Trump-allied WLFI advances toward stock exchange launch with vote on tradeability
World Liberty Financial, the decentralised finance firm launched by the Trump family in 2024, has initiated a community vote to decide the future of its WLFI token. The vote, which began on July 4, 2025, coinciding with Independence Day, will determine whether the token becomes transferable or remains non-transferable [1][3].
If the vote passes, the WLFI token will be unlocked for trading on peer-to-peer and secondary markets for the first time. This move is a significant step towards decentralising the project's governance and opening it up to a wider base of token holders [1][3].
The current status of the vote and the potential impacts are as follows:
| Aspect | Current Status/Impact | |--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Vote Status | Ongoing as of July 6, 2025; community voting "YES" or "NO" | | Token Tradability | Proposed to enable peer-to-peer and secondary market trading if approved | | Insider Token Lock-ups | Trump family and insiders (~60%) remain locked for extended periods | | Early Supporters | Partial token unlock planned upon tradability approval | | Governance | Expanded to community voting on emissions, incentives, treasury after approval | | Decentralization Impact | Increases community ownership and participation, reducing founder control |
The proposal to make WLFI tradable is aimed at addressing common concerns about token launches, where insiders can immediately liquidate their holdings. In this case, Trump and his affiliates hold a 60% stake in WLFI, but they will remain subject to extended lock-up periods to prevent immediate sell-offs [1][2].
Early supporters who purchased WLFI tokens will gain partial liquidity upon tradability launch, with the remaining tokens subject to community-determined release schedules [1][2]. This move is designed to grant partial liquidity to early supporters and launch a broader system of token-based governance.
If approved, the WLFI token will execute transferability, distribute tokens to eligible early supporters, and initiate community governance. Token holders will gain voting rights on important protocol decisions such as token emissions, ecosystem incentives, and treasury management, enhancing community participation and aligning long-term incentives with project growth [1][2][3].
The phased approach for token unlocks, including a second community vote to determine release schedules for remaining tokens, is intended to address concerns around insider dumping and ensure a stable transition toward decentralisation.
This transition towards greater decentralisation is a defining moment for World Liberty Financial. Aside from the WLFI project, Trump has also generated significant revenue from other crypto-related ventures. For instance, he has received over $11 million in royalty payments from various products, including Trump sneakers, fragrances, and NFT licensing. Moreover, Trump's meme coin, '$TRUMP', has generated up to $315 million since its launch in January [1].
In addition, a Trump-themed metaverse is currently under development. The success of these projects underscores the potential for Trump's crypto endeavours and the importance of this vote for the decentralisation of World Liberty Financial.
Sources: [1] CoinDesk (2025). World Liberty Financial Proposes WLFI Token Trading After Four Years. [online] Available at: https://www.coindesk.com/world-liberty-financial-proposes-wlfi-token-trading-after-four-years [2] Decrypt (2025). Trump's World Liberty Financial Faces Decentralisation Stress Test. [online] Available at: https://decrypt.co/resources/trumps-world-liberty-financial-faces-decentralisation-stress-test [3] Forbes (2025). World Liberty Financial's WLFI Token Vote: A Steps Toward Decentralisation and Market Openness. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2025/07/06/world-liberty-financials-wlfi-token-vote-a-steps-toward-decentralisation-and-market-openness/?sh=775464a6626c
- The ongoing community vote on World Liberty Financial's (WLFI) token is deciding whether it becomes transferable or remains non-transferable, with the vote started on July 4, 2025.
- If approved, the WLFI token will be unlocked for trading on peer-to-peer and secondary markets for the first time, marking a significant move towards decentralising the project's governance.
- Trump family and insiders, who hold approximately 60% of WLFI, will remain subject to extended lock-up periods to prevent immediate sell-offs, addressing concerns about token launches.
- Early supporters who purchased WLFI tokens will gain partial liquidity upon tradability launch, with the remaining tokens subject to community-determined release schedules.
- Token holders, if the vote passes, will gain voting rights on important protocol decisions such as token emissions, ecosystem incentives, and treasury management, enhancing community participation and aligning long-term incentives with project growth.
- A phased approach for token unlocks, including a second community vote to determine release schedules for remaining tokens, is designed to address concerns around insider dumping and ensure a stable transition towards decentralisation.
- The success of Trump's crypto-related ventures, including the potential Trumph-themed metaverse, underscores the potential for his crypto endeavours and the importance of this vote for the decentralisation of World Liberty Financial.
