Rapper Nicki Minaj is set to speak at the World Liberty Forum 2026, a high-profile crypto event organized by the Trump family's venture, World Liberty Financial (WLFI). The invitation-only gathering will take place on February 18th at the Trump family's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, and is expected to draw 300-400 executives, investors, policymakers, and tech leaders.
Confirmed attendees include leadership from major financial and crypto institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Nasdaq, Coinbase, Franklin Templeton, and BitGo, as well as FIFA President Gianni Infantino and celebrity investor Kevin O'Leary. President Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, are co-founders of WLFI and will be in attendance.
The event aims to define "the next century of American innovation, leadership, and economic influence," according to Donald Trump Jr. It represents the latest initiative from WLFI, which was founded in 2024 and positions itself as a decentralized finance platform and stablecoin issuer. The company has announced plans for a foreign exchange and remittance platform, created a digital asset treasury, and applied for a US federal banking license.
A central product of WLFI is the USD1 stablecoin, a dollar-pegged asset backed by US Treasuries and cash equivalents. Since its launch, USD1 has grown to become the fifth-largest stablecoin by circulation, with $5 billion in circulation. Notably, Binance custodies 92% of the USD1 supply and has run promotional programs offering up to 20% yield on holdings.
However, the forum occurs under a cloud of political and regulatory scrutiny. Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim have formally requested a Treasury Department probe into a reported $500 million equity investment in WLFI linked to the United Arab Emirates. The senators have asked the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to assess national security risks related to a 49% stake sale to UAE's Aryam Investment, an entity backed by UAE National Security Advisor Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has until March 5th to respond.
Further controversy surrounds the WLFI token, which has disappointed investors. Fans who invested $550 million into the token have found themselves unable to sell it, and its price has fallen 69% below its peak. WLFI has released only 20% of the tokens and has yet to hold a promised vote among holders on releasing the remainder.
The Trump family's broader crypto ventures have faced criticism, including memecoins officially linked to the president and First Lady Melania Trump, which are down 95% and 99% from their all-time highs. Critics, including former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, have labeled such projects "bad for the industry."
The event's backdrop includes a significant crypto market downturn, with the total market capitalization losing roughly $2 trillion (about half its value) since Bitcoin's record high of over $126,000 in October 2025. This decline has occurred alongside stalled crypto-friendly legislation, leading some in the crypto community to express disappointment with the Trump administration's results despite initial pro-crypto campaign promises and executive orders.
