World Liberty Financial is poised to bridge the gap between cryptocurrency and real-world transactions with the imminent launch of a debit card that uses its USD1 stablecoin to seamlessly integrate into mainstream payment systems. The Trump family-backed venture announced the rollout during Korea Blockchain Week 2025, with co-founder Zak Folkman promising the card would arrive “very soon.”
The debit card will allow users to spend their USD1 stablecoin balance directly through Apple Pay, essentially eliminating traditional banking intermediaries from digital transactions. Users only need to connect their World Liberty Financial app and USD1 balance to their Apple devices, which will allow for contactless payments to millions of merchants worldwide who support Apple Pay.
How the System Works
The card functions by trading USD1 stablecoin balances for spendable funds that can be employed to make purchases in the real world. Unlike traditional debit cards connected to bank accounts, this system draws directly from customers’ cryptocurrency wallets, providing immediate access to digital holdings for everyday expenditures. Apple Pay integration ensures that customers no longer need to hold a physical card—their phone is their wallet.
Joining the rollout of the debit card is World Liberty Financial’s retail app, which Folkman describes as “Venmo meets Robinhood.” The companion app will combine peer-to-peer payment capabilities with which customers of Venmo are already familiar with investment features similar to Robinhood’s trading platform. Customers can send money to friends, shop, and trade cryptocurrencies through one platform.
Strategic Positioning
World Liberty Financial deliberately remained blockchain-agnostic, so the debit card and app will work across a range of cryptocurrency networks rather than being tied to one proprietary system. “We will never launch a World Liberty Financial chain,” Folkman emphasized, noting that the company’s business model is based on product development that plays nice with current infrastructure rather than creating competing systems.
This approach can accelerate adoption by allowing users to use their digital properties wherever they decide to hold them. The scalability positions World Liberty Financial for market share growth through the decentralized cryptocurrency space.
Market Context and Partnerships
The rollout of the debit card comes on the heels of World Liberty Financial’s efforts to firm up its global reach via partnerships. It recently signed a memorandum of understanding with leading South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb, setting the stage for increased market penetration within Asia. Previous partnerships include collaboration with Chainlink for USD1 access across several blockchain networks.
But the project is beset by market headwinds as its native WLFI token has lost 37% since its September launch, trading at about $0.21. Touting the price swings, Folkman is upbeat on long-term potential, noting World Liberty Financial is “thinking in terms of decades” and not short-term returns.
The debit card represents a major milestone in cryptocurrency mainstream adoption, which could enable millions of customers to spend cryptocurrencies as easily as they spend cash. With no release date beyond “very soon,” market experts eagerly wait to see if World Liberty Financial can fulfil its vision of transforming payments using blockchain technology.
