On Monday, World Liberty Financial’s $WLFI token began exchange trading, spiking from $0.20 to about $0.40 within minutes before settling near $0.22 by late afternoon. Despite the muted close, an advance agreement tied to a large outside purchase means the Trump family is positioned to receive a substantial payout.
Key Takeaways
- $WLFI opened around $0.20 at 8 a.m., briefly touched ~$0.40, and hovered near $0.22 by 5 p.m.
- About 35,000 early buyers had previously purchased roughly $550 million in tokens; trading was unlocked after a July vote.
- Initial buyers could sell up to 20% of their holdings; major exchanges listing included Binance, Bybit, and OKX.
- The Trump family controls about 22.5 billion $WLFI; partners including the Witkoff family and others each hold multi‑billion token stakes, currently locked.
- Alt5 Sigma planned to deploy up to $1.5 billion to buy $WLFI, securing more than 7.5 billion tokens at $0.20.
- An agreement directs 75% of net token-sale proceeds to a Trump entity (DT Marks DEFI), implying a payment likely in the hundreds of millions.
- Justin Sun, a major holder, said he had no immediate plans to sell, aiming to stabilize trading sentiment.
- Regulatory questions may arise given overlapping leadership roles between World Liberty Financial and Alt5 Sigma.
Verified Facts
World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture launched in October 2024 by members of the Trump family and partners including Zach Witkoff, began exchange-based trading of its $WLFI token on major platforms on Monday. The token was not publicly tradable until organizers lifted restrictions after a July vote.
At 8 a.m., $WLFI opened near $0.20, surged to roughly $0.40 within the first five minutes, and then fell back, trading around $0.22 at 5 p.m. Early participants—about 35,000 buyers who collectively acquired roughly $550 million worth of tokens through the spring—were permitted to sell up to 20% of their allocations.
The Trump family collectively controls about 22.5 billion $WLFI. At Monday’s late-afternoon pricing, that stake translated into an on-paper value of roughly $5 billion. The Witkoff family and other World Liberty Partners investors, including Chase Herro and Zachary Folkman, each hold about 3.75 billion tokens. Management and partner holdings remain locked and cannot be sold yet, according to a company statement.
On the eve of trading, Alt5 Sigma Corporation—now chaired by Zach Witkoff, with Eric Trump on its board and Zachary Folkman as a board observer—disclosed plans to allocate up to $1.5 billion to acquire $WLFI. World Liberty said more than 7.5 billion tokens (about 8% of the 100 billion total supply) were set aside for Alt5 as trading began, with Alt5’s entry price at $0.20. In total, 24.7 billion tokens were made available for exchange trading, while the remainder stayed locked.
Under a revenue-sharing arrangement for Donald J. Trump’s endorsement and family involvement, World Liberty agreed to pay a Trump entity, DT Marks DEFI, 75% of net token-sale proceeds after agreed reserves and expenses. The exact deductions remain undisclosed, but the allocation suggests a payout likely in the hundreds of millions.
Context & Impact
Because a large, prearranged buyer entered at the listing price, the Trump family’s compensation is tethered more to structured flows from token sales than to day-one secondary-market performance. That setup softens the financial impact of a volatile debut and underscores how tokenomics and distribution deals can shape outcomes for insiders.
The overlapping leadership between World Liberty Financial and Alt5 Sigma is atypical and could attract regulatory scrutiny, particularly around conflicts of interest and fair disclosure. The Securities and Exchange Commission, now led by a crypto-friendly securities lawyer appointed this year by President Trump, has broad oversight of market integrity; trade press has reported possible attention to the ties, which Alt5 has disputed.
Promotional activity continued overseas: Eric Trump appeared at crypto-related events in Hong Kong and Japan to boost the venture’s profile. Meanwhile, the President did not publicly comment on the launch; according to one White House reporter’s tally, Monday marked his 66th visit to a golf property since returning to office in January.
By the Numbers
| Metric | Figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Total supply | 100 billion $WLFI | Protocol supply |
| Unlocked for trading | 24.7 billion | At launch |
| Alt5 allocation | 7.5+ billion | Purchased at $0.20 |
| Trump family holdings | ~22.5 billion | Locked |
| Early buyers | ~35,000 | ~$550M cumulative |
| Day-one price range | $0.20–$0.40 | Near $0.22 at 5 p.m. |
Official Statements
World Liberty said it reserved more than 7.5 billion tokens for Alt5 as trading began, and confirmed that most founder and partner allocations remain locked.
World Liberty Financial statement
We’re not selling our tokens in the immediate term.
Justin Sun, $WLFI holder (announcement on launch day)
It’s a major milestone—$WLFI is designed to be the governance core of the ecosystem.
Donald Trump Jr., social media post
Unconfirmed
- The precise amount of “reserves, expenses and other amounts” deducted before calculating payments to DT Marks DEFI.
- Whether U.S. securities regulators have opened any formal inquiry into World Liberty–Alt5 ties; Alt5 has disputed reports of such reviews.
- The current procedural status and scope of past securities investigations involving Justin Sun.
Bottom Line
$WLFI’s public debut was choppy, but a sizable, prearranged purchase—combined with a revenue-sharing agreement—positions the Trump family for a large payday independent of day-one price swings. The deal structure, overlapping leadership roles, and scale of insider holdings will likely keep regulatory and market attention focused on how this ecosystem evolves.