A $5 million staking standard that gives selected investors direct access to World Liberty Financial’s leadership team is gaining traction as President Trump-backed cryptocurrency projects reshape the power flows within their governance structures.
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The new rules are part of a wide range of proposals passed with overwhelming support last Friday and set the stage for major changes to the way decisions are made on projects.
Token lockup rules come into effect
WLFI token holders who wish to have voting rights will be required to lock up their holdings for 180 days. The proposal passed with support of 99.12% of 1,800 votes cast.
But the numbers tell a more complicated story. More than 76% of these tokens came from just 10 users, raising questions about how broadly representative of the project’s community the votes actually are.
Stakers who participate in at least two governance votes during the lockup period will be offered a 2% annual yield. Those who have already locked their tokens will not be affected and can continue voting without interruption.
WLFI said the changes are aimed at ensuring that only investors who are passionate about the future of a project can consider its direction. The six-month requirement is set as a filter for serious, long-term participants, not short-term speculators.
Big bets come with big rewards.
Investors willing to stake 50 million WLFI tokens, worth approximately $5 million, will be offered something more than yield: direct access to WLFI’s management and business development team.
WLFI spokesman David Waxman told Reuters the access points are business development teams and company executives, not individual founders, and does not guarantee a formal partnership.
Still, the hierarchy creates a clear divide between those who hold tokens on a daily basis and those with deeper pockets.
The project’s leadership roster includes some well-known names. Eric Trump and Barron Trump are listed as co-founders of WLFI Gold Paper, along with Steven Witkoff’s sons Zach Witkoff and Alex Witkoff. Zach Witkoff will serve as CEO.
Bank charter bid still pending
Beyond governance, WLFI has broader ambitions in the financial sector. The project applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in January for a national trust bank license related to the stablecoin USD1, and is currently awaiting a ruling.
Stablecoins are central to WLFI’s goal to support decentralized finance applications and other projects in line with maintaining the global standing of the US dollar.
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CEO Zach Witkoff has floated plans to expand into asset tokenization, with real estate and oil and gas being considered.
The report also indicates that the project is considering establishing a publicly traded company to hold WLFI tokens.
Six governance snapshot votes have been completed so far, covering issues ranging from making the token tradable to expanding the scope of USD1. This latest proposal signals a shift toward stricter control over who gets a seat at the table.
Featured image is from JrKripto, chart is from TradingView
