South Korea’s cryptocurrency market just marked one of the most high-profile partnerships of 2025 with a Trump backed project. Bithumb, the country’s second-largest crypto exchange, has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the crypto venture backed by the Trump family.
The deal seeks to boost stablecoin adoption, create new DeFi opportunities, and increase global investor confidence.
WLFI, founded in 2024 by Donald Trump’s sons, has rapidly established itself as a rising player in DeFi. The company’s stablecoin, USD1, has already reached a market capitalization of $3 billion and was recently listed on both Bithumb and Upbit, strengthening its foothold in Korea’s $72 billion crypto market.
Bithumb CEO Lee Jae-won called the collaboration a “milestone for enhancing global competitiveness,” noting the exchange’s commitment to building a broader strategic network.
WLFI executives, including co-founder Zak Folkman, said the partnership aligns with their goal of pushing USD1 into mainstream payment systems and digital economies, particularly in gaming and retail sectors.
Alongside the Bithumb deal, WLFI confirmed it will soon launch a debit card integrated with Apple Pay and a retail payments app. Described by co-founder Folkman as “Venmo meets Robinhood,” the app will merge peer-to-peer payments with light trading features.
The upcoming products aim to make USD1 usable in everyday transactions, signaling WLFI’s shift toward consumer adoption. This multi-chain approach reflects the company’s strategy of being chain-agnostic, focusing on cross-platform utility rather than creating its own blockchain.
The Bithumb-WLFI partnership emerges as South Korea remains a key player in global crypto adoption. As one of the top five markets worldwide by trading volume, the country offers a robust environment for testing stablecoins and DeFi development.
By collaborating with WLFI, Bithumb gains access to a broader international investor base and new opportunities in asset tokenization, payments, and decentralized finance.
This deal also continues ongoing talks between Bithumb and U.S.-based Circle, highlighting the exchange’s aim to expand its global reach. If everything proceeds as expected, crypto adoption in the Asian market could experience significant growth.
Cover image from ChatGPT, TRUMPUSD chart from Tradingview
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