A slew of power players is expected to speak at the crypto forum in Mar-a-Lago. Illustration: Hilary B; Source: Shutterstock / Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 / KremlinA slew of power players is expected to speak at the crypto forum in Mar-a-Lago. Illustration: Hilary B; Source: Shutterstock / Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 / Kremlin

The superstars attending Trumps’ World Liberty Forum on February 18

2026/02/13 14:00
5 min read

They come to mould the future.

Donald Trump Jr., US President Donald Trump’s oldest son and co-founder of World Liberty Financial, said that’s the aim of the superstar roster attending a splashy event hosted at the Mar-a-Lago.

Besides the forum’s hosts, World Liberty Financial, a “select group of 300 global leaders,” including banking chiefs, global football bosses, and crypto chieftains, will attend the event on February 18.

“This forum is about defining what the next century of American innovation, leadership, and economic influence will look like,” Donald Trump Jr. said in a statement.

The timing of the gathering at the president’s Florida resort is notable.

Not only is the 79-year-old losing his support among the electorate, but rumblings suggest he may also no longer have the full-hearted backing of the crypto industry either.

Though the president‘s pro-crypto policies initially triggered an unprecedented rally in digital assets in 2025, investors have seen $2 trilion wiped out since October.

At the same time, key market-structure legislation has stalled on Capitol Hill because politicians and industry players can’t agree on the details of the Clarity Act.

The Trumps are also under pressure politically.

House Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have accused the president of corruption, saying that his family’s crypto ventures suggest that Donald Trump “has leveraged his office to make himself a crypto billionaire.”

The White House has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

It is against this backdrop that some of the most powerful people in corporate America and, indeed, the rest of the world will gather in Florida next week.

Here’s who’s set to speak at Mar-a-Lago.

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon is confirmed as a speaker.

Known for his banking prowess and side-hustle as a DJ, Solomon’s presence underscores how conservative financial institutions are diving headfirst into crypto.

On Tuesday, Goldman disclosed over $2 billion in exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana through exchange-traded funds on its balance sheet.

Nasdaq, NYSE

Adena Friedman, CEO of Nasdaq, adds to the institutional presence.

Under her tenure, the exchange has expanded data services, index products, and connectivity across global markets.

Lynn Martin, president of the New York Stock Exchange, brings the exchange’s voice to the forum.

The NYSE remains one of the world’s most storied and liquid trading venues, anchoring global public markets and drawing deep ties from pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and institutional capital.

FIFA

FIFA president Gianni Infantino will bring global sport into the crypto conversation.

Infantino made headlines in late 2025 by introducing the FIFA Peace Prize, which was awarded to Trump in December.

The award, however, seemingly landed Infantino in hot water.

By handing the 79-year-old the prize, Infantino broke FIFA’s rules on political neutrality, according to a letter sent by human rights campaign group FairSquare.

“The FIFA president does not have the authority to unilaterally dictate the organisation’s mission, strategic direction, policies and values,” FairSquare wrote.

Regulators

Michael Selig, chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, is also confirmed to speak.

During Trump’s presidency, the CFTC gained greater crypto oversight and began to shape derivatives, futures markets, and digital assets.

The Clarity Act is expected to grant the commission even more oversight authority, but it has been gridlocked by a delayed Senate vote.

Also speaking is Kelly Loeffler, the head of the Small Business Administration, the federal agency that supports entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Jacob Helberg, the White House’s under secretary for economic affairs, is also listed as a speaker. He is also a senior adviser to Alex Karp, the CEO of Palantir Technologies.

Senators

Political weight comes from Republican Senators Ashley Moody of Florida and Bernie Moreno of Ohio.

Moody is a strong Trump supporter who previously served as Florida’s attorney general, where she led anti-fraud initiatives.

Moreno is a former crypto entrepreneur himself and actively advocates for the industry.

Their participation highlights how state leadership is engaging with crypto trends, regulatory shifts and innovation policy.

Investors

Avenue Capital Group CEO Marc Lasry, the former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner who has said he views Bitcoin as a resilient store of value and famously regrets not accumulating more, is also scheduled to speak.

Starwood Capital Group CEO Barry Sternlicht, a real estate magnate who says he has allocated 3% of his net worth into crypto, is also set to present.

They are joined by Altimeter Capital founder Brad Gerstner, also a big crypto bull, who sees volatility as a healthy catalyst for market discovery.

Jenny Johnson, the CEO of Franklin Templeton and a long-time blockchain backer, is also expected to promote crypto at the event.

World Liberty Financial

The founding team behind World Liberty Financial is expected to present.

That includes presidential sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., as well as Zach and Alex Witkoff, the sons of Trump’s foreign policy adviser Steve Witkoff.

They are flanked by co-founders Chase Herro and Zak Folkman, who also serve as World Liberty Financial’s chief operating officer.

Lance Datskoluo is DL News’ Europe-based markets correspondent. Eric Johansson is DL News’ managing editor. Got a tip? Email them at lance@dlnews.com and eric@dlnews.com.

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