The cryptocurrency start-up connected with the Trump family—World Liberty Financial—is working with WorldClaw, a Hong Kong firm that offers use of AI models created by tech businesses in China. A fraction of the AI models made available via WorldClaw have been developed by companies potentially of national security or intellectual property significance to China and identified by the U.S. government.
WorldClaw is an AI platform founded this year which provides customers with a wide array of AI models. The users can pay for the service by digital asset linked to World Liberty Financial, which has a USD1 stablecoin. Its use has been questioned because the Trump family has a significant stake in World Liberty, and thus could reap financial gains from the payment systems while simultaneously taking a tougher stance towards a number of Chinese tech firms.
After analyzing the models presented on WorldClaw, we discovered that 43 out of 90 models were created by Chinese technology firms, which included those that have been subject to scrutiny and restrictions from the U.S. government. The companies include Alibaba, Baidu, the two tech giants from China, as well as other emerging companies in the AI space like Z.ai. WorldClaw is also open to models created by big companies across the United States such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
The use of Chinese AI models in the U.S. is not inherently unlawful. Numerous of these systems are legally accessible to and may be used by people and organizations, and Chinese AI products have actually been gaining international appreciation because they can provide advanced capabilities at relatively lower costs. China-based AI models have also been tried and used by American tech firms and developers in various areas. But it is a more politically charged issue due to the administration’s broader stance on technology and national security from China given the involvement of a Trump associated cryptocurrency company.
The relationship has been called into question by several experts in Chinese technology, international trade and government ethics who are concerned the pairing does not align with the administration’s public stance on China’s increasing influence in the field of artificial intelligence. His statement echoes a broader worry that government policies and corporate profit motives could be seen as conflicting in the face of the new and aggressive threat of Chinese AI, especially when developing technologies are of government interest.
Exactly how the monetary terms will be drawn up between World Liberty Financial and WorldClaw have not been made public. It is also unclear how much revenue the Trump family may have received as a result of cryptocurrency transactions connected with the platform. The relationship has been the subject of further discussion, however, due to the fact that members of the Trump family have been vocal advocates of WorldClaw, and that an executive from World Liberty has been serving as an adviser to the AI business.
World Liberty generates profits by running its USD1 stablecoin. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that are designed to have a relatively stable value and that are backed by traditional financial assets. Those reserves include assets like U.S. Treasury securities in the case of USD1. Relying on USD1 for payment options in AI services will help facilitate the adoption of the stablecoin. The interest generated from assets that have served as the backing for the stablecoin can bring in revenue, some of which can be attributed to the Trump family’s stake in World Liberty.
The White House has dismissed worries about a “conflict of interest” in the relationship. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated that “there are no conflicts of interest” and President Trump “only acts in the best interests of the American public. The statement is reflective of the administration’s view that the president’s public duties are distinct from the commercial work he does for the Trump family’s private business operations.
World Liberty has also highlighted that WorldClaw is a stand-alone business. World Liberty’s David Wachsman said that big U.S. tech companies already offer access to AI models created by both American companies and Chinese tech firms. He called the deal “a common and widely accepted approach. WorldClaw also said it was protecting its business model by stating it helps American AI companies reach international users and that “allowing the use of a model does not imply endorsement of its developer.
Specifically, some of the Chinese firms whose models are on WorldClaw’s platform have been targeted by the U.S. government. Alibaba and Baidu have been named by the U.S. Department of Defense as military-affiliated companies of China. These designations can limit the Pentagon’s ability to buy products from the companies and form part of Washington’s overall plan to cut down on any potential national security risks from Chinese technology.
Another company is listed on WorldClaw is Z.ai, which was previously called Zhipu AI. The company has also been added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List, which is a list of entities that are subject to substantial restrictions on access to certain American technologies and products. Strict export licensing requirements may be imposed on companies looking to engage in specific types of business relations with companies on the list. U.S. officials have declared that Z.ai’s work in the field of artificial intelligence research and integration is part of China’s military modernisation that threatens U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.
WorldClaw also offers models created by two other Chinese artificial intelligence firms with accusations of intellectual property rights violations by U.S. officials, DeepSeek and Moonshot. American officials have claimed that Chinese companies have acquired or used U.S. AI rivals’ technology and research without permission. The U.S. and China are vying for the lead in AI, especially in the development of more sophisticated AI models, hardware, and software.The accusations have gained in significance in the race for AI supremacy between the U.S. and China, particularly in the realm of advanced AI models, computing infrastructure and associated technologies.
