A cryptocurrency company linked to U.S. President Donald Trump is working with an artificial intelligence venture that gives users access to AI models developed by several Chinese technology companies facing U.S. national security concerns.
World Liberty Financial is collaborating with WorldClaw, a Hong Kong-based AI platform that provides access to dozens of artificial intelligence models. WorldClaw also accepts World Liberty’s cryptocurrency tokens as payment for its services. The Trump family owns a significant stake in World Liberty Financial and can earn money through the use and sale of its digital tokens.
WorldClaw currently offers around 90 AI models, and nearly half of them were developed by Chinese companies that have been flagged by the U.S. government. These include models from Alibaba, Baidu and Z.ai, along with systems from DeepSeek and Moonshot.
Some of these companies face different types of U.S. restrictions. Alibaba and Baidu have been identified by the U.S. Department of Defense as companies with alleged links to China’s military, while Z.ai is on a U.S. Commerce Department list that limits its access to American technology. The companies have disputed U.S. claims about their military connections or security risks.
Importantly, using these Chinese AI models is generally legal for individuals and businesses in the United States. The partnership between World Liberty Financial and WorldClaw has also not been identified as illegal. However, the relationship is attracting attention because the Trump administration has taken a tougher position toward some Chinese technology and AI companies over national security and intellectual property concerns.
WorldClaw is not limited to Chinese technology. Its platform also provides access to AI systems created by major American companies. The service works as an AI model aggregator, allowing customers to choose between different models depending on their needs, price and performance.
The connection with World Liberty Financial adds a cryptocurrency element to the platform. Users can pay for WorldClaw services with World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin, among other cryptocurrencies. A World Liberty executive has also served as an external adviser to WorldClaw, while Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have publicly promoted the AI venture.
WorldClaw says it operates independently and is not controlled or managed by World Liberty Financial. World Liberty has also described the arrangement as a normal business relationship, pointing out that AI platforms commonly provide models developed by companies from different countries. The White House has said there is no conflict of interest involving the president.
The situation comes as competition between the United States and China in artificial intelligence continues to grow. Chinese AI models have become more popular internationally because many are available at lower costs while still offering strong capabilities. At the same time, U.S. officials remain concerned about data security, intellectual property and the possible military use of advanced AI technology.
For businesses and technology users, the development also highlights a growing issue in the AI industry: platforms can now combine models from American, Chinese and other international developers in a single service. This makes advanced AI more accessible, but it also raises new questions about data privacy, security and government restrictions.
As AI and cryptocurrency become more closely connected, partnerships such as the one between World Liberty Financial and WorldClaw are likely to receive greater attention from regulators, businesses and technology users. The debate will focus not only on which AI models are available, but also on who develops them, how user data is handled and how international technology restrictions apply.
