Trump-backed crypto coin misses $300 million sales target, raises less than $12 million
It’s been just over 24 hours since the launch of the Donald Trump-endorsed digital coin “WLFI,” and the token is failing to deliver on the ambitious fundraising goals set by its founding team.
World Liberty Financial — which bills itself as a crypto bank where customers will be encouraged to borrow, lend and invest in digital coins — began its token sale on Tuesday morning. On Monday, project co-founder Zachary Folkman bragged in a prelaunch stream on X that “well over 100,000 people” were whitelisted to invest.
“We knew that this project was highly anticipated. We knew that there was a lot of excitement in the marketplace,” said Folkman to the 12,000 people tuning into the event on X. “However, these numbers are just, in my opinion, unheard of, and I think we’re setting all sorts of new records in crypto.”
But blockchain data tracked by Etherscan shows that about 9,050 unique wallet addresses hold the token as of Wednesday morning, representing roughly 9% of the total number of people who registered.
Trump, the Republican nominee for president, pumped the coin in a video post Tuesday evening on X, promoting the World Liberty website and telling his followers that the token sale was live and that “crypto is the future.”
In a road map given to prospective investors first viewed by The Block, the WLF proposal says the coin is looking to raise $300 million at a $1.5 billion valuation in its initial sale. The platform says, so far, it has sold more than 788 million tokens at 1.5 cents per token.
That is less than 4% of the 20 billion tokens made available for public sale and amounts to around $11.8 million, still well off the $300 million fundraising target.
WLF did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Part of the problem was that the project website, the exclusive marketplace for the new coin, suffered regular, lengthy outages frequently showing a page saying, “We are under maintenance.”
But there are other roadblocks that may have impacted the coin’s debut. WLFI is a Regulation D token offering, which means retail investors have largely been cut out of the process.
This provision makes it possible to raise capital without first registering a security with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, but certain conditions must be met, such as limiting the size of the sale and restricting it to accredited investors, defined in part as having a net worth of more than $1 million. While the offering is one way to reduce legal exposure, it cuts down on the size of the potential investor pool.
The World Liberty team has also been specific in calling WLFI a governance token that allows holders to vote on decisions regarding the protocol, but would not signify equity in the venture itself.
As of now, however, there’s nothing for WLFI token holders to vote on since the crypto bank connected to the digital coin doesn’t yet exist.
Last week, WLF began the crypto bank approval process with Aave, one of the longest-running and most-trusted crypto lending platforms.
World Liberty has not released an official white paper or formal business plan to the public. A 400-word proposal posted to Aave’s governance forum, which is used to discuss and vote on proposed projects such as WLF, is nearly all that’s been disclosed.
Coin holders get a sort of IOU until the platform is approved and goes live. In the meantime, investment in the coin goes to the platform’s treasury.
WLF’s website adds in the fine print that Trump and his family members may receive tokens from World Liberty Financial and that they are “entitled to receive significant fees for services provided to World Liberty Financial, which amount cannot yet be determined.”
The Mockingbird Solar Center, Ørsted’s largest solar project globally, is now online, next to protected prairie donated by the renewable energy giant.
This massive 468-megawatt (MW) solar farm is set to power 80,000 homes and businesses, providing a major boost to the Texas grid.
But the launch of Mockingbird Solar isn’t just about clean energy – it’s also about restoring precious ecosystems. Ørsted has donated 953 acres of the Smiley-Woodfin Native Prairie Grassland, which sits next to the solar center, to The Nature Conservancy. The donated land is now the Smiley Meadow Preserve, a protected area for tallgrass prairie that’s home to more than 400 species of grasses and wildflowers.
Tallgrass prairies are some of the rarest ecosystems in the US, with less than 1% of Texas’ original tallgrass prairies still in existence. Tallgrass prairie does a lot of heavy lifting for the environment, including storing carbon, preventing floods, and providing crucial habitats for pollinators.
“Native prairies are the rarest landscapes left in Texas – so much so that many people have never seen one,” said David Bezanson, land protection strategy program director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas. He added that preserving Smiley Meadow will not only conserve one of the best prairie remnants left but also help restore other prairie habitats and boost regional biodiversity.
The Mockingbird Solar Center, a half-billion-dollar project, is part of Ørsted’s $20 billion push to expand renewable energy production across the US. Beyond generating electricity, it will inject $75 million into local property taxes, benefiting schools and other public services. The project also created over 550 construction jobs and will continue to be supported by operations staff moving forward.
Ørsted worked with US companies, including First Solar, for solar panels and partnered with local businesses like Drake Construction and Pfifer Farms for construction materials. It also gave more than $50,000 to local volunteer fire departments in Roxton and Brookston.
With Mockingbird Solar now up and running, Ørsted has more than 6 gigawatts of onshore wind, solar, and battery storage projects either in operation or being built across the US.
Read more: Ørsted got a huge Tesla battery storage system for the world’s single-largest offshore wind farm
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Jeep’s first global luxury electric SUV will arrive at US dealerships any day. Despite its $72,000 price tag, lease prices for the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EV start at just $599 per month.
2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EV lease prices
After unveiling its first global electric SUV, Jeep’s CEO said the Wagoneer S “marks a new chapter” in its storied history.
Jeep claims the Wagoneer S packs “exhilarating performance.” With 600 hp and 617 lb-ft of torque, the big-body SUV can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Its 100 kWh battery pack also gives it a driving range of over 300 miles.
The electric SUV is unmistakably still a Jeep, but it did get several upgrades to distinguish it as an EV. The grille is now enclosed without the need to cool a massive engine, giving it a sporty, more modern look.
Jeep revamped its design with a new illuminated seven-slot grille with ambient cast lightning. It also fine-tuned its profile, adding flush door handles, a rear wing, and integrated fins for better airflow.
The first Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition models get exclusive dark accent design elements like 20″ Gloss Black Wheels.
Inside, the electric SUV is loaded with the latest tech and connectivity, including a best-in-class 45″ of usable screen space. The setup includes a 12.3″ center screen and an exclusive 10.25″ interactive front passenger screen.
Jeep already announced that the 2024 Wagoneer S EV will start at $71,995, but now the company has revealed lease prices for the first time.
According to Jeep, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition can be leased for $599 per month for 36 months (10,000 miles per year). The deal includes $4,999 due at signing and a $7,500 EV incentive. However, you may want to act fast, as Jeep’s offer is only good until December 2, 2024.
| Jeep Wagoneer S vs Tesla Model Y | Starting Price | Range | Lease Price |
| Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition | $71,995 | +300 miles | $599/mo |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | $44,990 | 320 miles | $299/mo |
| Tesla Model Y AWD | $47,990 | 308 miles | $399/mo |
| Tesla Model Y AWD Performance | $51,490 | 279 miles | $599/mo |
In comparison, Tesla Model Y RWD lease prices start at $299 for 36 months with $2,999 down (10,000 miles). The Performance AWD model starts at $599 per month. In an end-of-year promo, Tesla also offers 3 months of free Supercharging and Full Self-Driving.
Ready to drive off in your new electric SUV? We can help you get started. You can use our links below to view offers on the Jeep Wagoneer S and Tesla Model Y at a dealer near you.
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