World Liberty Forum opens with 18% WLFI rally as Eric Trump says crypto industry still at ‘one-yard line’
Quick Take
- Apex Group plans to test USD1 stablecoin infrastructure within traditional fund administration, aiming to speed settlement for tokenized assets.
- USD1 has grown into one of the five largest dollar-pegged stablecoins, with circulation surpassing $5 billion.
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World Liberty Financial's WLFI token rose roughly 18% on Wednesday as the Trump family–linked crypto venture kicked off its World Liberty Forum at Mar-a-Lago, unveiling new partnerships and pushing forward plans to expand its stablecoin infrastructure.
Speaking to CNBC’s Sara Eisen on the sidelines of the event, World Liberty co-founder Eric Trump argued the digital asset industry remains in its early stages despite recent market volatility, saying crypto adoption is still at the "one-yard line."
Trump pointed to increasing involvement from major financial institutions, saying firms that previously avoided the sector are now offering crypto exposure to clients and incorporating digital assets into their strategies and services.
The rally followed news that financial services firm Apex Group, which claims to service more than $3.5 trillion in assets, plans to collaborate with World Liberty to pilot the use of its USD1 stablecoin within traditional fund workflows.
USD1 is currently the fifth-largest dollar-pegged stablecoin by market capitalization, with more than $5 billion in circulation according to The Block stablecoin data.
Under the partnership, Apex will test whether USD1 can be used to move money tied to tokenized funds, such as investor subscriptions and redemptions, more quickly than traditional bank rails, potentially reducing settlement delays and operational costs.
Donald Trump Jr., who appeared alongside his brother Eric Trump on CNBC, said stablecoins help remove inefficiencies built into legacy banking systems, allowing transactions to settle almost instantly rather than waiting through banking cutoffs and weekend delays.
"We're just creating efficiencies that didn’t exist before," Trump Jr. said, adding that transactions can settle in seconds rather than taking days through traditional rails.
Conflict of interest concerns
The announcements come as scrutiny surrounding World Liberty Financial and its political ties continues in Washington.
Earlier this month, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to determine whether a reported UAE-linked investment in the company should undergo review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
World Liberty has said neither former President Donald Trump nor other affiliated figures were involved in the foreign investment transaction, while the company continues positioning USD1 as a dollar-backed stablecoin targeting institutional adoption.
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