TheInterviewTimes.com | February 22, 2026 | 06:15 AM IST | New Delhi
Trump family memecoins Official Trump and Melania Meme have crashed over 90% from peaks, causing $4.3 billion in retail investor losses while insiders profit $600 million. Latest updates on political fallout and token unlocks.
Trump family-linked memecoins have triggered massive losses for retail investors one year after their launch. The Official Trump (TRUMP) token and Melania Meme (MELANIA) token, introduced on Solana just before and after President Donald Trump’s January 2025 inauguration, have dropped 91.8% and 98.8% from all-time highs, respectively. Blockchain analytics firm CryptoRank reports that nearly two million wallets now face over $4.3 billion in combined losses, marking the largest retail wipeout in political memecoin history.
Launched on January 17, 2025, the TRUMP token surged from $1.20 to a peak of $75 within days, reaching a $27 billion market cap before collapsing. By February 22, 2026, its price stands at around $3.50, with a market cap of about $813 million. The MELANIA token, released the next day, hit $13.73 at its high but now trades at $0.12, a 99% decline from peak. Insiders, including Trump-affiliated firms CIC Digital and Fight Fight Fight LLC, control 80% of the one billion TRUMP supply, which unlocks gradually until 2028. These entities have extracted over $600 million via fees and early sales, with whales profiting $1.8 billion while retail holders bore 20 times the losses.
Early data from Chainalysis highlighted the imbalance. Within weeks of launch, 813,000 wallets lost $2 billion, and by May 2025, 764,000 of two million buyers were underwater, contrasted by 58 whales each gaining over $10 million, totaling $1.11 billion. Concentration remains extreme: 94% of supply sits in 40 large wallets, and top 10 holders control over 92%. Ongoing unlocks, like 50 million TRUMP tokens in January 2026 and 90 million during 2025’s “Crypto Week,” added selling pressure amid congressional votes on bills like GENIUS and CLARITY Acts.
The saga has ignited fierce political backlash. House Democrats introduced the MEME Act in February 2025 to bar officials and families from issuing or endorsing digital assets, with retroactive penalties. Representative Maxine Waters proposed the Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act to curb such schemes. Senate resolutions condemned the ventures, complicating crypto legislation as Democrats cited “crypto corruption.” Critics like Representative Jamie Raskin warn memecoins could dismantle campaign finance laws, while President Trump pushes U.S. as “crypto capital” via a proposed reserve.
As February 2026 unfolds, $2.7 billion in locked insider tokens looms over recovery hopes. Fight Fight Fight LLC sought $200 million to $1 billion for buybacks, but prices continue sliding amid volatility. Retail investors, drawn by political hype, now grapple with a market rigged toward early holders. This episode underscores risks in politically themed cryptocurrencies, blending speculation, influence, and regulation.
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