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- Trump-backed USD1 gained massive visibility through record UFC bonus payouts.
- World Liberty Financial used UFC event to showcase USD1 widely.
- Congressional scrutiny continues as USD1 adoption efforts gain momentum.
One of the largest and most public endorsements of the USD1 stablecoin backed by Trump was UFC Freedom 250, where the officials were paid in the crypto. World Liberty Financial is fortunate to have such an excellent opportunity to introduce the stablecoin to a wider audience than the cryptocurrency industry. The event took place at the White House South Lawn, on the eve of the U.S. President Donald Trump’s birthday, June 14. World Liberty Financial is the presenting sponsor for the USD1 bonus to the Performance of the Night and gave USD100,000 for the USD1 bonus to the new one in which each of the winners got $425,000 per person.
Crypto.com also was a part of it, sponsoring the Fight of the Night awards. At one time, there were bonuses as high as $400,000 per winner. This resulted in nearly $1.65 million being spent on fighters – the largest amount that’s ever been spent on fighters in one UFC event. It is crucial that USD1 was a key theme of the event, and that this is reflected in the incentive system. Moreover, the stablecoin was released in the UFC stadium and marketed by the millions of UFC fans on TV.
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USD1 Promotion Extends Beyond Crypto Audiences
World Liberty Financial had just announced their sponsorship, just prior to the event. Later in the day, the stablecoin made the headlines for the UFC by announcing the UFC’s new Performance of the Night’s winner will receive their prize in USD1. Economically, it’s paying fighters in USD1 versus dollars, says Todd Phillips, crypto policy expert at Klaros Group.
However, if the stablecoin payment is announced publicly, it is a sort of advertisement, that links the token to the UFC brand and the White House. The company started with a launch of USD1 in March 2025 and became widespread in a short period of time. The stablecoin’s market cap is now in excess of $5 billion. With that, it also has a few well-known blockchain networks to connect with and extend its reach, such as: Ethereum, BNB Chain, TRON, and Solana.
Foreign Ownership Questions Remain Under Review
USD1 has gained notoriety due to the UFC bout, and the investigation of ownership of World Liberty Financial and the company’s overseas connections continues. The UAE company, which is reportedly owned by a United Arab Emirates conglomerate and is headed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, bought 49 percent of the firm in a $500 million deal.
Another company that is connected to Tahnoon paid USD1 to resolve a $2 billion investment deal with Binance. This led to an investigation by Congress for any conflicts of interest and national security issues. The review should highlight the part of a foreign-state official in a crypto enterprise that was founded by a U.S. president.
Crypto Business Adds to Trump Family Wealth
World Liberty Financial was founded in 2024 by Trump, his sons and family members of Steve Witkoff. The financial disclosures state the investment that Trump has made in the company is valued at over $50 million. In recent reports, too, the Trump family’s crypto business has been reported to have led to significant paper profits. In addition, World Liberty Financial has turned into among the top assets to the family’s fortune.
The conflicts-of-interest issues were swept aside by White House spokesman Davis Ingle, who stated that Trump’s assets are kept in a trust under his children’s control. But UFC Liberty 250 failed to get the ‘World Liberty Financial’ name from the political/regulatory landscape in its USD1 listing.
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