At the 'Taiwan Links the World: Grasping the Web3 Revolution' international industry summit held in Taipei on July 9, World Liberty Financial (WLF) co-founder Zach Witkoff 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 future global business.
From Real Estate to Digital Tracks: Laying the Cornerstone of Infrastructure
Witkoff does not view his career as a series of independent ventures but as a continuous effort aimed at creating systems that can shape how people live, trade, and trust. He explained, ‘Whether it’s real estate or cryptocurrency, the core is in building infrastructure.’
His experience in real estate 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 phase of infrastructure,’ Witkoff stated. ‘My work at World Liberty is to help this industry grow in a rigorous and scalable way.’
Vision: A Bridge Connecting Tradition and the Future
The founding of World Liberty Financial aims to fill a critical gap in the market. Despite institutional investors' keen interest in cryptocurrencies, existing infrastructure has not met their needs in terms of security, transparency, and regulatory readiness.
‘Our vision is to create a trustworthy digital dollar that can operate at an institutional level while maintaining high transparency and programmability,’ Witkoff said. ‘We see many excellent stablecoins that are not designed for enterprise-level applications. The infrastructure we are building can connect Wall Street and Web3 because we believe the future of finance lies at this intersection.’
What makes USD1 unique?
When asked how WLF's stablecoin USD1 differs from mature competitors like Circle's USDC, Witkoff emphasized several key factors:
Independence: Unlike competitors constrained by obligations to large corporations, WLF operates with greater independence, providing it with more flexibility and growth potential.
Ultimate Transparency: WLF is integrating with Chainlink to provide real-time on-chain Proof of Reserves, emphasizing, ‘At any point in time, at 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 enterprise financial and payment tools. Witkoff particularly noted that a strong culture is forming around the stablecoin. ‘Prior to this, no stablecoin truly had a ‘culture,’’ he mentioned, citing its growing popularity as a preferred trading pair on the BNB Smart Chain (BSC).
Navigating Regulatory Waves: Empowering Traditional Finance
Regarding recent legislative efforts in the United States, Witkoff welcomes the push for a clear regulatory framework. ‘I think this is a turning point, not just for the U.S., but for the whole world,’ he said. ‘What everyone in the crypto industry has always wanted are clear rules of the game. We are not cowboys in the Wild West; we want to operate within the rules.’
He clarified that the goal of stablecoins is not to replace banks but to enhance their efficiency, arguing that ‘the focus should be on making banks faster, smarter, more efficient, and better at serving their customers.’ Stablecoins will become the ‘invisible foundational layer’ driving cross-border payments and capital flows, lowering costs and unleashing new efficiencies for institutions willing to adapt.
The Spotlight Effect of Real-World Assets and the Trump Family
Witkoff's background in real estate gives him unique insights into the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). He asserts that the success of this movement must be built on a programmable, stable, and trustworthy 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 involvement of the Trump family, Witkoff shared that their direct reason for entering the crypto space was due to traditional banks shutting them out politically. He stated, ‘We turned to a system that has no political beliefs and does not rely on 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 to facilitate trade and payments in the region, allowing users to access a reliable dollar more conveniently without replacing local currencies.
As a final suggestion, Witkoff encouraged innovators and regulators in Taiwan and around the world to act decisively, urging, ‘You don’t need to wait for everything to be perfectly clear; you just need to 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 predicted that WLF's development was just beginning, with plans that go beyond stablecoins to expand into a broader programmable finance platform covering asset issuance, cross-border foreign exchange, and enterprise-level funding tools, expressing great excitement about the ability to collaborate with Binance and build on the BSC chain.
"Building the Future of Finance: Zach Witkoff Discusses How World Liberty Financial and USD1 Bridge Traditional Finance and the Crypto World" was first published on (Blockcast).
