Melania Trump launched her own cryptocurrency, $MELANIA, just ahead of her husband Donald Trump’s inauguration [January 19]. This meme-based coin quickly gained popularity, trading at around $12.03 with a market cap of $1.9 billion on January 20.
The introduction of $MELANIA had a significant impact on the crypto market, particularly on $TRUMP, the coin previously introduced by Donald Trump. After Melania’s announcement, $TRUMP’s value briefly fell by as much as 40%. However, it rebounded, reaching $58.56 per coin and a market capitalization of $11.7 billion, making it the 18th largest cryptocurrency at the time.
Both $TRUMP and $MELANIA are positioned as digital collectibles, created to reflect the values they represent, rather than being viewed as traditional investments or securities. These initiatives are part of the Trump family’s broader merchandising strategy, which includes a variety of branded products.
It’s notable that during his first presidential term, Donald Trump was highly critical of cryptocurrencies, calling them a “scam.” However, during his 2024 campaign, he began to embrace digital assets, even accepting Bitcoin for donations and expressing his intention to make the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet.
Melania Trump launches cryptocurrency on eve of inauguration
