At the 'Taiwan Links the World: Mastering the Web3 Revolution' international industry summit held on July 9 in Taipei, Zach Witkoff, co-founder of World Liberty Financial (WLF), elaborated on the company's grand mission: 'To build a solid bridge between traditional finance and the world of digital assets.' With his diverse background spanning real estate, culture, and politics, Witkoff brings a unique perspective to the cryptocurrency industry, positioning WLF and its stablecoin USD1 as key infrastructure for the future of global business.
From Real Estate to Digital Rails: Laying the Cornerstone of Infrastructure
Witkoff does not view his career as a series of independent ventures but as a continuous effort aimed at building a system that can shape how people live, trade, and trust. He explains, 'Whether it’s real estate or cryptocurrency, the core is in building infrastructure.'
His experience in the real estate sector taught him how to construct complex debt and equity transactions and understand the interaction between capital and physical scale. This foundation provides him with a unique lens through which to view cryptocurrency. 'I don't see it as a fringe industry; I see it as the future—the next stage of infrastructure,' Witkoff stated. 'My work at World Liberty is to help this industry develop in a rigorous and scalable manner.'
Vision: A bridge connecting the traditional and the future
The establishment of World Liberty Financial aims to fill a critical gap in the market. Although institutional investors are deeply interested in cryptocurrency, the existing infrastructure still falls short in terms of security, transparency, and compliance readiness.
'Our vision is to create a trusted digital dollar that can operate at an institutional level while maintaining high transparency and programmability,' Witkoff said. 'We see that many excellent stablecoins are not designed for enterprise-level use cases. The infrastructure we are building can connect Wall Street and Web3 simultaneously, because we believe the future of finance lies at this intersection.'
What sets USD1 apart?
When asked how WLF's stablecoin USD1 differs from mature competitors like Circle's USDC, Witkoff emphasized several key factors:
Independence: Unlike competitors bound by obligations to large corporations, WLF operates with greater independence, providing more flexibility and growth potential.
Extreme Transparency: WLF is integrating with Chainlink to offer real-time on-chain proof of reserves, emphasizing, 'At any point in time, any second of the day, you can verify our proof of reserves.'
Interoperability and Culture: The design of USD1 aims to operate seamlessly across multiple blockchains and integrate with enterprises' financial and payment tools. Witkoff specifically points out that a strong culture is forming around this stablecoin. 'Before this, there had never been a stablecoin that truly had a 'culture',' he noted, citing its increasing preference as a trading pair on the BNB Smart Chain (BSC).
Riding the regulatory wave, empowering traditional finance
Speaking about recent legislative efforts in the U.S., Witkoff welcomed the push for a clear regulatory framework. 'I think this is a turning point, not just for the U.S., but for the entire world,' he said. 'What everyone in the crypto industry has always wanted is simply clear game rules; we are not cowboys in the West; we want to operate within the rules.'
He also clarified that the goal of stablecoins is not to replace banks, but to enhance their efficiency. He argued, 'The focus is on making banks faster, smarter, more efficient, and better at serving customers.' Stablecoins will become the 'invisible infrastructure' driving cross-border payments and capital flows, reducing costs and unlocking new efficiencies for those institutions willing to adapt.
The spotlight effect of real-world assets and the Trump family
Witkoff's real estate background gives him a unique perspective on the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). He asserts that the success of this movement must be built on a programmable, stable, and reliable cash layer. He explains, 'Whether you are issuing tokenized securities, real estate, or structured credit, you need a digital dollar layer to settle these transactions,' positioning USD1 as that indispensable foundational layer.
Regarding the Trump family's involvement, Witkoff shared that their direct reason for entering the crypto space was due to being politically shut out by traditional banks. He said, 'We turned to a system that has no political beliefs and does not need to be built on reliance and trust, and that is blockchain.' He also praised the Trump family for bringing a much-needed 'bright spotlight' to the industry, accelerating its visibility and adoption.
Global Layout and Call to Action
Looking ahead, Witkoff sees Asia as a key market, describing it as 'one of the most vibrant and forward-thinking regions in the world.' He positions USD1 as a bridge currency facilitating trade and payments in the region, allowing users to access a trusted dollar more conveniently without replacing local currencies.
As a final piece of advice, Witkoff encouraged innovators and regulators in Taiwan and around the world to act decisively, urging, 'You don’t have to wait for everything to be perfectly clear, just establish a collaborative and innovation-friendly framework. The future will belong to those countries that are not only efficient but also uphold integrity.'
At the end of the interview, Witkoff previewed that WLF's development has just begun, with plans that will go beyond stablecoins, expanding into a broader programmable financial platform covering asset issuance, cross-border foreign exchange, and enterprise-level capital flow tools. He expressed great excitement about the possibility of collaborating with Binance and building on the BSC chain.
"Building the Financial Future: Zach Witkoff Discusses How World Liberty Financial and USD1 Bridge Traditional Finance and the Crypto World" was first published on (Blockchain).
