WLFI pumps while the rest of the crypto market bleeds. That pretty much sums up what happened on February 19, 2026, when Trump-affiliated World Liberty Financial’s token shot up roughly 10% as Bitcoin and Ethereum both slipped 0.5%.
The catalyst? A game-changing partnership with Apex Group, a global financial services giant managing over $3.5 trillion in assets. At the time of writing this article, WLFI is trading at $0.1163.
What Sparked the Rally?
The deal centers on Apex Group agreeing to pilot WLFI’s USD1 stablecoin as a settlement rail for tokenized funds. Under the agreement, USD1 will be tested for subscriptions, redemptions, and distributions across Apex’s tokenized fund ecosystem.
That’s not a small partner. Apex services hedge funds, pension funds, banks, and family offices globally. Getting that kind of institutional stamp of approval matters.
Zach Witkoff, CEO and co-founder of World Liberty Financial, put it plainly at the World Liberty Forum held at Mar-a-Lago on February 18: “Working with Apex Group allows us to demonstrate USD1’s tremendous utility within capital markets infrastructure.”
WLFI Pumps as Stablecoin Grows Fast
USD1 is now the fifth-largest dollar-pegged stablecoin with over $5 billion in circulation, according to The Block’s stablecoin data. That growth is hard to ignore.
Co-founder Zak Folkman framed USD1 as an institutional-grade dollar built for real-world settlement. The stablecoin runs with real-time proof of reserves powered by Chainlink, letting anyone verify its backing on-chain. Folkman also revealed plans to scale cross-border payments, starting with the U.S.-Mexico corridor and eventually supporting up to 40 currencies.
There’s a future AI angle too. Folkman pointed out that AI agents can’t open bank accounts, but they can hold stablecoins. He sees USD1 as infrastructure for autonomous AI-driven commerce.
Beyond the Apex Deal
The collaboration goes further than just stablecoin testing. Apex will explore listing WLFI tokenized assets, including real estate and infrastructure holdings, on the London Stock Exchange Group’s Digital Market Infrastructure platform, subject to regulatory approval.
WLFI is also planning a mobile app that connects traditional bank accounts with digital asset wallets. That’s a big retail play on top of an institutional foundation.
Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) was blunt about the stakes at the Mar-a-Lago forum: the entire financial system will look radically different in five years. The question, he said, is whether that transformation happens in America or somewhere else.
Why WLFI Pumps While Others Drop?
Most altcoins don’t separate from the market on days Bitcoin stumbles. WLFI pumps breaking from that pattern signal genuine demand. It’s not momentum traders chasing a meme. Institutional-grade infrastructure, political connections, and a fast-growing stablecoin are backing this move.
That said, this token carries real political risk. World Liberty Financial’s ties to the Trump family draw scrutiny from lawmakers. A recent Abu Dhabi investment deal reportedly attracted Congressional attention, which is worth watching.
Still, when WLFI pumps on a red day across major assets, it tells you the market is pricing in something real.
What is WLFI?
WLFI is the governance token of World Liberty Financial, a DeFi protocol affiliated with the Trump family.
Why did WLFI pump today?
WLFI pumps followed news of Apex Group’s decision to pilot USD1, WLFI’s stablecoin, as a settlement rail for tokenized fund operations.
What is USD1?
USD1 is WLFI’s dollar-backed stablecoin. It ranks among the five largest stablecoins by market cap with over $5 billion in circulation.
Is WLFI a good investment?
No article can answer that for you. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before investing.
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Disclaimer:
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