Behind Donald Trump's ceasefire claim? A family crypto deal with General Asim Munir in the room

On April 26, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance in Islamabad hosted an unusual meeting. Executives from World Liberty Financial (WLF), a U.S.-based crypto company with direct ties to the Donald Trump family, signed a landmark agreement with the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC). 

Officially, the deal aimed to promote blockchain innovation, stablecoin adoption, and tokenized trade infrastructure in Pakistan.

What made this meeting extraordinary was not the digital ambitions, but the presence of Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir.

As reported by Dawn on April 27, Munir personally welcomed the U.S. delegation and attended the closed-door session where the deal was finalized. His involvement, unprecedented for a commercial fintech agreement, immediately drew attention to the partnership’s broader implications.

The timing: From Islamabad to Pahalgam

Four days earlier, on April 22, terrorists targeted 26 tourists in Pahalgam, triggering a renewed military operations in Kashmir.

In this tense environment, Trump positioned himself as a “peacemaker”, crediting his administration with pushing both nations toward a ceasefire and direct dialogue. On Truth Social, Trump praised the “strength, wisdom, and fortitude” of Indian and Pakistani leaders for halting aggression that “could have led to the death and destruction of so many.” 

Trump also framed trade as a key incentive, saying, “Let’s do trade instead of war,” and offered to mediate the long-standing Kashmir issue, remarking that the countries had been “fighting for about 1,000 years.”

The juxtaposition was hard to ignore. Analysts and commentators noted the close timing between the Trump family’s business interests in Pakistan and Trump’s public diplomatic claims. 

Who runs World Liberty Financial?

World Liberty Financial (WLF), founded in 2024, is no ordinary fintech startup. The company is 60% owned by Donald Trump’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner. Its founder, Zachary Witkoff, is the son of real estate magnate and longtime Trump ally Steve Witkoff, who now serves as a U.S. Special Envoy.

While WLF publicly brands itself as a decentralized finance innovator, its ownership structure has drawn scrutiny. The Pakistan agreement marks its most significant international venture to date. With the involvement of key Pakistani regulators, the State Bank, and now the Army’s top brass, the deal’s scale and implications have grown far beyond fintech.

Enter Binance founder

In early April, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) was appointed as Strategic Advisor to the PCC. Though separate from the WLF deal, his advisory role overlaps in focus: guiding Pakistan’s crypto regulations, infrastructure, and ecosystem development.

CZ’s appointment, following his U.S. prison sentence for anti-money laundering violations, added further global scrutiny to Pakistan’s crypto ambitions, as reported by Dawn.

More questions than answers

While both WLF and PCC maintain that the agreement is strictly economic, Dawn’s coverage underscores the growing perception that business and strategic interests are increasingly intertwined.

The alignment of timelines — a high-profile crypto deal, border standoff with India, and Trump’s abrupt shift in tone towards Pakistan — continues to raise questions about the motivations and implications of the partnership.

As of mid-May, neither the Trump family nor the White House has commented publicly on the WLF-Pakistan deal or its political ramifications. With tensions still high, the conversation around this agreement remains far from over.