Trump Meme Coin $TRUMP: An Experiment to Intersect Politics and Cryptocurrencies

In recent years, meme coin has swept the cryptocurrency market with its unique cultural attributes and speculative nature. From Dogecoin to Shiba Inu, these digital assets inspired by online memes or pop culture have attracted the attention of countless investors. In January 2025, a new meme coin emerged - $TRUMP, which was personally promoted by Donald Trump, who is about to enter the White House again. This coin not only sparked heated discussions in the market, but also pushed the boundary between politics and cryptocurrency to a new frontier of discussion. This article will analyze the ins and outs of $TRUMP for investors and discuss its market performance, token unlocking mechanism, potential opportunities and risks. ​ What is meme coins? Meme Coin is a type of cryptocurrency based on blockchain technology, usually themed on humor, satirical or pop culture elements. Unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum that aim to solve specific technological or financial problems, the value of meme coins is mainly based on community sentiment, social media hype and celebrity endorsement. They often have no clear practical uses, and their prices fluctuate violently, which may surge in a short period of time or return to zero quickly. For example, Dogecoin was originally a "joking" currency, but its market value once exceeded tens of billions of dollars due to the fuel of celebrities such as Elon Musk. This characteristic of meme coins makes it a paradise for speculators, but it also comes with extremely high risks. ​ The birth and background of $TRUMP On January 17, 2025, just three days before Trump’s second presidential inauguration, he announced the launch of the $TRUMP meme coin through his social media platforms Truth Social and X, calling it “the only official Trump meme coin.” The currency is based on the Solana blockchain, with an initial issuance of 200 million pieces and a planned total supply of 1 billion pieces. According to its official website, the $TRUMP logo is a cartoon image that depicts Trump raising his fist after an attempted assassination in July 2024, accompanied by the slogan "FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT" symbolizing his political resilience and the enthusiasm of his supporters. $TRUMP is run by Trump-owned CIC Digital LLC and another company called Fight Fight Fight LLC, which holds 80% of the remaining tokens. The Trump family also launched the World Liberty Financial project related to cryptocurrencies in 2024, showing their strong interest in the digital asset space. In addition, Trump's wife Melania Trump also released her own meme coin $MELANIA shortly after the launch of $TRUMP, further igniting the market's attention to the Trump family's crypto project. It is worth noting that Trump's attitude towards cryptocurrencies has undergone a significant change. He called cryptocurrency a "potential disaster" in 2021, but promised to build the United States into a "cryptocurrency capital" during the 2024 campaign and received substantial financial support from the crypto industry. This background provides political and market soil for the launch of $TRUMP. ​ Market performance: Fever and volatility coexist. Once $TRUMP was launched, it aroused the market's enthusiasm for pursuit. On the first day of issuance, the price of the currency soared from about $6.5 to a high of $75 on Sunday, and its market value once exceeded $14 billion, becoming the top 25 cryptocurrencies in the world. However, the craze did not continue. After Melania's $MELANIA coin was released, some capital diversion caused the price of $TRUMP to fall. As of late January 2025, the price of the coin was stable in the range of $30-45, with a market value of about $7.6 billion. According to data from blockchain analytics companies such as Chainalysis, $TRUMP has brought about $86 million to $100 million in transaction fee revenue to related entities within two weeks of its launch. Although there are many profitable investors among early investors, about 200,000 wallets holding small amounts of tokens suffered losses, highlighting the high-risk nature of meme coins. In early April 2025, after Trump announced the implementation of trade tariffs, the $TRUMP price fell to an all-time low of $9, showing its sensitivity to external economic policies. As of April 14, 2025, the latest price of $TRUMP is about $8, and the market is still paying close attention to its subsequent trends. ​ Token unlocking plan: How to release 800 million coins? ​ The total supply of $TRUMP is 1 billion, the initial circulation is 200 million, and the remaining 800 million (80%) are held by Trump-related entities. It is planned to be gradually unlocked within three years from April 18, 2025. The following are the specific arrangements for unlocking: ​ Total locked tokens: 800 million, locked until January 2028. Unlocking mechanism: After the first batch of large-scale unlocking, it enters the daily small-scale release mode to ensure transparency through smart contracts. 2025 unlock plan: April 18: The first batch of 40 million (4% of the total supply) is unlocked, worth approximately US$320 million to US$413 million (based on current US$8 estimates). This will increase the circulation to 240 million pieces, which may trigger short-term selling pressure. Starting from April 19: 500,000 (about US$4 million) will be released daily, and will continue until the end of the year and beyond. With the remaining 257 days in 2025, 128.5 million are expected to be unlocked. Total unlocked volume in 2025: approximately 168.5 million (40 million + 128.5 million), accounting for 21.06% of the locked tokens and 16.85% of the total supply. Subsequent arrangements: There may be a second major unlock in July 2025 (about 40 million, waiting to be confirmed), and then it will continue to be released daily until all unlocked in 2028. Market Impact: The first batch of unlocks may lead to price fluctuations, especially if early holders choose to take profits. Daily small releases are designed to smooth out supply shocks, but long-term accumulation may dilute prices. Investors need to pay attention to on-chain data (such as Tokenomist) and official website (gettrumpmemes.com) updates to evaluate the impact of unlocking on market sentiment. ​ Conclusion​ The $TRUMP meme coin is a bold collision between cryptocurrencies and the political stage. It not only carries the enthusiasm of Trump supporters, but also causes controversy over concentrated positions and unlocking pressure. As an investor, it is crucial to understand their market mechanisms, cultural background and unlocking plans. $TRUMP may bring opportunities for short-term speculators, but its high volatility and uncertainty reminds us that in this dramatic crypto world, prudence is always the first principle. ​ Before deciding whether to invest, you might as well ask yourself: Do you want to participate in a historic financial experiment, or are you more inclined toward steady wealth accumulation? The answer may guide you next.