Here's a twist that might make you do a double take: the Trump family's crypto venture is now cozying up to a Hong Kong platform that sells access to Chinese AI models, the very kind the administration has been eyeing with suspicion.
World Liberty Financial (CRYPTO: WLFI), the crypto project backed by President Donald Trump and his family, is collaborating with WorldClaw, a Hong Kong-based outfit that offers access to 90 AI models. Of those, 43 come from Chinese companies that have drawn scrutiny from the Trump administration over national-security and intellectual-property concerns. Think Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE: BABA), Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), and Z.ai, with DeepSeek and Moonshot also in the mix.
WorldClaw accepts USD1 and other stablecoins for its services, and eligible users can unlock certain plans by locking WLFI tokens. The Trump family, through its stake in World Liberty, generates revenue from the use of these tokens, according to a Reuters report. So, the more people use WorldClaw, the more the Trumps could potentially earn.
But not everyone is thrilled. Seven experts in Chinese technology, trade, and government ethics have voiced concerns about this business partnership and the potential profits for Trump through World Liberty. The optics, they suggest, are a bit awkward given the administration's tough talk on Chinese tech.
David Wachsman, a representative for World Liberty, defended the partnership, arguing that WorldClaw operates independently and that many U.S. companies also utilize AI from Chinese tech companies. A spokesperson for WorldClaw told Reuters that their company "helps American AI companies reach international users" and that "making a model available does not constitute an endorsement of its developer."
WLFI did not immediately respond to MarketDash's request for comments.
