{"id":37318,"date":"2025-07-16T18:05:53","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T18:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/?p=37318"},"modified":"2025-07-16T18:05:53","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T18:05:53","slug":"more-twists-and-turns-in-the-wlfi-crypto-100m-investment-drama-are-aqua1-connected-to-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/?p=37318","title":{"rendered":"More Twists And Turns In The WLFI Crypto $100M Investment Drama: Are Aqua1 Connected To China?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>The Aqua1 Foundation asserted that it operates independently in response to journalist Jacob Silverman\u2019s report, which suggested potential connections to the controversial market maker Web3Port. However, the foundation left several important questions unanswered. However, amid all of the drama, there are strong rumours that the WLFI crypto token will go live for trading either this week or next.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, Silverman published his investigation, claiming to have found links between the Aqua1 Foundation and Web3Port through shared web hosting and overlapping personnel.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Fam!<\/p>\n<p>Rumors linking Aqua1, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%24WLFI&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">$WLFI<\/a>&#8216;s $100M backer, to banned Chinese firm Web3Port are swirling.<\/p>\n<p> Aqua1 denies it, but shared AWS footprints and past connections to Dave Lee (aka David Jia Hua Li) keep questions alive.<\/p>\n<p> Crypto or geopolitical chess? <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.1.0\/72x72\/1f9d0.png\" alt=\"\ud83e\uddd0\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IzeXsHozhP\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/IzeXsHozhP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Vanessa (@_0xVanessa) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_0xVanessa\/status\/1945401222518989281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">July 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>More Twists And Turns In Aqua1 \/ WLFI Crypto Drama As Journalist Claims Dave Lee Is Affiliated With Under-Fire Market Maker<\/h2>\n<p>He noted that Aqua1\u2019s founder, known as Dave Lee on X, is actually David Li, whose profile on the outreach platform ContactOut lists him as a partner and senior project manager at Web3Port.<\/p>\n<p>Aqua1 Foundation came under scrutiny in late June after it purchased $100 million worth of governance tokens from World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency project backed by former US President Donald Trump and his family.<\/p>\n<p>The investigation raised concerns that the entity supporting the president\u2019s DeFi initiative may have ties to Web3Port, a firm accused of manipulating cryptocurrency prices.<\/p>\n<p>Lee attempted to distance himself from Web3Port, stating that he left his former role at his \u201cprevious employer\u201d due to \u201cfundamental differences in vision and strategy.\u201d However, he has not explicitly confirmed or denied that he is David Li or that Aqua1 has any connection to Web3Port.<\/p>\n<p>Silverman is a journalist known for his critical reporting on Trump and his connections to the cryptocurrency industry. Last week, he published an article in The Nation titled \u201cDoes Trump\u2019s Biggest Crypto Backer Exist?\u201d which raised doubts about the legitimacy of Aqua1 Foundation, particularly after it committed $100 million to WLFI crypto.<\/p>\n<p>Silverman reported that Aqua1\u2019s public presence consists mainly of a vague website, suspended social media accounts, and a figure known only as \u201cDave Lee.\u201d In a follow-up investigation on his site, he discussed that Lee is David Li of Web3Port, based on an analysis of LinkedIn records and past conference appearances.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I have identified &#8220;Dave Lee&#8221; (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LeeDave_Aqua?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">@LeeDave_Aqua<\/a>), the pseudonymous person behind Aqua 1 Foundation, which last month announced a $100 million deal with Trump&#8217;s World Liberty Financial. I believe it&#8217;s important to know who is paying the US president.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6DIpCPm54v\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/t.co\/6DIpCPm54v<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jacob Silverman (@SilvermanJacob) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SilvermanJacob\/status\/1944812310033264868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>DISCOVER: <a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/cryptocurrency\/best-solana-meme-coins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\">Top Solana Meme Coins to Buy in July 2025\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Aqua1 Responds To Silverman: Threatens Legal Action<\/h2>\n<p>Following the publication of the report, Aqua1 issued a statement on X claiming it \u201coperates independently and has no equity, financial, or operational ties to any unrelated entity.\u201d It warned that it would pursue legal action against any defamatory or factually incorrect reporting.<\/p>\n<p>While the statement appeared to deny ties to Web3Port, it did not mention the firm by name and failed to address whether Web3Port qualifies as a related entity.<\/p>\n<p>One of Silverman\u2019s key findings was that Aqua1 and Web3Port shared the same server IP address, along with several other crypto-linked domains. Initially, Aqua1 ignored this point. However, when pressed on social media, Lee responded by claiming Aqua1 has \u201cno ties whatsoever to other teams or entities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe shared IP was simply due to transitional hosting during the early stages. I brought over the CTO and core IT member when I left,\u201d Lee wrote on X.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter many attempts to reach Dave, his colleagues, and WLF, I did get an email last night,\u201d Silverman said in a leaked message exchange. \u201cIt did not contain any denials at all or provide any clarity on the specifics of my reporting.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Aqua1 Official Statement<\/p>\n<p>We have noticed recent online speculation regarding Aqua1 and its team, which has led to some public misunderstanding. To prevent the spread of misinformation, we would like to clarify the following:<\/p>\n<p>Team Background<\/p>\n<p>Dave Lee joined Aqua1 as co-founder\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Aqua1 Foundation (@Aqua1Fndn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Aqua1Fndn\/status\/1945041280972820814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">July 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In a screenshot of the email Silverman received, Lee outlined ongoing developments in stablecoins, real-world assets, and initiatives in the Middle East. The message stated that specific details were subject to regulatory and compliance restrictions and could not be disclosed publicly at this time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHowever, if there are any specific points you\u2019d like to clarify, we\u2019re happy to do our best to provide factual information and support accurate reporting. We value constructive dialogue and are open to ongoing engagement,\u201d the email screenshot read.<\/p>\n<p>However, at no point throughout the back-and-forth exchanges between Lee and Silverman did Lee address whether he is the same David Li affiliated with Web3Port.<\/p>\n<h2>WLFI Crypto Rumoured to Be Going Live For Trading Very Soon<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Only 7 hours remain for the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%24WLFI&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">$WLFI<\/a> governance vote to make the token tradable. <br \/>Once approved, this will enable public market trading for the first time. <br \/>Any insights on when the initial exchange listing might occur? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8bRAdv1sDl\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/8bRAdv1sDl<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Cryptoprofilers (@Cryptoprofilers) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Cryptoprofilers\/status\/1945436074840371669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">July 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>There are just a few hours remaining for the governance vote put to WLFI crypto holders on whether to make the token tradable. It is currently at 99.94% in favour of enabling WLFI for trading, and once this vote concludes, a date will likely be announced for WLFI to be listed on the exchanges.<\/p>\n<p>A Binance listing seems a foregone conclusion, considering the close ties between World Liberty Financial, its USD1 stablecoin, and its being built on Binance\u2019s BNB Smart Chain. The close ties between the two firms are transparent, so investors can expect a listing on the world\u2019s largest crypto exchange on day one.<\/p>\n<p>Coinbase is one high-profile exchange that may not list WLFI on day one due to the ongoing tensions between Binance and its co-founder, CZ, and the World Liberty Financial project. There are rumours that Coinbase orchestrated a recent Bloomberg hit piece on WLFI crypto and CZ, although the exchange has denied these claims.<\/p>\n<p>However, aside from Coinbase, traders can expect day-one listings for WLFI on Binance, ByBit, OKX, and other top-tier exchanges due to the hype and demand surrounding this token launch. Exchanges will want to secure their share of the assumed liquidity that will pour into WLFI at launch.<\/p>\n<p>Keep an eye on the official World Liberty Financial social media channels for a date and time for when WLFI crypto will go live for trading.<\/p>\n<p><strong>EXPLORE:\u00a0<a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/cryptocurrency\/next-crypto-to-explode\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener sponsored\">20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a class=\"general-link\" href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/B7Uk6agkqj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Join The 99Bitcoins News Discord Here For The Latest Market Updates<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/news\/altcoins\/more-twists-and-turns-in-the-wlfi-crypto-100m-investment-drama-are-aqua1-connected-to-china\/\">More Twists And Turns In The WLFI Crypto $100M Investment Drama: Are Aqua1 Connected To China?<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/99bitcoins.com\/\">99Bitcoins<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Aqua1 Foundation asserted that it operates independently in response to journalist Jacob Silverman\u2019s report, which suggested potential connections to the controversial market maker Web3Port. However, the foundation left several important questions unanswered. However, amid all of the drama, there are strong rumours that the WLFI crypto token will go live for trading either this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3,4,5],"class_list":["post-37318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-crypto","tag-doge","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37318\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}