MarketsTrump-Associated Stablecoin Utilized for UFC Bonuses at White House Event
At UFC Freedom 250, fighter bonuses totaling $250,000 were disbursed in USD1, a stablecoin from the Trump-affiliated crypto firm World Liberty Financial, during an event at the White House.
By Shaurya Malwa|Edited by Sheldon RebackUpdated Jun 15, 2026, 9:08 a.m. Published Jun 15, 2026, 8:09 a.m. 2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on
Eric Trump (Keith Tanner/CoinDesk)Summary- World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin, associated with President Donald Trump’s family, was utilized to distribute $250,000 in fighter performance bonuses at UFC Freedom 250, which took place on the White House lawn.
- This announcement follows a $75 million loan taken by World Liberty Financial from a DeFi protocol, which briefly restricted access for retail USD1 depositors, amid ongoing legal disputes with crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun.
- USD1's circulating supply has reportedly increased to around $4.6 billion as World Liberty Financial pursues a federal banking license.
The USD1 stablecoin, affiliated with the Trump family’s crypto venture World Liberty Financial, transitioned from restricting retail depositors in a DeFi lending arrangement to funding fighter bonuses on the White House grounds.
According to the UFC, World Liberty Financial was the presenting partner for a pool of $250,000 in performance bonuses distributed at UFC Freedom 250, a mixed martial arts event held on the south lawn of the White House on June 14, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. Fighters across seven matches received bonuses in USD1.
These awards represent one of the most notable commercial applications of USD1 to date.
This promotional effort comes after CoinDesk reported on a borrowing issue that temporarily affected the value of WLFI, the token of World Liberty Financial, and stirred concerns within the community.
The company borrowed over $75 million in stablecoins from Dolomite, a DeFi lending platform, using 3 billion of its WLFI governance tokens as collateral while also depositing its USD1 as part of the deal.
This borrowing resulted in a 93% utilization rate of the USD1 pool, preventing retail depositors, who expected to withdraw their funds freely, from doing so until the loans were settled. WLFI later repaid $25 million of this debt and subsequently minted another $25 million in USD1 days later, actively managing the token's supply throughout April. World Liberty Financial did not provide a comment regarding this situation.
Additionally, the company is engaged in litigation with Justin Sun, a notable crypto figure and early investor in WLFI governance tokens, who is suing the firm for allegedly freezing his assets. WLFI has responded with a countersuit for defamation.
Some analysts believe the implications of the event are clear.
“Disbursing the fighter bonuses in the USD1 stablecoin serves the same economic purpose as issuing them a check,” remarked Todd Phillips, a crypto expert from Klaros Group, to The Guardian. “By publicizing their use of USD1, they effectively promote the stablecoin as being linked to both the UFC and the White House.”
USD1's supply has reportedly expanded to approximately $4.6 billion, up from $3.3 billion as of January 1.
World Liberty Financial is also in the process of applying for a banking license with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
Trump's financial disclosures indicate his stake in World Liberty Financial exceeds $50 million. The administration asserts there is no conflict of interest, emphasizing that Trump's assets are managed by a trust controlled by his children.
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