{{Short description|Cryptocurrency originating from internet meme}} {{protection padlock|small=yes}} {{use dmy dates |date=November 2023}} A '''meme coin''' (also spelled '''memecoin''') is a cryptocurrency that originated from an internet meme or has some other humorous characteristic.<ref name=dictionary.com>{{cite web | title=meme coin - Slang Dictionary | date=21 October 2021 | publisher=Dictionary.com | url=https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/meme-coin/ | access-date=2021-11-09 | archive-date=2022-07-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727205513/https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/meme-coin/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
The term is sometimes used interchangeably with the term '''shitcoin''', which typically refers to a cryptocurrency with little to no value, authenticity, or utility.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/02194361-a5b9-4bf0-9147-f36ba7759cf1|title=Turks flock to cryptocurrencies in search of stability|first1=Laura|last1=Pitel|first2=Eva|last2=Szalay|date=January 23, 2022|work=Financial Times}}</ref> It may be used in the broadest sense as a critique of the cryptocurrency market in its entirety — those based on particular memes such as Dogecoin, celebrities like Coinye, and pump-and-dump schemes such as BitConnect — or it may be used to make cryptocurrency more accessible.<ref name="times of india" />
Meme coins derive their price primarily from social media momentum and celebrity association.<ref name=WSJ-Osipovich-2025>{{cite news|accessdate=3 June 2025 |url=https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/trumps-biggest-meme-coin-investors-get-invited-to-dinner-with-the-president-c63adfb9 |title=Trump's Biggest Meme-Coin Investors Get Invited to Dinner With the President|date=23 April 2025|first1=Alexander |last1=Osipovich |first2= Josh |last2=Dawsey |first3=Amrith |last3=Ramkumar|newspaper=Wall Street Journal}}</ref> Their prices can skyrocket rapidly as new investors, drawn by viral attention or fear of missing out (FOMO), pour in funds. However, this growth is typically unsustainable, as the price depends heavily on a continuous influx of new buyers. When interest wanes or new investment slows, meme coins frequently experience sharp collapses, as there is little fundamental value to support their market capitalization, much like how Ponzi schemes rely on new capital to pay returns to earlier investors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buyer beware: How to spot (and avoid) rug pulls and pump-and-dump schemes |url=https://www.britannica.com/money/pump-and-dump-schemes |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>
The term is often used dismissively, comparing the value or performance of those cryptocurrencies to that of mainstream digital assets. Supporters, on the other hand, observe that some memecoins have acquired social currency and high market capitalizations.<ref name="times of india">{{cite web | title= What are meme coins, floki currencies and Dogecoin-killers? | work= The Times of India | date= 22 October 2021 | url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/cryptocurrency/dogecoin/what-are-meme-coins-floki-currencies-and-dogecoin-killers/articleshow/87209387.cms | access-date= 9 November 2021 | archive-date= 14 February 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220214033920/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/cryptocurrency/dogecoin/what-are-meme-coins-floki-currencies-and-dogecoin-killers/articleshow/87209387.cms | url-status= live }}</ref>
==History== In late 2013, Dogecoin was released after being created as a joke on the Doge meme by software engineers. This sparked the creation of more meme coins. In October 2021, there were 124 meme coins circulating. Notable examples include Dogecoin and Shiba Inu.<ref name="times of india"/>
In early 2021, Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission banned meme coins as part of a crackdown on digital goods with "no clear objective or substance".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thailand bans meme coins and NFTs as part of crypto crackdown |first=Saqib |last=Shah |url=https://www.engadget.com/thailand-bans-meme-coins-nft-113518980.html |access-date=2021-07-11 |date=June 14, 2021 |website=Engadget|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324062039/https://www.engadget.com/thailand-bans-meme-coins-nft-113518980.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In late 2021, advertisements promoting the meme coin Floki Inu in London led to investigations around promoting the meme coin, considered to be an unregulated financial product by the United Kingdom Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-11-17|title=Watchdog investigates tube adverts for Floki Inu cryptocurrency |first=Mark |last=Sweney |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/nov/17/advertising-watchdog-investigates-tube-adverts-for-floki-inu-cryptocurrency-elon-musk-dog|access-date=2022-01-10|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=2022-01-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110165529/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/nov/17/advertising-watchdog-investigates-tube-adverts-for-floki-inu-cryptocurrency-elon-musk-dog|url-status=live}}</ref> [[File:20250120 Market value of Trump meme coin.svg |thumb |After a brief initial rise, the price of the $Trump meme coin declined. About 764,000 people who invested after the all time high (ATH) on 19 January 2025 lost money.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sigalos |first=MacKenzie |date=2025-05-06 |title=58 crypto wallets have made millions on Trump's meme coin. 764,000 have lost money, data shows |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/06/trump-meme-coin-crypto.html |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Picchi |first1=Aimee |title=Trump's meme coin, which had fizzled in value, surges after offer of dinner with the president |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-coin-dinner-with-president-meme-coin-price/ |agency=CBS News |date=24 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260216171144/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-coin-dinner-with-president-meme-coin-price/ |archive-date=16 February 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref>]]
Meme coins increased in popularity in 2021 and 2022 when Elon Musk endorsed Dogecoin, one of the first meme coins.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-12 |title=If Elon Musk wrote this, the headline would be a meme & Dogecoin fortunes would've changed |first= Regina |last=Mihindukulasuriya |url=https://theprint.in/tech/if-elon-musk-wrote-this-the-headline-would-be-a-meme-dogecoin-fortunes-wouldve-changed/675264/ |access-date=2022-02-07|website=ThePrint|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207081811/https://theprint.in/tech/if-elon-musk-wrote-this-the-headline-would-be-a-meme-dogecoin-fortunes-wouldve-changed/675264/ |url-status=live}}</ref> He posted several tweets about the coin, including saying that Tesla-branded merchandise could be purchased with Dogecoin.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thorbecke |first1=Catherine |title=Dogecoin rallies after Elon Musk tweet |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/dogecoin-rallies-elon-musk-tweet/story?id=82265024 |access-date=15 February 2025 |work=ABC News |date=14 January 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bariso|first=Justin|date=2022-01-27|title=Elon Musk Offered to Eat a Happy Meal on TV. McDonald's Response Was Perfect|url=https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/elon-musk-mcdonalds-happy-meal-dogecoin-twitter-social-media-lesson.html|access-date=2022-02-07|website=Inc.com|language=en|archive-date=2022-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207081812/https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/elon-musk-mcdonalds-happy-meal-dogecoin-twitter-social-media-lesson.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Musk was sued by investors who accused him of using Dogecoin as an unregistered security to operate a pyramid scheme.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bushard |first1=Brian |title=Elon Musk, SpaceX And Tesla Sued For $258 Billion In Alleged Dogecoin 'Pyramid Scheme' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/06/16/elon-musk-spacex-and-tesla-sued-for-258-billion-in-alleged-dogecoin-pyramid-scheme/ |access-date=15 February 2025 |work=Forbes |date=16 June 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Elon Musk is accused of insider trading by investors in Dogecoin lawsuit {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/02/investing/elon-musk-dogecoin-lawsuit/index.html |access-date=15 February 2025 |work=CNN |agency=Reuters |date=2 June 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
Meme coins have seen a resurgence following Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 United States presidential election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wile |first=Rob |date=2024-12-15 |title=Memecoins like Fartcoin are riding Trump's victory to huge valuations. Experts say it may have only begun. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/personal-finance/memecoins-what-are-they-why-are-they-popular-cryptocurrency-rcna184223 |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=NBC News}}</ref> One such example is Fartcoin, whose valuation briefly surpassed $2 billion.<ref name="Quinn-2024"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=McGrath |first=Catherine |date=2024-12-19 |title=Ew: Fartcoin hits $1 billion market cap as memecoin market explodes |url=https://fortune.com/crypto/2024/12/19/fartcoin-1-billion-market-cap-memecoin-market-explodes/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=Fortune}}</ref><ref name="Morris-2024"/> Trump himself launched the meme coin $Trump three days before his second inauguration.<ref name=PoliticoJan1825>{{cite news|last=Goodman|first=Jasper|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/18/trump-crypto-meme-coin-inauguration-00199157|archive-url=|title=Trump launches crypto meme coin, ballooning net worth ahead of inauguration |date=18 January 2025|work=Politico|accessdate=18 January 2025|archivedate=}}</ref><ref name=BBCJan1825>{{cite news|last=Faguy|first=Ana|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vmym2jvy9o|archive-url=|title=Trump launches cryptocurrency with price rocketing|date=18 January 2025|work=BBC News|accessdate=18 January 2025|archivedate=}}</ref>
In February 2025, the President of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, announced a national memecoin, $CAR, on his official X account.<ref name="Asgari-2025">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d36700a4-023a-493e-85cf-2840d8b3ff78|title=Central African Republic's Trump-style memecoin crashes after launch|first1=Nikou|last1=Asgari|first2=Aanu|last2=Adeoye|date=February 11, 2025}}</ref> Soon after its launch, the project's X account was suspended amid questions about its legitimacy and because the announcement video had previously been flagged as a deepfake.<ref name="Asgari-2025" /> Despite continued promotion from Touadéra via his verified X account, the value of $CAR dropped by 95% on February 11—just one day after trading began.<ref name="Asgari-2025" />
==Rugpulls== {{main|Rugpull}} In December 2024, Haliey Welch, who became viral online for the "hawk tuah" meme, issued $HAWK and it reached a peak of $490 million before plummeting to $25 million. She was accused of promoting a pump-and-dump as well as engaging in a rug pull scheme and insider trading.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-06 |title=Hawk Tuah girl: Online star faces crypto coin criticism |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89xvjkzzyvo |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
During the memecoin frenzy of early 2025, hackers hijacked verified government X accounts, including those of the Cuban government, former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad, and Bihar's Water Resource Department, to promote fraudulent memecoins like "CUBA" and "MALAYSIA" on platforms like Pump.fun. These tokens surged before crashing, with CUBA's volume dropping from $158.7M to $4.3M and MALAYSIA's rug pull draining $1.7M. The Catholic News Agency and German President's Frank-Walter Steinmeier's accounts were also compromised to push similar scams by repurposing them to impersonate various figures promoting tokens.<ref>{{Cite news |last= Nath |first=Sanstuti |title=German President's X Account Hacked, Changed To Bihar Government's Profile |url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/german-presidents-x-account-hacked-changed-to-bihar-governments-profile-7724078 |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=NDTV |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-02-05 |title=Dr M's X account hacked, promoting crypto coin |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/02/05/dr-ms-x-account-hacked-promoting-crypto-coin |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=Free Malaysia Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Grosso |first=John |title=Reporter's Inbox: Catholic News Agency X account hacked, used to push crypto scam |url=https://www.ncronline.org/news/reporters-inbox-catholic-news-agency-x-account-hacked-used-push-crypto-scam |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=National Catholic Reporter |language=en}}</ref>
On 15 April 2025, hackers compromised UK Government Minister Lucy Powell's verified X account to promote a fraudulent "House of Commons" cryptocurrency ($HCC), using deleted posts with the House of Commons logo to tout it as a "community-driven digital currency."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morton |first=Becky |date=2025-04-15 |title=Minister Lucy Powell's X account hacked to promote crypto scam |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr5drp0n8zjo |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==As an investment== In January 2025, three US asset managers set out to launch exchange-traded funds investing in meme coins linked to Trump and Musk.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Steve |date=2025-01-28 |title=Memecoin ETF filings spark concerns over 'casino-type' speculation |url=https://www.ft.com/content/f857ee8c-c2ba-441f-b392-57adec640e15 |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=Financial Times}}</ref>
==Criticism== Commentators have compared meme coins with the speculative frenzy and collapse of the NFT market in 2022. American investor David Einhorn stated that, "We have reached the 'Fartcoin' stage of the market cycle ... Other than trading and speculation, it serves no other obvious purpose and fulfills no need that is not served elsewhere."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/21/david-einhorn-says-we-have-reached-the-fartcoin-stage-of-the-market-cycle.html|title=David Einhorn says we have reached the 'Fartcoin' stage of the market cycle|first1=Yun |last1=Li|first2=Jesse|last2=Pound|date=January 21, 2025|website=CNBC}}</ref> In February, more than 700 different copycat and spam coins were sent to Trump's digital wallet by people apparently seeking to falsely suggest they had his endorsement.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Asgari |first1=Nikou |last2=Hawkins |first2=Oliver |last3=Hemingway |first3=Eade |date=2025-02-07 |title=Donald Trump's memecoin copycats spark fears for investors |url=https://www.ft.com/content/831919a9-47b0-4ac3-bcdd-5154c27d9f9c |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=Financial Times}}</ref>
== List of major memecoins ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Coin name ! Ticker ! Year launched ! Named after ! Blockchain ! Peak market cap (US$) ! Notes |- | Dogecoin | DOGE | data-sort-value="2013" | 2013 | Doge | Dogecoin | data-sort-value="88000000000" | ~US$88 billion | Created as a satirical critique of the 2013 cryptocurrency boom and later boosted by celebrity promotion (notably Elon Musk).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-05-24 |title=Kabosu, the face of cryptocurrency Dogecoin, dies at 18, owner says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/kabosu-face-cryptocurrency-dogecoin-dies-18-owner-says-2024-05-24/ |access-date=2025-12-24 |work=Reuters}}</ref> Musk-related posts were associated with surges in trading and price.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Isidore |first=Chris |date=2021-02-04 |title=Elon Musk tweeted. Dogecoin surged more than 50% |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/04/investing/elon-musk-dogecoin/index.html |website=CNN |access-date=2025-12-24}}</ref> In November 2024, Dogecoin spiked after Trump announced a "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Macheel |first=Tanaya |date=2024-11-13 |title=Dogecoin spikes after Trump announces a Department of Government Efficiency — DOGE |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/13/dogecoin-surges-20percent-after-trump-announces-a-department-of-government-efficiency-doge.html |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Foley-2025">{{Cite news |last=Foley |first=John |date=2025-01-20 |title=What's the value of Trump's new memecoin? |url=https://www.ft.com/content/d9e383a5-b13c-47bf-9f90-e15be797e926 |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=Financial Times}}</ref> |- | Shiba Inu | SHIB | 2020 | Shiba Inu | Ethereum | data-sort-value="43000000000"|~US$43 billion | Ethereum-based meme coin created in August 2020<ref name="Foley-2025"/> |- | Floki Inu | FLOKI | data-sort-value="2021" | 2021 | A dog owned by Elon Musk | BNB Chain | data-sort-value="2300000000" | US$2.3 billion | Dog-themed memecoin inspired by Musk's Shiba Inu dog "Floki", it was launched in June 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/741bc6ac-74cc-405b-a9f3-93d2a98bfeca|title='Meme coin' Floki Inu's London marketing blitz probed by UK ad watchdog |date=November 17, 2021 |website=Financial Times}}</ref> In 2022, the Advertising Standards Authority banned the advertisement of token in the UK.<ref name="GuardianFlokiBan2022">{{Cite news |last=Sweney |first=Mark |date=2022-03-02 |title=Watchdog bans London tube Floki Inu cryptocurrency ad campaign |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/mar/02/watchdog-bans-floki-inu-cryptocurrency-campaign-on-london-tube-elon-musk |work=The Guardian |access-date=2025-12-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/eecfbebc-89b6-4edd-9453-48a2ce711d06|title=UK regulator says Floki Inu breached advertising standards|first=Joshua|last=Oliver|date=March 2, 2022|website=Financial Times}}</ref> |- | Baby Doge Coin | BABYDOGE | 2021 | A variant of Doge | BNB Chain | data-sort-value="1150000000" | ~US$1 billion | Dog-themed memecoin launched in 2021 as a variant of Dogecoin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/26/22550256/dogecoin-baby-doge-coin-explainer/|title=What is Baby Doge Coin and how much is it worth?|first=Herb|last=Scribner|date=October 7, 2021|website=Deseret News}}</ref><ref name="What is Baby Doge-2021">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90652566/what-is-baby-doge-what-to-know-about-the-son-of-dogecoin-cryptocurrency|title=What is Baby Doge? What to know about the 'Son of Dogecoin' cryptocurrency|date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> It drew widespread attention after Elon Musk tweeted about it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/2021/7/5/22559230/baby-doge-coin-dogecoin-elon-musk/|title=Baby Doge coin just spiked because of Elon Musk|date=July 5, 2021|website=Deseret News}}</ref><ref name="What is Baby Doge-2021"/> |- | Bonk | BONK | data-sort-value="2022" | 2022 | Bonk Meme | Solana | data-sort-value="3000000000" | ~US$3 billion | Solana dog-themed memecoin launched December 2022. Reported market cap around US$3 billion during late-2024 memecoin rally; described as created after the collapse of FTX to cheer up Solana traders.<ref name="Asgari-2024">{{Cite news |last=Asgari |first=Nikou |date=2024-12-04 |title=Billion dollar squirrel: Trump effect fuels crypto's 'memecoin' boom |url=https://www.ft.com/content/66fe7655-704a-407f-8f20-a3f081296a36 |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=Financial Times}}</ref> |- | Pepe | PEPE | data-sort-value="2023" | 2023 | Pepe the Frog | Ethereum | data-sort-value="11370000000" | ~US$11.37 billion | Memecoin referencing Pepe the Frog; launched in April 2023.<ref name="Foley-2025"/> |- | dogwifhat | WIF | data-sort-value="2023" | 2023 | Dog | Solana | data-sort-value="4844000000"|~$4.84 billion | Launched during the memecoin boom in late 2023 as a dog-themed token, Dogwifhat drew widespread attention after Stratos, a firm based in Newport Beach, California, launched a liquid fund that held the token as an investment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-23/hedge-funds-lured-by-returns-of-memecoins-like-dogwifhat-wif |title=Hedge Funds Are Succumbing to Mind-Boggling Returns of Memecoins |first=Olga |last=Kharif |date=April 23, 2024 |website=Bloomberg}}</ref> |- | Peanut the Squirrel | PNUT | data-sort-value="2024" | 2024 | Peanut | Solana | data-sort-value="1200000000" | ~US$1.2 billion | Solana-based token inspired by "Peanut" (an orphaned squirrel euthanised by New York State authorities), it was launched during the memecoin boom after the 2024 U.S. election.<ref name="Asgari-2024"/> |- | Pudgy Penguins | PENGU | data-sort-value="2024" | 2024 | Pudgy Penguins | Solana | data-sort-value="2864400000" | ~US$2.9 billion | Launched on Solana on 17 December 2024. In 2025, an ETF proposal linked to the Pengu token and Pudgy Penguins NFTs was filed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-06-04 |title=The most grimly inevitable ETF filing of 2025 |url=https://www.ft.com/content/0232809d-4d22-4dba-8462-603bd15bd3da |access-date=2025-12-24 |work=Financial Times}}</ref> |- | Fartcoin | FARTCOIN | data-sort-value="2024" | 2024 | Fart | Solana | data-sort-value="2300000000" | US$2.3 billion | Started trading in late October 2024 and was reported at nearly a US$800 million market cap by mid-December 2024.<ref name="FastCompanyFartcoin">{{Cite magazine |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=2024-12-16 |title=What is Fartcoin? And why is it soaring right now? |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91248014/what-is-fartcoin-why-memecoin-soaring-right-now-cryptocurrency |access-date=2025-12-24 |magazine=Fast Company}}</ref><ref name="Quinn-2024">{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Sental |date=2024-12-17 |title=Fartcoin rides memecoin surge following Trump's win |url=https://www.salon.com/2024/12/17/fartcoin-rides-memecoin-surge-following-win/ |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Salon.com}}</ref><ref name="Morris-2024">{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=2024-12-16 |title=What is Fartcoin? And why is it soaring right now? |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91248014/what-is-fartcoin-why-memecoin-soaring-right-now-cryptocurrency |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Fast Company}}</ref> ''The Guardian'' reported a peak market capitalisation of more than US$2.3 billion.<ref name="GuardianMemecoins2025">{{Cite news |last=Turk |first=Victoria |date=2025-02-09 |title=From Dogecoin to $Trump: everything you need know about the wild world of meme coins |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/09/from-dogecoin-to-trump-everything-you-need-know-about-the-wild-world-of-meme-coins |access-date=2025-12-24 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> |- | Official Trump | TRUMP | data-sort-value="2025" | 2025 | Donald Trump | Solana | data-sort-value="14500000000" | ~US$14.5 billion | Launched by Donald Trump on January 17, 2025; Reuters reported a peak market value over US$14.5 billion by January 19, 2025, followed by a large decline.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Tom |last2=Conlin |first2=Michelle |date=2025-02-03 |title=Exclusive: Trump's meme coin made nearly $100 million in trading fees, as small traders lost money |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/trumps-meme-coin-made-nearly-100-million-trading-fees-small-traders-lost-money-2025-02-03/ |access-date=2025-12-24 |work=Reuters}}</ref> The launch and subsequent losses were widely reported and scrutinized.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Lipton |first1=Eric |last2=Yaffe-Bellany |first2=David |date=2025-02-09 |title=Early Crypto Traders Had Speedy Profit on Trump Coin as Others Suffered Losses |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/09/us/politics/trump-crypto-memecoin.html |access-date=2025-02-10 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="Foley-2025"/> |- | Melania Meme | MELANIA | data-sort-value="2025" | 2025 | Melania Trump | Solana | data-sort-value="2200000000" | ~US$2.2 billion | Launched January 19, 2025 by Melania Trump.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Chloe |date=2025-01-20 |title=Melania Trump launches cryptocurrency ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/20/melania-trump-launches-cryptocurrency-ahead-of-donald-trumps-inauguration.html |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> Reported market cap around US$2.2 billion shortly after launch.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Melania Trump's meme coin hits $2 billion mcap; here's how to buy |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/business/sme-melania-trumps-meme-coin-hits-2-billion-mcap-heres-how-to-buy-3720229/ |access-date=2025-12-24 |website=Financial Express}}</ref> Bloomberg reported the coin was down about 90% from its peak by February 6, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mulima |first1=Monique |last2=Shukla |first2=Sidhartha |date=2025-02-06 |title=Melania Memecoin is Down 90 Percent From Peak as Novelty Value Wanes |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-06/melania-memecoin-is-down-90-from-peak-as-novelty-value-wanes |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Bloomberg}}</ref><ref name="Foley-2025"/> |- | $CAR | CAR | data-sort-value="2025" | 2025 | Central African Republic | Solana | data-sort-value="600000000" | ~US$600 million | Announced February 10, 2025 by the Central African Republic's president Faustin-Archange Touadera as an "experiment" in national development.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-02-11 |last= Rukanga |first=Basillioh |title=Cryptocurrency: Central African Republic leader launches meme-coin 'experiment' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly5x0vpen8o |access-date=2025-02-15 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> |- | $LIBRA | LIBRA | data-sort-value="2025" | 2025 | Viva La Libertad | Solana | data-sort-value="4500000000" | ~US$4.5 billion | Promoted by Argentine president Javier Milei beginning February 14, 2025; the launch drew controversy and legal scrutiny after a rapid collapse in value.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Alcoba |first1=Natalie |last2=Cholakian Herrera |first2=Lucía |last3=Zhuang |first3=Yan |title=Argentine Leader Draws Fire After Cratering of Crypto Coin He Promoted |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/world/americas/argentina-milei-crypto-trump.html |access-date=2025-02-17 |work=The New York Times |date=2025-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Tarricone |first1=Manuel |last2=Corti |first2=Delfina |title=Javier Milei promocionó la criptomoneda $LIBRA que luego perdió su valor rápidamente: 5 claves para entender el tema |url=https://chequeado.com/el-explicador/javier-milei-promociono-la-criptomoneda-libra-que-luego-perdio-su-valor-rapidamente-5-claves-para-entender-el-tema/ |publisher=Chequeado |access-date=2025-02-17 |language=es |date=2025-02-16}}</ref> Reuters cited researchers describing a peak valuation around US$4.5 billion before it crashed.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Howcroft |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Elliott |first2=Lucinda |last3=Lang |first3=Hannah |date=2025-02-21 |title=Politician-linked meme coins backfire after Libra scandal |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/politician-linked-meme-coins-backfire-after-libra-scandal-2025-02-21/ |access-date=2025-12-24 |work=Reuters}}</ref> |}
==See also== *Meme stock *Rug-pull scheme *Pump and dump scheme *Pump.fun - Popular Solana token creation platform where many memecoins originate
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Cryptocurrencies Category:Meme coins