A business collaboration involving President Donald Trump-backed World Liberty Financial and Hong Kong-based AI venture WorldClaw is drawing scrutiny over its alleged links to Chinese artificial intelligence companies facing US national security restrictions.
WorldClaw provides users with access to a range of AI models and accepts World Liberty's crypto tokens as payment.
Reuters reported that 43 of the 90 AI models available on WorldClaw were developed by Chinese companies, including Alibaba, Baidu and Z.ai. The platform also offers models from US companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
The arrangement is legally permissible, but technology, trade and ethics experts have questioned whether it sits comfortably with the Trump administration's increasingly tough position on Chinese technology.
The issue is particularly sensitive because the Trump family owns a 38% stake in World Liberty and benefits financially from the use of its crypto tokens.
WorldClaw accepts World Liberty's USD1 stablecoin for AI services, creating a potential commercial link between the platform and the president's family business interests.
ALSO READ: Trump Cuts US-Korea Drills After Seoul's Refusal To Participate In Iran Denuclearisation
World Liberty said there was no conflict of interest and described WorldClaw as an independent company. WorldClaw similarly said it operates independently and that making an AI model available does not amount to endorsing its developer.
Chinese AI models under scrutiny
Some of the Chinese developers whose models are available through WorldClaw face restrictions from US authorities.
Alibaba and Baidu have been designated by the US Department of Defense as Chinese military-aligned companies. Z.ai, formerly known as Zhipu AI, appears on the Commerce Department's entity list, which places significant restrictions on US technology exports to listed entities.
WorldClaw also offers models from DeepSeek and Moonshot, two Chinese AI companies that have faced accusations from Trump administration officials over intellectual-property issues. Moonshot has denied the allegations.
The concerns extend beyond trade policy. Experts have warned that Chinese AI models could create risks involving data monitoring, censorship or malicious code, particularly when AI agents are given the ability to perform tasks autonomously.
WorldClaw says its platform has more than 10,000 users and handles over 50 million requested tasks a day.
ALSO READ: After Public Feud, Trump And Musk Rebuild Ties With $100 Million Pact
The controversy comes as Washington intensifies efforts to protect the US AI ecosystem from Chinese technology, while Chinese models continue gaining international adoption because of their comparatively lower costs.
The WorldClaw relationship therefore highlights a growing tension in Washington's China policy. The US is trying to restrict potential Chinese AI risks while American businesses and investors continue finding commercial value in the same technology.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
