UFC fighters received performance bonuses partly paid in cryptocurrency at a White House event. World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance project backed by President Donald Trump and his sons, funded part of the UFC Freedom 250 bonus pool using its USD1 stablecoin. The event was held on Sunday on the South Lawn of the White House.
UFC President Dana White announced the partnership at a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial. Under the agreement, World Liberty Financial added $250,000 to the “Performance of the Night” bonuses, with fighters receiving payouts in USD1 alongside standard UFC prize money.
The arrangement expands the use of crypto-based payments in athlete compensation and adds a political dimension to one of the sport’s most visible events.
Crypto bonuses take center stage at UFC freedom 250
The White House card had already drawn massive attention before the latest sponsorship announcement. With World Liberty Financial’s contribution running alongside an existing $1 million reward program funded by Crypto.com (which paid bonuses in CRO tokens), the total post-fight bonus pool hit approximately $1.65 million—a record for UFC payouts.
“We’re proud to celebrate a historic night for UFC and the United States,” said Zach Witkoff, co-founder and CEO of World Liberty Financial. He added, “A victory in Washington should mean money in your pocket immediately, not when the bank opens.”
The crypto-backed bonuses were awarded after a dramatic night of finishes. In the main event, Justin Gaethje weathered an early storm to defeat Ilia Topuria by fourth-round TKO, claiming the undisputed lightweight title. Earlier in the evening, Ciryl Gane finished Alex Pereira by TKO in the second round to capture the interim heavyweight title.
USD1 expansion draws attention beyond sports
The sponsorship also highlights World Liberty Financial’s broader strategy to legitimize and integrate USD1 into mainstream commerce and entertainment.
However, the partnership has also sparked renewed scrutiny. Critics point to World Liberty Financial’s ties to the Trump family, making its prominent presence at an event hosted on White House grounds highly controversial. Furthermore, disclosures that the Trump family receives 75% of net proceeds from token sales and a cut of the stablecoin profits, creating unprecedented overlap between presidential politics and decentralized finance.
Despite the criticism, World Liberty is formalising its stablecoin operations. The company has applied to establish a national trust bank focused on stablecoin issuance and custody. As a result, USD1 now occupies a unique position in the market.
Unlike its traditional competitors, USD1 is leveraging fee-free minting, cross-chain DeFi compatibility, and powerful political branding to capture market share. Its prominence at UFC Freedom 250 symbolizes a new era where cryptocurrency adoption is driven as much by political influence and sports marketing as it is by financial technology.
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