Trump's Cryptocurrency Project WLFI Embroiled in Controversy Over $100 Million Investment

US President Donald Trump's cryptocurrency project, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), is once again at the center of controversy. This time, WLFI is under scrutiny due to a $100 million investment from the Aqua 1 Foundation, one of its largest investors.

The true investor behind Aqua 1 remained secret for a long time after announcing its significant investment in WLFI in June 2025. Recent investigations have revealed that Chinese businessman Zhou Guren controls Aqua 1, although he is not listed as an executive of the company.

Zhou's background has raised questions about the source of funding for the $100 million investment. According to Caixin, a China-based financial institution, Zhou is listed as an unreliable debtor in Chinese enforcement records. His name appears on a publicly available 'debtor list' maintained by Chinese courts, with tens of millions of yuan in debt across six separate cases.

The report also mentions another notable aspect of Zhou's past: a money laundering investigation in the UK. A document provided by the UK Royal Crown Prosecution Service links Zhou to the investigation, although he has not yet been convicted on this matter.