Trump Family’s $5 Billion Windfall from WLFI Token Launch Raises Eyebrows

World Liberty Financial's WLFI governance token became transferable this week, creating a paper windfall of $5 billion for the TRUMP family through their DT Marks DEFI LLC. The arrangement grants 75% of token sale proceeds to the Trump entity—an unprecedented profit-sharing model that blurs lines between licensing and equity distribution.

The 22.5 billion restricted WLFI tokens awarded to the Trumps cannot be sold, functioning instead as a revenue-sharing mechanism. This structure resembles a high-value licensing deal rather than traditional crypto governance, with Trump boasting "you make tremendous amounts of cash" without risk.

Market observers note the arrangement WOULD be akin to Apple's founders pocketing 75% of IPO proceeds. WLFI's lack of claim on underlying assets further distinguishes it from conventional equity tokens, positioning it as a pure revenue-sharing vehicle in DeFi's gray regulatory space.