Launches $TRUMP memecoin days before inauguration - price rockets from $6.50 to $74
Just three days before his second inauguration, Trump launched his own cryptocurrency - the $TRUMP 'memecoin' - on the Solana blockchain. The token launched at approximately $6.50 and rocketed to a peak of $74.59 within 48 hours, briefly giving it a market capitalization of over $14 billion. Trump family entities reportedly own 80% of the token supply, meaning the vast majority of any value increase flows directly to Trump. The launch was followed hours later by a $MELANIA coin. Ethics experts immediately condemned the launch as an unprecedented conflict of interest: the incoming president was soliciting speculative investments from supporters while about to take office. The SEC, which Trump would soon control, regulates cryptocurrency. The launch exemplifies Trump's view that the presidency is a brand to be monetized rather than a public trust.
“My NEW Official Trump Meme is HERE! It's time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING!” — Trump's Truth Social post announcing the $TRUMP memecoin, January 17, 2025 Quote verified against source
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryThe $TRUMP memecoin launch represents perhaps the most brazen grift in American political history: a president-elect launching a speculative cryptocurrency three days before taking office. The timing was not accidental - by launching before the inauguration, Trump captured maximum hype while his regulatory power over the SEC was still pending. The 80% family ownership means value flows directly to Trump, not supporters who buy in.
The memecoin crystallizes Trump's presidency-as-brand-extension philosophy. Supporters aren't citizens to serve - they're customers to monetize. The immediate $14B market cap (on paper) dwarfs any previous merch grift. Unlike sneakers or watches, crypto has no inherent value and can crash to zero, making late buyers the losers in what critics called 'an obvious grift.' The conflict of interest with SEC regulation makes this corruption writ large.