The Scandal Around Trump's DeFi Project: Web3port Behind the Mask of Aqua 1
The Mysterious Investor and Its Connection to Web3port
In June 2025, it became known that Aqua 1 Foundation, registered in the UAE, invested $100 million in purchasing tokens of World Liberty Financial (WLFI) — a DeFi platform associated with Donald Trump's family. However, investigations showed that Aqua 1 is not an independent player but represents a renamed structure created by the founders of Web3port — a market maker excluded in 2023 from leading decentralized exchanges for market manipulation. This connection has raised serious questions about the transparency and legality of the funding.
Web3port: A Questionable Reputation and Opaque Operations
Web3port, formerly known for its manipulations in cryptocurrency markets, came under the spotlight after it was discovered that $100 million directed to WLFI passed through opaque wallets and offshore structures related to this company. In 2023, Web3port was excluded from leading decentralized exchanges (DEX) for actions undermining market trust. The presumed founder of Aqua 1, known as "Dave Lee," lacks a verified biography and operates under an anonymous anime avatar on social media, furthering suspicions of illegitimacy. Regulatory documents do not contain information about Aqua 1's registration in the UAE, and Abu Dhabi's financial authorities stated that the company has no connection with them.
Financial Flows and Ethical Questions
The funds transferred to World Liberty Financial constitute the majority of Aqua 1's assets, which are reportedly valued at $100 million. This suggests that the investment in Trump's project may have been Aqua 1's sole purpose. The Trump family, owning about 60% of WLFI and receiving 75% of token sale revenue, directly benefited from this deal, earning tens of millions of dollars. The lack of transparency in the origin of funds and the identity of investors raises concerns about potential unregistered lobbying and political influence, especially amid tightening cryptocurrency regulation in the USA.
Public Reaction and Prospects
The exposure of Aqua 1's connection to Web3port sparked widespread reaction in the crypto community and beyond. Experts, including former White House lawyer Richard Painter, note that such opacity undermines trust in public institutions and raises national security questions. On social media platforms like X, users actively discuss that the deal might be part of a broader funding scheme associated with foreign influence. The story is expected to continue as investigations proceed, and regulators may tighten control over such deals.
Conclusion
The scandal around the investment of Aqua 1 in World Liberty Financial highlights the risks associated with opacity in the cryptocurrency industry. The connection to Web3port and the lack of verifiable information about Aqua 1 cast doubt on the legitimacy of the deal and raise questions about the ethics of funding projects related to political figures. In the context of tightening regulation of the crypto market, such incidents may accelerate the introduction of stricter standards to protect investors and ensure transparency.