The family business · Second term · № 47
Abu Dhabi state-backed fund MGX uses Trump family firm's stablecoin for $2 billion Binance investment
“We thank MGX and Binance for their trust in us” Zach Witkoff, World Liberty Financial co-founder
- Date
- , Token2049 conference, Dubai
- Subject
- United Arab Emirates
- Benefit
- Crypto
- Government
- United Arab Emirates
- Beneficiary
- World Liberty Financial (Trump family crypto venture)
- Amount
- $2 billion
- Topic
- Ethics & conflicts
- Era
- Second term
What happened
On May 1, 2025, World Liberty Financial co-founder Zach Witkoff, speaking on a panel with Eric Trump at the Token2049 conference in Dubai, said that MGX would use World Liberty's USD1 stablecoin to settle its $2 billion investment in the crypto exchange Binance. MGX is a state-backed Abu Dhabi fund chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's national security adviser. Forbes reported that stablecoin issuers typically earn the interest on the reserves backing their coin and that an LLC affiliated with Trump and family members owns about 38% of World Liberty. MGX told Forbes in October 2025 that it held no USD1, paid no fees to World Liberty and had not invested in the company. Senators Jeff Merkley and Elizabeth Warren asked the Office of Government Ethics to examine the deal, and Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic resolution invoking the foreign emoluments clause. In May 2025 the United States agreed to let the UAE buy hundreds of thousands of advanced Nvidia AI chips, according to CNBC. Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao in October 2025; lawyers for Binance and Zhao have said any suggestion that MGX's use of USD1 was connected to the pardon request is without foundation.
Sources
- Trump-Tied Stablecoin Used for MGX's $2 Billion Binance Deal (3)
- World Liberty's Stablecoin Will Be Used to Close MGX's $2B Binance Investment: Eric Trump
- MGX Says $2 Billion Binance Investment Used USD1 Because Of 'Compliance History'—But The Trump-Linked Stablecoin Was Brand New
- Inside Trump's Decades-Long Relationship With The United Arab Emirates
- Luxury skyscrapers, golf courses and cryptocurrency: Trump's rapidly expanding Middle East business
- United Arab Emirates' 'Spy Sheikh' bought secret stake in Trump crypto company: WSJ
- Trump Family's New Crypto Bank Is 49% Owned by Group Behind $500 Million World Liberty Bet: WSJ
- United Arab Emirates: Freedom in the World 2025 Country Report