Donald Trump and his sons—Eric, Donald Jr., and Barron—emphasizes its vision of financial innovation. To date, WLFI has raised approximately $550 million by selling 25% of the total supply of its crypto asset, reportedly attracting considerable interest from both institutional and individual investors.
The initial token sale on October 15, 2024, garnered around $300 million, selling 20 billion WLFI tokens at a price of $0.015 each. Following this success, WLFI announced another round of token sales due to overwhelming demand, offering an additional 5 billion tokens at $0.05—reflecting a substantial 230% increase from the prior sale. This sale reached its target of $250 million by March 14.
Substantial Investments Fuel Continued Growth
WLFI’s impressive fundraising efforts continued even prior to its public token sales. Notably, on November 25, 2024, Tron Founder Justin Sun invested $30 million into WLFI, receiving 2 billion tokens priced at $0.015 each. Additionally, investment platform Web3Port announced a $10 million investment on January 27, further solidifying the project’s financial backing. On February 11, venture capital firm Oddiyana Ventures also disclosed a strategic investment in WLFI, although the specific amount was not made public.
Amid Success, Community Concerns Emerge
Despite the impressive financial figures, some members of the cryptocurrency community have raised eyebrows over the legitimacy and the business model of WLFI. Critics are questioning whether the project genuinely contributes to innovation in the DeFi space or if it represents a mere cash grab amidst the crypto boom.
Mike Dudas, managing partner at 6MV, expressed skepticism in a social media post, labeling the project as a “pay-to-play” scheme rather than a true DeFi gateway capable of onboarding new users into the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Similarly, Andre Cronje, creator of Yearn.finance and co-founder of Sonic Labs, critiqued the company’s approach, citing high fees and questionable reinvestment strategies as major concerns. Both individuals have indicated that WLFI may be capitalizing on existing crypto firms without delivering substantial value in return.
As of now, WLFI has not publicly addressed the emerging criticisms, leaving the community to grapple with questions concerning the project’s intentions and future viability.
With the rapid evolution of the cryptocurrency landscape, stakeholders will undoubtedly be watching WLFI’s next moves and the responses to ongoing community scrutiny with great interest.
