A US dollar-pegged stablecoin launched by a cryptocurrency platform tied to US President Donald Trump’s family could complicate ongoing bipartisan efforts to pass stablecoin legislation in Congress, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
The Trump-linked World Liberty Financial (WLFI) crypto platform launched the World Liberty Financial USD (USD1) US dollar-pegged stablecoin in early March, prompting concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
Despite political pushback from Democratic Party lawmakers, WLFI’s stablecoin plans are in line with the current US stablecoin legislation, according to Anastasija Plotnikova, co-founder and CEO of blockchain regulatory firm Fideum.
“The planned backing, audits, qualified custody, public blockchains and no native yield-bearing — all these elements are well in line with the GENIUS and STABLE acts,” she said in an interview with Cointelegraph.
“I would argue that this is a direct expression of support to the US-based stablecoins, and in any case, the stablecoin issuer is subject to the authorization of OCC, state regulators and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve,” she added.
The launch comes as two major stablecoin bills move through Congress.
The STABLE Act, introduced on Feb. 6, aims to create a clear regulatory framework for dollar-denominated payment stablecoins. It focuses on transparency and consumer protection and enables issuers to choose between federal and state oversight.
The GENIUS Act, short for Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins, would establish collateralization guidelines for stablecoin issuers while requiring full compliance with Anti-Money Laundering laws. The act recently passed the Senate Banking Committee by a vote of 18–6.
Trump’s USD1 stablecoin is “throwing a wrench into bipartisan efforts”
While some see WLFI’s stablecoin as a positive signal for crypto adoption, others fear it may complicate the passage of current legislation, politicizing it in the process.
“Trump’s new US dollar-pegged stablecoin, USD1, is throwing a wrench into bipartisan efforts to pass stablecoin legislation, possibly something like the GENIUS Act,” according to Dmitrij Radin, the founder of Zekret and chief technology officer of Fideum.
“With the Trump family holding a major stake and revenue share, critics like Senator [Elizabeth] Warren and Representative [Jim] Himes are calling out potential conflicts of interest,” Radin told Cointelegraph, adding:
“The concern would be that any law could be seen as financially benefiting Trump, making some lawmakers hesitant. While the bill could still pass, this twist might delay it or force stricter rules to keep it neutral.”
While stablecoins appear ready for mainstream adoption, “political drama” may push innovation offshore if regulators become overly restrictive, Radin said, adding that banks and the Federal Reserve are still “pushing back” against stablecoin adoption.
Meanwhile, crypto industry professionals have urged US lawmakers to create more regulatory clarity around stablecoins and crypto banking relationships before legislators switch their focus to crypto tax laws.