Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates national security adviser and brother of the country’s president, holds a 49% stake alongside co-investors in WLTC Holdings, the holding company created by World Liberty Financial to pursue a U.S. bank charter, according to a Thursday report from The Wall Street Journal. The paper said Tahnoon and the other investors took that position through a separate entity, StringZ Holding RSC. The report surfaced less than two weeks after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency gave World Liberty Trust Company, National Association preliminary approval to operate as a national trust bank. In its January application, World Liberty said the entity would manage stablecoin issuance and redemption, on-ramp and off-ramp services, and custody, with BitGo staying on as a partner. The Journal also said this is the second reported 49% position tied to Tahnoon in the Trump family’s crypto business, following an earlier report that a Tahnoon-backed vehicle agreed to buy 49% of World Liberty Financial for $500 million in a deal signed four days before Trump’s January 2025 inauguration. The investment has already drawn attention on Capitol Hill, with five Senate Democrats calling for hearings in June and Representative Ro Khanna opening a House investigation in February.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates national security adviser and brother of the country’s president, holds a 49% stake alongside co-investors in WLTC Holdings, the holding company created by World Liberty Financial to seek a U.S. bank charter, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The Journal said Tahnoon, known for his position at the top of the Emirati intelligence apparatus, took the stake through a separate entity, StringZ Holding RSC, together with the other investors. The paper identified WLTC Holdings as the parent company behind the charter vehicle.
Approval came less than two weeks earlier
The report landed less than two weeks after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted World Liberty Trust Company, National Association preliminary approval to operate as a national trust bank.
When World Liberty applied for the trust charter in January, it said the entity would handle stablecoin issuance, redemption, on-ramp and off-ramp services, and custody. BitGo would remain a partner.
Second reported 49% stake tied to Tahnoon
The Journal said this is the second Tahnoon-linked 49% position reported in the Trump family’s crypto business.
Earlier this year, the paper reported that a Tahnoon-backed vehicle agreed to acquire 49% of World Liberty Financial itself for $500 million. That deal was signed four days before Trump’s January 2025 inauguration.
Congressional scrutiny is already underway
In June, five Senate Democrats demanded hearings over the UAE’s reported investment. Representative Ro Khanna opened a House investigation into the matter in February.
This article was originally published by Bit.Fan. For more cryptocurrency news and market insights, visit www.bit.fan. Disclaimer:
The market information, project data, and third-party content displayed on this platform are for industry information sharing only and do not constitute any form of investment advice or return commitment.
Cryptocurrency trading carries high risks. Users should fully assess their risk tolerance and make independent decisions. All profits, losses, and legal responsibilities are borne by the users themselves.
