Bobby Zhou's Mysterious Rise to Crypto Prominence Raises Red Flags

Guren 'Bobby' Zhou, a businessman linked to President Trump's cryptocurrency venture, has raised eyebrows over his past and sudden wealth. According to The New York Times, Zhou became one of the biggest buyers of World Liberty tokens after leaving Britain for the United Arab Emirates in 2024.

Zhou's history is marked by failed businesses, including a hardwood flooring company that owed about $5 million to his father's firm in Britain. He later entered cryptocurrency and helped launch Caduceus, a project promoting technology for virtual worlds. However, its token plummeted from $2.24 in July 2022 to 22 cents within weeks.

After moving to Abu Dhabi, Zhou established companies including Web3Port, a venture fund for crypto start-ups. In January 2025, Web3Port announced a $10 million investment in World Liberty and said it planned further investments. Months later, Aqua 1 announced plans to buy $100 million in World Liberty tokens.

The deal has raised questions about the buyers behind President Trump's cryptocurrency venture and how closely their backgrounds were examined. As much as $75 million from Zhou's purchases was distributed to a company controlled by Trump and his three sons.