The incoming first couple have launched a pair of meme coins in the leadup to president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration that are already worth billions of dollars on paper. But the timing of the Trump cryptocurrency launch,

Donald Trump has launched a new meme coin, according to posts from his X and Truth Social accounts last night. The posts, which have come just days before Trump’s inauguration, were initially met with suspicion by many that his accounts had been hacked.

Melania Trump launched her own cryptocurrency, $MELANIA, following the success of her husband’s $TRUMP meme coin. Analysts see profit potential in $TRUMP, but ethics experts criticize it as exploiting the presidency. Meme coins like $TRUMP and $MELANIA are highly speculative, with limited utility and significant risks for traders.

The launch of the Trump token, which hit a $15 billion valuation, rides the trend and raises questions. Axios reporter Brady Dale explains what a meme coin is and what owners can actually do with them.

Days before his inauguration, President Donald Trump unveiled his own cryptocurrency called $TRUMP. The move raised eyebrows among experts in the field as it may entail a conflict of interest or undermine the adoption of the emerging technology.

Meme coins have always been divisive, but Trump and Melania’s entry into the space seems to be pushing some retail investors over the edge. A recent Stocktwits poll reveals that 31% of retail investors feel that the creation of these meme coins is driving their dislike for the crypto market,