The World Liberty Financial Forum, a high-profile event organized by the Trump family's decentralized finance (DeFi) initiative, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), is set to take place on February 18 at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The exclusive gathering will bring together approximately 300 global leaders, including banking chiefs, crypto industry leaders, regulators, and sports executives, to discuss the future of American innovation and economic influence.
The event features an unprecedented convergence of traditional finance and crypto. Confirmed speakers include Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, whose firm recently disclosed over $2 billion in exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana via ETFs. Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman and New York Stock Exchange President Lynn Martin will also attend, highlighting the growing institutional interest in digital assets. From the regulatory side, Michael Selig, Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), will speak, signaling ongoing dialogue about cryptocurrency oversight at a time when key market-structure legislation, the Clarity Act, remains stalled in Congress.
The forum's agenda centers on five critical themes: the spread of digital assets, the evolution of financial markets, advancements in artificial intelligence, geopolitical risks, and public-private partnerships. WLFI CEO Jack Witkoff has teased a major announcement during the event, which industry observers speculate could involve new regulatory-compliant DeFi products, strategic partnerships, or technological innovations.
The timing of the summit is notable amidst political and market headwinds. While former President Donald Trump's pro-crypto policies initially fueled a market rally in 2025, the crypto industry has since seen approximately $2 trillion wiped out since October. Furthermore, Trump faces political pressure, with House Democrats accusing him of leveraging his office to benefit from family crypto ventures—a claim the White House denies.
Other notable attendees include FIFA President Gianni Infantino, investors like Avenue Capital's Marc Lasry and Starwood Capital's Barry Sternlicht, Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson, and Republican Senators Ashley Moody and Bernie Moreno. The founding team behind WLFI, including Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, is also expected to present.
