The inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, not only marked a significant shift in U.S. politics but also sparked a wave of excitement in the cryptocurrency world. Just days before taking office, Trump and Melania Trump unveiled their own meme coins—$TRUMP and $MELANIA—an unexpected move that has captivated the attention of the crypto community and the broader public alike.
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Built on the Solana blockchain, $TRUMP experienced a remarkable surge, climbing to $74 before stabilizing around $40 after the announcement of Melania’s coin. The timing of this launch has sparked widespread attention, creating buzz about the fusion of politics, business, and crypto.
What makes $TRUMP particularly noteworthy is that it’s the first cryptocurrency ever endorsed by a sitting U.S. president.
By launching $TRUMP, Trump is signaling a shift in his perspective, embracing the potential of blockchain technology. This move is underscored by his vision of making America the "crypto capital of the planet." Through his personal brand, Trump has made crypto more accessible to a broader audience, many of whom are engaging with it for the first time.
A Bold Entrance: $TRUMP’s Rapid Rise and Future Prospects
Launched on January 17, 2025, $TRUMP made a dramatic entrance, reaching a fully diluted valuation (FDV) of $70 billion in just 60 hours—currently at $43 billion. A spokesperson described $TRUMP as “a new frontier for digital assets, embodying Trump’s forward-thinking nature and commitment to innovation.”
While this isn’t Trump’s first venture into digital assets—he previously launched NFTs and digital collectibles—$TRUMP represents a significant leap forward. As one advisor put it, “This is more than just a token; it’s about starting a movement. $TRUMP merges cultural relevance with market potential.”
In a recent survey conducted by NFTEvening and Storible, 1,017 Americans were polled regarding the $TRUMP coin. The results were telling:
32% of Americans have purchased $TRUMP.
27% of $TRUMP buyers are currently seeing profits.
21% of $TRUMP buyers are first-time crypto investors.
42% of Americans believe $TRUMP is a scam.
The rapid rise of $TRUMP has sparked healthy debate within the crypto community. With 80% of the token’s supply controlled by insiders under a 36-month vesting period, concerns about centralization and price volatility have surfaced. As a meme coin, $TRUMP’s value is driven by speculation, but blockchain experts stress that transparency and community trust will be key to its long-term success.
Trump’s Presidency and Crypto: Industry Leaders Weigh In
1. Altan Tutar, CEO and Co-Founder of Nuffle Labs, a universal staking platform:
“The return of Trump to office could reshape the industry, particularly in key American tech hubs. While favourable regulatory clarity would make cities like New York and San Francisco more appealing for talent and capital. Though unlikely to match the 2021-2022 boom, this environment could attract a new wave of crypto talent drawn to potential pro-innovation policies.
This political shift could increase interest in alternative assets, especially tokenized assets and DeFi platforms, as investors seek hedging strategies against market volatility. The appeal of borderless financial systems through stablecoins may grow stronger during this transition.
However, the key question remains: Can the U.S. break the cycle of high regulation but low adoption that we’ve seen in other regions such as Singapore and Hong Kong? The answer may depend less on political changes and more on the industry’s ability to demonstrate practical value beyond speculation.“
2. Danny Chong, Co-Founder of Tranchess, a multitasking protocol and Co-Chairman of Digital Assets Association Singapore, a non-profit organisation bridging traditional and decentralised finance:
“The return of Trump to office could create an environment of regulatory clarity that may benefit the crypto market significantly. Currently, U.S. traditional finance firms face challenges in holding and trading crypto assets due to stringent custodian requirements, limiting their participation in decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. However, a renewed focus on crypto-friendly regulations under his administration could address critical issues, such as the classification of crypto assets and institutional custody rules. This would open the door for broader institutional involvement and foster innovation and growth in the DeFi space.
While pension funds may remain risk-averse, hedge funds and family offices are likely to seize opportunities in DeFi, driven by its competitive yields and potential to diversify portfolios. A regulatory framework that encourages innovation could accelerate this adoption, unlocking significant value across the ecosystem.
The market anticipates that most impactful changes would occur in the administration’s initial years, given the heightened influence during this period. While policy adjustments would take time to materialize, the anticipation of clearer regulations and a more supportive stance could provide a strong foundation for long-term optimism.”
3. Leo Fan, Founder of Cysic, a zk proof generation and verification Layer 1:
“Trump has been a polarising figure in the crypto space. Initially, he criticised its use due to associations with illegal activities but has since acknowledged its potential as a digital asset. His return to presidency could spur efforts to regulate crypto exchanges, including implementing proof-of-reserve requirements to ensure transparency and user protection. Such measures could drive the adoption of advanced technologies like zero-knowledge proofs, setting a precedent for broader tech-related regulation in the United States, creating a ripple effect across crypto worldwide.”
4. Titus Capilnean, Vice President of Go-to-Market at Civic:
"Day-one crypto executive orders could mark a pivotal moment for Solana's ecosystem. While the past four years saw builders adapt to regulatory uncertainty by focusing on memecoins - effectively a form of protest against unclear securities frameworks - a more constructive regulatory environment could catalyze a rapid evolution in Solana's market dynamics.
We may see a shift from pure speculation to utility-driven growth as builders gain confidence to launch more sophisticated applications without fear of regulatory backlash. This regulatory clarity could particularly benefit Solana given its technical capabilities for high-performance DeFi and on-chain identity solutions, potentially driving both institutional adoption and a new wave of compliant, utility-focused tokens."
5. Dan Hughes, Founder and CTO of Radix:
"Trump will obviously be good for crypto if he implements even a few of the proposals, at least over the short term. At a minimum, some clear direction on regulation from the U.S. would finally make the lives of founders and developers much easier! Many other nations would likely adopt a similar framework or align with it, so I'd expect to see a surge of innovation for a period after.
Just the act of the U.S defining clearer regulations could really be a catalyst for a DeFi summer which makes the previous cycles seem like a deep winter, let alone the other proposed initiatives.
That said, over the long term I do have a number of concerns. Perhaps the gravest is if the U.S moves forward with the purchase or mining of Bitcoin at a large scale. Nation states holding large amounts of Bitcoin on their treasury has the effect of economic centralization, and grinds up against the philosophy that Bitcoin and crypto-currencies are a means to separate money from state. The effect of this could be dramatic, as it ultimately imports the fiscal policies of those nation states into the crypto economy due to the influence gained by holding such treasuries. No longer is Bitcoin a 'free economy' separate from state actors and agendas, simply becoming an extension of the traditional financial system."
"The launch of TRUMP token represents an unprecedented moment in crypto markets, marking the first time a sitting president has been associated with a memecoin launch. The token's immediate impact was seismic, causing significant market-wide disruption as liquidity was rapidly redirected from established cryptocurrencies, leading to a tsunami of spot selling pressure and futures liquidations across many markets. Real damage has been done, with losses exceeding 20% across multiple tokens.
The tokenomics structure, with merely 10% allocated for public distribution, raises serious concerns about the project's intentions. The subsequent launch of MELANIA token, coupled with reports of team wallets converting TRUMP holdings into major cryptocurrencies like SOL, ETH, and potentially BTC - as evidenced by its surge to $108k - suggests a coordinated strategy that could further destabilize market dynamics.
This pattern of celebrity-driven token launches, particularly from political figures, potentially marks a concerning trend in crypto markets where influence and liquidity manipulation could overshadow fundamental value creation."
6. Alon Muroch, Founder and CEO of SSV Labs (Core Contributor to SSV Network):
“Trump is many things, but his influence is undeniable, whether you like him or not. One thing is clear: crypto will forever change because of him and his favourable approach to innovation.”
7. Joanna Zeng, Co-Founder and CEO of SOON, the first native SVM rollup on Ethereum, delivering Solana-level performance with Ethereum-native fault proofs.
The Golden Age is upon us in crypto. President Trump launched a memecoin $TRUMP, and now everyone is aware of crypto. Here are the facts:
An end to regulation via lawfare. It seemed like the SEC was simply attacking the industry randomly in lieu of regulatory clarity.
A massively crypto-friendly Congress and Senate, with apparently 200+ pro-crypto Congress members and senators elected.
A national reserve for Bitcoin, with hints at other coins being added as well.
A framework to enable RWA, as well as other assets, and accounting changes to allow corporations to hold crypto on their balance sheets without being penalized.
A pipeline of ETFs and ETPs beyond Bitcoin & Ethereum. Could a Solana ETF be next?
The door is opening for the potential for tokenized stocks and fractional securities, which will enable traders to buy smaller amounts of whole stocks, such as what is happening with Remora Markets and Step Finance.
The potential for a return to a Community-Driven Fair Token Distribution Model, which is retail-friendly and allows small investors to benefit.
Hopefully, clarity around the taxing of staking and airdrops, with the prospect of seeing fewer airdrops via VPN only.
Investigations into choke point operations, so that banks and other creditors will allow crypto founders to bank, including bitcoin and crypto-backed loans.
A dedicated crypto czar and advisory group within the administration.
I could not be more bullish about SOL and all the business-level applications coming SOON!"
8. Ryan Chow, CEO of Solv Protocol, the leading BTC staking platform with over 800,000 users and more than $2.5 billion in TVL.
"Trump's presidency marks a pivotal moment for Bitcoin, with deregulation and pro-crypto policies potentially hastening its transition from a store of value to a cornerstone asset in global finance. Solv’s Bitcoin Reserve, surpassing 25,000 BTC in just eight months, underscores the growing opportunities for Bitcoin to generate yield, improve liquidity, and drive financial innovation. The deployment of Bitcoin reserves, particularly in bridging traditional finance with decentralized systems, can potentially reshape Bitcoin's role within the global economic landscape."
9. Samantha Yap, Founder & CEO of YAP Global, a global PR agency specialising in helping crypto organisations tell their stories.
“The mainstream attention that the crypto industry has been advocating for, building for and anticipating for many years since Bitcoin’s creation in 2009 is finally here.
What took the entire crypto industry by surprise this weekend, is to see the President of the United States of America and the First Lady launch memecoins and the rapid rise of the market capitalisation of each to reach billion dollar figures. It was a divisive move because on hand it exposes the unsustainable and speculative side to the crypto market, but on the other hand it welcomed new entrants to the crypto market and has boosted crypto adoption rates the industry has been waiting for.
But beyond all of the madness of what has unfolded this weekend, what I am excited about is Stablecoin adoption as the number one killer use case of crypto and the potential for the US as a major super power, to hold an official Bitcoin reserve. This proves just how transformational crypto is and continues to be for the future of money.”
Closing Thoughts
The launch of $TRUMP is more than just a spectacle; it represents the convergence of politics, culture, and the digital finance revolution. While its future remains uncertain, $TRUMP’s impact is undeniable. As the regulatory landscape evolves and crypto adoption grows, $TRUMP could serve as a catalyst for a new era in the digital asset space—one where politics and crypto intertwine in unprecedented ways.
