Media: a UAE Sheikh’s Company Acquired a 49% Stake in the Trump Family’s WLFI Trust Bank

• Among the shareholders of the holding company behind WLFI’s trust bank is StringZ Holding RSC.
• According to the WSJ, it is linked to Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
• He is an influential politician from the UAE.
• Earlier, media reports said that another company tied to the sheikh had invested $500 million in WLFI.
• This points to closer ties between the Trump family’s project and the UAE’s top leadership, the WSJ noted.

Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan and individuals affiliated with him own a 49% stake in WLTC Holdings LLC, the company that operates the new trust bank of the platform of the same name. This was reported by The World Street Journal, citing its sources.

Who Is This Sheikh and How Is He Connected to World Liberty Financial?

Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the national security adviser of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as the brother of the country’s current president, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He also heads a number of investment companies.

In February 2026, reports emerged that the sheikh and U.S. President Donald Trump’s son Eric reached an agreement shortly before the inauguration. Aryam Investment 1, a company affiliated with the politician, invested $500 million in the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) project.

Of that amount, the Trump family received $187 million. At the same time, the president himself allegedly did not know about the deal. As a result, entities linked to the sheikh gained control of 49% of WLFI.

The deal drew criticism from Democrats. They called for an investigation, because shortly after the investment the UAE received a number of preferences from the U.S., including the ability to import chips.

What Trust Bank Are We Talking About?

In January 2026, WLTC Holdings LLC, the holding company behind the platform of the same name, filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a trust bank license. Such a structure would allow the organization to streamline processes related to the USD1 stablecoin.

In August, the company received preliminary approval to launch a bank — World Liberty Trust Company. The latter is a wholly owned subsidiary of WLTC Holdings LLC. 

At the same time, according to the WSJ, a 49% stake in the holding company is controlled by StringZ Holding RSC. The outlet emphasized that a sheikh and his co-investors are behind it. 

Another 38% in WLTC Holdings LLC belongs to entities linked to the Trump family, the magazine noted, with the rest held by other investors. Meanwhile, according to OCC data, the representative of StringZ Holding RSC is Hamad Khalfan Ali Matar Al Shamsi. 

He is closely connected to the business structures of Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In particular, he serves as vice chairman of Ghitha Holding, which describes itself as a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC). The sheikh himself heads IHC. 

Notably, the WSJ reported that the OCC required three shareholders to sign documents committing to passive participation in the bank’s management. Among them was StringZ Holding RSC. This was allegedly done to avoid close scrutiny from Congress. 

The agency also told the WSJ in response to an inquiry that the application review was conducted under a routine procedure by staff members.

The article does not specify the terms under which StringZ Holding RSC obtained a stake in WLFI’s new venture. This does not mean that companies linked to the sheikh invested in the project twice; rather, the existing shareholder structure was likely simply carried over. 

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