Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, an influential member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, is backing the largest shareholder in the parent company of World Liberty Financial’s proposed US trust bank, according to people familiar with the matter.
Major Stakeholders and Ownership Structure
Sources cited by the Wall Street Journal stated that Sheikh Tahnoon and his co-investors are behind StringZ Holding RSC, which owns a 49% stake in WLTC Holdings. An entity linked to US President Donald Trump’s family holds another significant portion, reportedly controlling 38% of the company. The specific breakdown of these stakes has not been formally disclosed in public regulatory filings.
The planned trust bank, if approved, would manage the issuance, redemption, and custody of the World Liberty USD1 stablecoin under federal oversight, forming a bridge between regulated banking and digital assets. Bringing these activities under a federally chartered institution could mark a milestone for the US digital asset sector and facilitate institutional engagement.
Regulatory Process and Conditions
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) granted preliminary conditional approval to World Liberty Trust Company on August 14. The OCC’s decision, released to the public, confirms StringZ as an investor in WLTC Holdings and cites signed commitments from StringZ not to influence the bank’s operations.
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AAPLHowever, the OCC’s documentation does not specifically identify Sheikh Tahnoon as StringZ’s backer or provide details regarding the ownership stakes of individual shareholders. The trust bank must still fulfill all pre-opening conditions required by the OCC before receiving final approval to commence operations.
Background and Global Context
Sheikh Tahnoon serves as the United Arab Emirates’ national security adviser and chairs the artificial intelligence company G42. In November 2025, US authorities authorized the export of advanced AI chips to G42, building on a broader bilateral cooperation framework between Washington and Abu Dhabi in artificial intelligence.
Previously, Sheikh Tahnoon led a $500 million investment to acquire 49% of World Liberty Financial. That transaction attracted scrutiny from Democratic senators, who called for congressional hearings to examine the potential implications for US policy toward the UAE.
These developments reflect a broader global trend in finance, with major institutions increasingly leveraging new technologies for both regulatory compliance and efficiency gains. While traditional markets rely on complex brokers, a significant shift is underway as Wall Street is migrating to Web3. Investors now use platforms such as 1stepSwap to hold shares of top US companies, gold, and silver directly in their crypto wallets. By tokenizing real-world assets and automatically sourcing optimal pricing, these platforms eliminate intermediaries and provide greater market access.
The Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment on the family’s reported involvement in WLTC Holdings prior to publication.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has granted World Liberty Trust Company preliminary conditional approval, confirming StringZ as an investor but not disclosing Sheikh Tahnoon’s direct involvement in regulatory filings.
In a related development, Public Citizen has reported that President Trump’s crypto-related ventures have cost investors $4.7 billion, intensifying scrutiny on digital asset projects linked to political figures.
