Melania Trump has officially joined the cryptocurrency craze, and, as you’d expect, she’s done it with a bit of flair, timing, and—ironically—controversy. Just hours before her husband Donald Trump’s second inauguration as U.S. president, Melania announced her meme-inspired cryptocurrency, aptly named $MELANIA.
The announcement, made on her social media account on January 19, immediately set off a firestorm of reactions, ranging from intrigue to eye-rolls. Whether you think it’s genius or pure opportunism, there’s no denying the splash the coin has made in the meme-coin pool.
Melania Trump’s Crypto Venture: What You Need to Know About $MELANIA
Melania Trump launched a meme-inspired crypto, the Melania Trump Coin ($MELANIA). Its price surged after launch, hitting $11.16. To buy, visit her official site or use Solana-based crypto platforms. Wondering where and how? Use a wallet, fund it with Solana, and swap for $MELANIA!
The Official Melania Meme is live!
You can buy $MELANIA now. https://t.co/8FXvlMBhVf
FUAfBo2jgks6gB4Z4LfZkqSZgzNucisEHqnNebaRxM1P pic.twitter.com/t2vYiahRn6
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) January 19, 2025
So, what exactly is the $MELANIA coin? In her post on the platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Melania boldly proclaimed, “The Official Melania Meme is live! You can buy $MELANIA now.” A closer look at the coin reveals it’s hosted on the Solana blockchain and falls firmly into the “meme coin” category. Much like Dogecoin or Shiba Inu, the token isn’t tied to any underlying financial asset or backed by revenue streams. Instead, it functions primarily as a kind of collectible, wrapped in the glamour of Trump-world.
According to the coin’s official website, it represents “support for and engagement with the values embodied by MELANIA.” That’s crypto-speak for “buy it because you like Melania, or at least the idea of her.”
Meme coins, by design, rely heavily on hype rather than utility, and $MELANIA is no exception. To her credit, Melania is hardly the first to dive into this market—her husband launched his own cryptocurrency, $TRUMP, just days earlier. While $TRUMP initially surged to become one of the largest meme coins on Solana, Melania’s launch briefly stole his thunder. Within hours of $MELANIA going live, $TRUMP’s price nosedived 50%, though it eventually recovered most of its value. As of January 20, $TRUMP trades at around $53, while $MELANIA sits at approximately $11. Both coins, collectively, have captivated the crypto world with their dramatic price swings and intense media attention.
$MELANIA is making waves!#Melania Trump’s meme coin is gaining traction — should we list it on CoinRabbit? 🤔 Let us know what you think!https://t.co/UdzMeRDTau pic.twitter.com/7vjtoecX8X
— CoinRabbit (@CoinRabbitLoans) January 20, 2025
Let’s talk numbers because that’s where things get wild. When $MELANIA launched late on Sunday, its initial price skyrocketed by an eye-watering 2,160%, climbing to $0.1261 by 8 a.m. on January 20, with a market cap of $5.71 million. That’s no small feat for a meme coin that essentially appeared overnight. By January 20, the token continued to climb, reaching $11.16, with a new market cap of $2.15 billion. For context, that places Melania’s creation just a few ranks below established meme coins like Dogecoin but far above numerous obscure tokens.
Of course, it would be remiss not to address the elephant—or maybe the golden elephant—in the room: the timing of $MELANIA’s release. Critics have been quick to point out that launching a personal cryptocurrency just before a high-profile political event, like Donald’s inauguration, feels a tad opportunistic. Some argue the Trumps are cashing in on the crypto hype rather than focusing on public service. After all, $TRUMP and $MELANIA aren’t traditional investments; they’re digital baubles for a very specific audience. And while Melania’s website explicitly disclaims any financial advice—stating the coin is “not intended as an investment opportunity”—the potential for speculation is baked into the meme-coin culture.
How to Invest in Melania Trump Coin: A Beginner’s Guide
So, how can you get in on the $MELANIA action if you’re intrigued by this surreal intersection of crypto and celebrity culture? Buying it is straightforward, with several options available. The easiest way is through her official website, which provides direct purchase options using either a debit card or cryptocurrencies like Solana. For those who prefer to trade like seasoned crypto enthusiasts, decentralized exchanges (DEXs) that support Solana offer another route.
You missed the $TRUMP coin, here’s your chance to make it right.
Buy the $MELANIA coin, President Trump’s wife.
CA:FUAfBo2jgks6gB4Z4LfZkqSZgzNucisEHqnNebaRxM1P pic.twitter.com/zFaMquLxXn
— Juno (@Junoweb_3) January 20, 2025
To get started, download and set up a compatible crypto wallet, transfer some base currency (like Ethereum or Solana) into it, and connect to your chosen DEX. From there, search for $MELANIA using its official contract address (FUAfBo2jgks6gB4Z4LfZkqSZgzNucisEHqnNebaRxM1P), and swap your base currency for the coin. It’s that simple—or chaotic, depending on your view of crypto.
Speaking of chaos, there’s no ignoring the parallels between Melania’s coin and her husband’s digital endeavors. Donald’s $TRUMP coin is also a Solana-based meme coin, launched just before $MELANIA, with its own loyal following. It debuted with promises of being a “piece of history,” and by some measures, it is. Over the weekend, $TRUMP managed to amass a market value of $14 billion, solidifying its position as a giant among meme coins. However, the introduction of $MELANIA pointed at a peculiar rivalry, with traders eagerly swapping between the two tokens, creating dramatic swings in both markets.
Trump coin before and after Melania coin was announced pic.twitter.com/HITaqs4EgK
— Spinachbrah 🥗 (@basedspinach) January 19, 2025
Cryptocurrency, in general, thrives on narratives, and the Trump family offers no shortage of those. From Donald’s promises to make America the “crypto capital of the world” to his appointment of a “crypto czar,” their embrace of blockchain represents a notable pivot. Just a few years ago, Trump publicly criticized Bitcoin and other digital assets, calling them “a scam.” Today, his about-face as a crypto champion offers further evidence for how politics and economics often collide in surprising ways.
For now, the $MELANIA coin stands as a curious cultural artifact. It’s not about technological innovation or solving real-world problems. Instead, it represents a unique chapter in the saga of a family that thrives on attention. Whether it becomes a collectible with staying power or joins the long list of meme-coin fizzles remains to be seen. What’s certain is that Melania and Donald have, once again, captured the world’s attention—one coin flip at a time.
