The Rise (and Fall) of Trump and Melania Meme Coins: A Crypto Phenomenon
January 2025 has started with a bang! Among many happenings, the most significant one is the oath-taking of Donald Trump as the President of the United States for a historic second term, followed by a slew of executive orders causing ripple effects across the globe.
And just a day before the event, the cryptocurrency world was electrified. Again, thanks to Trump. In a gap of a few days, Donald and his wife Melania Trump launched two meme coins — $TRUMP and $MELANIA, stirring up skyrocketing prices within hours.
Let’s dive deeper.
$TRUMP: The Beginning
It all started when Donald Trump unveiled $TRUMP on January 17, a cryptocurrency meme coin built on the Solana blockchain. Marketed as a digital extension of Trump’s brash, larger-than-life persona, the coin debuted with 200 million tokens available and another 800 million held by Trump-affiliated entities to be released gradually over three years.
Within mere hours of its launch, the coin surged over 300%. The initial price of $10 per coin skyrocketed to a staggering $75.35 in just one day, briefly giving it a market capitalisation of $15 billion. According to cryptocurrency price tracker CoinGecko, the token was last trading at $42.63.
Factors Fuelling the Growth
Here’s what’s boosting the meme coin:
Fan Frenzy: Trump’s loyal base, eager to support him in a new venture, bought into the coin to symbolise their allegiance.
Market Buzz: With Trump back in the political spotlight and taking a pro-crypto stance, optimism soared. This good vibe even helped Bitcoin reach record highs shortly after $TRUMP’s debut!
Hype Machine: Trump’s extensive promotion of the coin, coupled with endorsements from prominent supporters, created a FOMO (fear of missing out) effect.
Speculative Spirit: The nature of meme coins attracts adventurous traders looking for quick gains. Early adopters were cashing in big time, which only fueled more interest and investment in $TRUMP.
While Trump’s supporters celebrated the coin’s explosive growth, sceptics raised concerns about its centralisation. Notably, almost four-fifths of the coin’s supply is held by Trump-affiliated entities, raising concerns about market manipulation and potential “pump and dump” schemes.
Enter $MELANIA: Glamour, the Crypto Way
When the world was catching its breath from the $TRUMP frenzy, Melania Trump threw her hat (no pun intended) into the ring with $MELANIA, her meme coin on January 20. Touted as a digital collectible representing her values and vision, this token rapidly peaked at $13.73, reaching a market cap of around $2 billion before experiencing significant volatility.
While $MELANIA wasn’t explicitly marketed as a competition, the timing and success of its release inevitably drew comparisons.
Impact on $TRUMP: The launch of $MELANIA sent shockwaves through the market. After peaking at about $75.35, $TRUMP’s price took a nosedive of over 50%, wiping billions off its market cap at the drop of a hat!
Meme Coin Performance Table
| Coin | Initial M-cap | Peak Price | Current Price | Trading Volume (24h) |
| $Trump | Over $14 bn | $75.35 | $42.70 | $40 bn |
| $Melania | Around $2 bn | $13.73 | $4.04 | $3.2 bn |
Both coins have seen dramatic price fluctuations since their launch, reflecting the speculative nature of meme coins in the cryptocurrency market.
Meme Coins and Bitcoin
The launch of these meme coins significantly influenced the cryptocurrency market, particularly Bitcoin’s performance. The world’s largest cryptocurrency by market cap hit $104,031.00 on Trump’s inauguration day and has surged nearly 7% so far this month.
Take a look
So, despite the fluctuations in the meme coin sector, Bitcoin maintained its upward trajectory, reaching record levels.
This comes at a time when Trump promised to position himself as a “crypto president” and hinted at loosening crypto regulations, creating a rather bullish outlook for the industry.
Broader Impact on the Crypto Market
The arrival of these meme coins has stirred up quite the pot in the cryptocurrency world:
Market Volatility: The rollercoaster ride of both coins highlights just how wild meme coins can be. This kind of volatility raises eyebrows about investor protection and market stability— something we should watch out for.
Speculation Galore: Trump-themed coins have sparked a wave of speculative trading across various cryptocurrencies. Many investors are diving in for quick profits without fully grasping the risks involved.
Regulatory Rumble: With 80% of these tokens held by entities linked to Trump, ethical questions are swirling around. This can attract regulatory scrutiny for the future crypto landscape.
Changing Market Sentiment: While some see these meme coins as mere distractions or signs of a speculative bubble, others view them as markers of growing acceptance and integration of cryptocurrencies into mainstream culture.
Beyond the Hype: What’s Next?
The launch of $TRUMP and $MELANIA isn’t just a quirky footnote in crypto history; it’s a sign of how personal branding and blockchain technology are converging in fascinating (and controversial) ways. As the Trump administration signals its intention to make the US a hub for crypto innovation, these meme coins might be the first chapter in a much larger story.
As we watch these developments unfold, one thing is certain: they will continue to influence investor behaviour and regulatory discussions in our ever-evolving digital currency world.
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