Concerns about potential geopolitical and moral ramifications are being raised by a contentious cryptocurrency deal between the newly established Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) and World Liberty Financial (WLF), a company supported by the Trump family. Days after the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, the deal’s timing has sparked conjecture in Washington and New Delhi regarding whether the former president’s diplomatic aspirations are being influenced by the Trump family’s financial interests.
Trump-Linked Firm Strikes Deal with Pakistan
Concerns about potential geopolitical and moral ramifications are being raised by a contentious cryptocurrency deal between the newly established Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) and World Liberty Financial (WLF), a company supported by the Trump family. Days after the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, the deal’s timing has sparked conjecture in Washington and New Delhi regarding whether the former president’s diplomatic aspirations are being influenced by the Trump family’s financial interests.
The agreement was signed at a high-profile ceremony hosted by Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance, just days after a deadly terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. India responded with military strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Soon after, former President Donald Trump publicly offered to mediate between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, raising questions about whether business dealings were influencing his foreign policy posture.
High-Level Involvement Raises Eyebrows
The WLF deal has drawn further attention due to the involvement of Trump family members and longtime associates. Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., both high-ranking Trump Organization executives, have actively promoted WLF’s global expansion. Kushner, who served as a senior advisor during Trump’s presidency, adds a layer of international diplomatic clout to the venture.
WLF’s co-chair Zachary Witkoff, son of real estate developer and Trump confidant Steve Witkoff, led the delegation in Islamabad. The presence of Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir at the signing ceremony underscored the significance of the partnership, hinting at deeper ties between the Trump-linked crypto firm and Pakistan’s strategic apparatus.
Adding to the intrigue, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, was appointed an advisor to the PCC in March 2025, shortly after completing a U.S. prison sentence for anti-money laundering violations. His involvement lends both legitimacy and controversy to Pakistan’s blockchain ambitions.
Ethics, Oversight, and Foreign Influence Concerns
The WLF-PCC alliance has not gone unnoticed in Washington. Senator Richard Blumenthal has called for an investigation into potential conflicts of interest involving the Trump family and foreign entities. In response, WLF’s legal team dismissed the concerns in a May 15 letter, labeling them “factually inaccurate.” Witkoff further deflected criticism by claiming the company was too focused on development to entertain political distractions.
Still, questions remain about foreign influence. A $2 billion investment by Abu Dhabi-based MGX in Binance and a $25 million WLF token purchase by DWF Labs, also based in Abu Dhabi, have deepened concerns about the extent of Middle Eastern financial backing behind Trump-affiliated crypto ventures.
Diplomatic Fallout
Former President Trump’s declaration on May 10 that the U.S. had brokered a “full and immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan—posted on his Truth Social platform—was swiftly denied by Indian officials. New Delhi reiterated that the Kashmir issue remains a bilateral matter, rejecting third-party intervention. Trump has since repeated his claim, framing trade and peace as linked goals: “Let’s do trade instead of war,” he stated.
Pakistan’s government, meanwhile, has welcomed Trump’s engagement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials met with WLF executives in April, signaling a willingness to align with U.S.-linked crypto initiatives as a means to support Pakistan’s flailing economy.
As questions swirl around the ethics and implications of the Trump family’s financial entanglements abroad, the WLF-PCC deal continues to blur the lines between diplomacy and private enterprise—raising the stakes in an already volatile geopolitical landscape.
