Crypto
crypto
Sage D. Young

Trump-connected WLFI token jumps to 3-month high on news of banking application

World Liberty Financial’s token, WLFI, is the top cryptocurrency gainer in the last 24 hours, peaking at a three-month high of 18.5 cents after the Donald Trump-backed crypto firm announced that a proposed entity has applied for a US banking charter. 

According to a press release, World Liberty Trust Company filed a de novo application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a branch of the US Treasury Department tasked with supervising and regulating national banks. 

With a national trust bank charter, World Liberty Trust can issue USD1, the dollar-backed stablecoin rolled out by World Liberty Financial last year. The trust company also plans to offer digital asset custody and stablecoin conversion services. 

Even though World Liberty Financial and World Liberty Trust Company share similar branding and names, the ownership and operating structures are different, a statement provided to CoinDesk explained. President Trump is labeled as World Liberty Financial’s cofounder emeritus, while his three sons, Eric, Donald Jr., and Barron, are cited as cofounders.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency under the Trump administration has already approved bank charter applications from several firms, including Circle Internet Group, Ripple, and BitGo, which maintains all reserve assets backing USD1. 

Exclusive | World Liberty, Flagship in Trumps’ Crypto Fleet, Seeks a U.S. Banking License

Exclusive | World Liberty, Flagship in Trumps’ Crypto Fleet, Seeks a U.S. Banking License

With a national trust bank charter, World Liberty Trust can issue USD1, the dollar-backed stablecoin rolled out by World Liberty Financial last year. The trust company also plans to offer digital asset custody and stablecoin conversion services. 

Even though World Liberty Financial and World Liberty Trust Company share similar branding and names, the ownership and operating structures are different, a statement provided to CoinDesk explained. President Trump is labeled as World Liberty Financial’s cofounder emeritus, while his three sons, Eric, Donald Jr., and Barron, are cited as cofounders.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency under the Trump administration has already approved bank charter applications from several firms, including Circle Internet Group, Ripple, and BitGo, which maintains all reserve assets backing USD1. 

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crypto
Sage D. Young

Zcash drops after the entire team of Electric Coin Company, a core development firm behind the token, leaves

Zcash, the privacy-focused cryptocurrency, has shed roughly $1.2 billion of its market capitalization in the last 24 hours, with the token dropping 15% after the developers of Electric Coin Company left to start a new company, though they remain focused on the same mission. 

Electric Coin Company was formed in 2015 to jumpstart the privacy-focused zcash protocol, but on Wednesday, the entire team left due to a governance conflict with several board members of Bootstrap, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit aimed at governing Electric Coin Company and supporting the blockchain network, according to Josh Swihart, former Electric Coin Company CEO.

Bootstrap board members Zaki Manian, Christina Garman, Alan Fairless, and Michelle Lai “have moved into clear misalignment with the mission of Zcash,” Swihart wrote in a social media post. “In short, the terms of our employment were changed in ways that made it impossible for us to perform our duties effectively and with integrity.” 

Despite the move, Swihart said the protocol is unaffected. The former Electric Coin Company team is now founding a new company to protect their work from “malicious governance actions” and remain committed to “building unstoppable private money.”

Last year, the cryptocurrency’s price saw explosive growth, jumping nearly 780% from under $60 in January to over $510.

Yaël Bizouati-Kennedy
24h
Citi analysts reiterate bitcoin $143,000 base case projection despite bitcoin tumbling

Bitcoin ETFs also suffered on Wednesday.

bitcoin?
Sage D. Young
1/7/26
Ethereum’s staking exit queue has no wait time, while the entrance line is over 25 days

The imbalance is one sign of confidence among ethereum holders as ETFs and treasury firms incorporate staking.

Operator
Yaël Bizouati-Kennedy
1/7/26
Doge is pumping, but doge ETFs are flopping

“It’s the people’s coin, built on memes, community energy, and viral moments. The fact that it can pump 21% in a week without a single dollar of ETF inflows shows the community still has pricing power independent of Wall Street.”

US-JAPAN-INTERNET-CRYPTO-MEME-DOGE-WOW
Man Climbing Mountain

XRP hits price level not seen since November as markets’ mood goes risk-on

XRP spot ETFs have yet to record a single day of outflows since launch.

Sage D. Young1/6/26

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