Trump-backed World Liberty to fund UFC Freedom 250 fighter bonuses in USD1 stablecoin

WASHINGTON, DC: A Trump family-backed crypto venture is set to pay part of UFC Freedom 250’s record-breaking fighter bonuses in USD1 stablecoin during the White House event on Sunday, June 14. 

The move is drawing renewed scrutiny for conflicts of interest. It also comes as UFC prepares to hand out an unprecedented $1.65 million in bonuses across four fighters. 

World Liberty Financial to fund part of UFC bonus pool

World Liberty Financial, the decentralized finance project backed by President Donald Trump and his sons, will serve as the presenting partner for UFC Freedom 250’s Performance of the Night award.

Announcing the partnership at the Lincoln Memorial, UFC President and CEO Dana White said World Liberty would contribute $250,000 in USD1, the company’s dollar-pegged stablecoin, to the bonus program.

“We’re proud to celebrate a historic night for UFC and the United States,” World Liberty co-founder and CEO Zach Witkoff said in a statement. 

“A victory in Washington should mean money in your pocket immediately, not when the bank opens,” Witkoff added. “USD1 makes US dollars more accessible and faster than ever before.”

The contribution is only one part of a much larger bonus structure. Crypto.com and Ram Trucks are the event’s official presenting sponsors, while World Liberty’s role is limited to presenting partner for the Performance of the Night award.

Two Fight of the Night winners are scheduled to receive $400,000 each, while two Performance of the Night winners will receive $425,000 each. The payouts bring total fight-night bonuses to a record $1.65 million, the largest bonus package in UFC history.

Conflict concerns arise over Trump's ties to World Liberty

The sponsorship has also revived questions about World Liberty’s ties to the president.

The event is being held on the South Lawn of the White House, and World Liberty is a company in which Trump and his family maintain substantial financial interests.

President Donald Trump speaks during a proclamation signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on June 11, 2026, in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

According to the company’s disclosures, 75% of WLFI token sale proceeds flow to DT Marks DEFI LLC, a Trump-controlled entity.

A Reuters investigation published this month estimated that the Trump family earned at least $2.3 billion in profit from its four major crypto ventures since the start of Trump’s second term, with World Liberty representing the largest share. The report also said more than a million outside investors recorded collective net losses of roughly the same amount.

The White House has maintained that Trump’s assets are held in a trust managed by his children and has said no conflict of interest exists.

USD1 expansion draws Washington scrutiny

USD1 has become a central focus of political and regulatory attention as World Liberty expands its operations.

“An entity tied to UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan acquired a reported 49% stake in World Liberty shortly before Trump’s inauguration. A separate Tahnoon-led firm, MGX, later used USD1 to settle a $2 billion investment in Binance. Those arrangements prompted a House probe examining potential conflicts of interest and national security concerns,” according to a report by The Block.

It said that World Liberty is seeking to bring USD1 under federal supervision. In January, affiliated entity World Liberty Trust Company filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish a national trust bank dedicated to stablecoin issuance, custody, and conversion.

That effort remains under review as lawmakers continue debating how to address the president’s financial ties to World Liberty in pending crypto legislation.