TRUMP, MELANIA, LIBRA, and more – Are memecoins now all about ‘influence for sale?’

Are we watching the beginnings of a new money making wagon?

Memecoins have shifted from jokes to financial tools backed by celebrities and politicians Evolving convergence of culture, politics, and crypto is raising new regulatory challenges

Once upon a time, memecoins were the Internet’s inside joke – Digital playthings conjured in the depths of Reddit and Telegram, fueled by irony, and driven by the belief that nothing really matters.

But it’s 2025, and everything matters now.

Politicians and celebrities aren’t just endorsing crypto; they’re turning themselves into tradable assets. A viral name, a headline, a tweet – They’re all liquidity now. These tokens have evolved beyond digital gimmicks. Instead, they’ve become status symbols, political statements, and financial wildcards. But are they a legitimate new asset class?

And if they are, who’s really pulling the strings?

When clout met currency

Think of U.S President Donald Trump.

His name has been attached to memecoins like MAGA and TRUMP – the former inspired by him and the latter officially launched by him – sparking wild price swings as traders try to front-run his next political move. First Lady Melania Trump launched a memecoin too, solidifying the Trump brand as a financial instrument in itself. Argentine President Javier Milei put his weight behind LIBRA, but the token collapsed after allegations of manipulation, leaving traders holding worthless assets.

The chaos isn’t limited to politicians though.

Internet star Hailey Welch found herself at the center of a pump-and-dump when a token launched in her name – without her consent – skyrocketed before crashing after she denounced it. Then there’s Kanye West, whose erratic crypto arc included warning fans of fake Ye tokens, teasing “Swasticoin,” and later deleting all evidence amid rumors of a crypto scam ring hijacking his social media.

These aren’t carefully constructed crypto ventures with long-term roadmaps. They are high-volatility gambits riding waves of clout and speculation. Peter Kris, CEO and Co-founder of Gasp, said it best when he told AMBCrypto,

“The value of memecoins linked to celebrities or public figures is mostly driven by hype and speculation, rather than real utility or innovation. These coins typically ride on the public figure’s popularity, but with so many being launched, their sustainability remains questionable.”

According to Kris, most of these tokens follow a predictable cycle of hype and crashes, generating short-term liquidity and engagement, rather than serving as meaningful long-term investments.

“While some celebrity-backed memecoins attract new users to crypto, their speculative nature – often resembling pump-and-dump schemes – risks driving people away from the space altogether.”

Navigating “meme-morphosis”

The lifecycle of these memecoins follows a predictable pattern.

A celebrity or politician gets linked to a token – whether through endorsement or association – driving retail speculation. Insiders and whales load up early, watching the price surge as FOMO sets in. Then liquidity dries up, insiders cash out, and retail traders are left holding the bag.

LIBRA’s implosion followed this exact script. In fact, on-chain analysis revealed large wallet outflows minutes before its price collapse, pointing to orchestrated dumping by early backers.

This isn’t about utility or innovation. It’s about attention.

In 2025, attention is the most liquid asset of all. When influence itself can be tokenized, the line between financial speculation and cultural allegiance vanishes. What was once a joke is now a market-moving force, and the question isn’t whether these tokens will keep popping up – It’s how far they will go before regulators (or realities) step in.

However, that doesn’t mean all memecoins are doomed to be short-lived pump-and-dumps. Kris told AMBCrypto that structured launches and utility could change the game.

“I believe there is a way to launch a memecoin without the pump-and-dump nature. For instance, in the past, there were popular Balancer bootstrapping pools that algorithmically enforced decreasing prices in the beginning, and that could avoid the extractive nature of memecoin launches.”

However, legitimacy is still a slippery concept. The mere involvement of celebrities gives projects an air of credibility – One that may not be deserved. As Kris warned,

“With celebrities now launching their own memecoins, projects often appear more legitimate than they actually are. Many follow the same pattern of big hype, rapid price surges, and inevitable crashes. The marketing tactics used, particularly celebrity endorsements, create a false sense of credibility and can mislead new investors.”

In a space where speculation trumps fundamentals – pun intended – the real winners aren’t the traders chasing the next hype cycle. Instead, they’re the ones setting the rules.

Memecoins and SEC – The regulatory tightrope

Regulators have been playing catch-up for years, but with politicians and celebrities minting memecoins at will, the pressure is mounting. The SEC, CFTC, and global watchdogs are now forced to answer a question that once seemed absurd – Are these tokens financial instruments or just internet spectacle?

The SEC has already laid the groundwork for crackdowns. In 2022, Kim Kardashian was fined $1.26 million for promoting a token without disclosing her $250,000 payout. By 2024, the agency had ramped up enforcement, bringing 33 crypto-related actions – 73% alleging fraud and 58% involving unregistered securities.

And yet, despite these aggressive moves, reports show a shifting stance of late. Under the current Trump administration, the SEC has started treading more lightly, even agreeing to drop a high-profile lawsuit against Coinbase – An unexpected victory for the industry.

The regulatory authority’s latest ruling – that memecoins aren’t securities – has opened the floodgates too.

Joe McCann, Founder, CEO, and CIO at Asymmetric, sees this as a pivotal moment. In an exclusive with AMBCrypto, the exec said,

“The SEC calling memecoins non-securities is obvious. I was the first institutional investor to trade them, catching Bonk’s 70x run in ’23 and watching Dogecoin lead in ’24. They’re cultural assets—not TradFi instruments.”

McCann also went on to state that with Trump’s $75B coin launch onboarding over a million users, any public figure can now follow suit without regulatory pushback. The current U.S. administration’s pro-crypto position is cutting red tape, boosting liquidity, and accelerating adoption.

“Could it invite exploitation? Sure. Some will flop—like TRUMP’s 83% drop—but the market sorts what lasts.”

Think about it – The market sorts what lasts.

Now, that could be the perfect tagline for the crypto industry, right?

Meanwhile, regulations outside the U.S. remain a patchwork. In Europe, MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) legislation will enforce stricter compliance, while Hong Kong has positioned itself as a crypto-friendly hub with clearer licensing frameworks. In less regulated jurisdictions, memecoins are running rampant, with little recourse for investors stuck with worthless bags. For those who choose to see memecoins as a legitimate asset class, the biggest danger lies in unchecked manipulation. According to Kris,

“The biggest risk with memecoins launched or endorsed by celebrities is market manipulation. High-profile endorsements can quickly create artificial demand and lead to speculative bubbles. Often, early buyers profit at the expense of later investors, leaving them exposed to significant losses.”

Regulatory steps forward could change that. In fact, better oversight of promotional tactics and financial disclosures from endorsers could also reduce risks.

“Increased oversight of marketing tactics and greater transparency around the financial interests of those endorsing these coins could help protect retail investors. This approach could help prevent people from being misled by hype-driven investments and reduce the risk of scams, creating a safer market for everyone involved.”

For now, the boundary between marketing and market manipulation remains dangerously thin. Without decisive action, it’s only a matter of time before another high-profile scandal forces regulators’ hands. Given the evolving nature of this space, will it be too late to step in?

Show me the money memecoins!

Memecoins are evolving into clout-powered money makers, but they could be more.

After Donald Trump’s 2025 election victory, TRUMP and MAGA coins exploded, riding the political victory wave. Within weeks, they surged by triple digits, fueled by speculation that Trump’s administration would adopt crypto-friendly policies. Data showed a sharp hike in whale transactions as traders positioned themselves around key political moments, Most notably, when Trump signaled openness to stablecoin regulations and blockchain-driven campaign fundraising.

The precedent is clear – It’s only a matter of time before candidates take a more direct approach. A politician-backed token could function as both a fundraising tool and a loyalty test. Unlike Super PACs, which operate in the shadows, these assets would be public, tradable, and driven by market sentiment. A single policy announcement could send prices soaring, creating a feedback loop where political influence directly translates into financial gains.

Regulators wouldn’t be able to – and shouldn’t – ignore it. If these tokens function as campaign financing tools, they could fall under election laws. If they promise returns, securities regulations might apply. But enforcement would be a logistical nightmare, given crypto’s decentralized and borderless nature.

Despite rug pulls in the past, retail traders keep coming back, drawn by the lure of fast profits. If a memecoin can generate wealth, headlines, and engagement all at once, future candidates won’t just exploit the opportunity – They’ll turn it into a campaign strategy.

I’m thinking of Francis Underwood’s face on a memecoin logo. Only the reality seems a lot less funny.

Memecoins – What does the future look like?

Memecoins aren’t just speculative distractions anymore. They’re a preview of a world where influence itself is tokenized. As politics, celebrity culture, and financial markets merge, engagement isn’t just clout, it’s capital.

A future where political campaigns issue tokens instead of soliciting donations isn’t far-fetched. Fanbases won’t just support their idols; they’ll stake real money on them. Memecoins won’t just reflect trends; they’ll manufacture them, reshaping markets, politics, and culture in ways we’re only beginning to grasp.

For some like McCann, this shift is inevitable.

“TRUMP was a loyalty play, and Solana’s memecoins give anyone a shot at tokenizing their identity. These tokens run on attention, not balance sheets, and TradFi still doesn’t get it.”

On inequality, it cuts both ways.

“Late traders can lose big, early movers cash out. But a $1K stake can turn into $2M—a chance you don’t get with savings when inflation’s at 8%. Trump’s coin onboarded a million users—open access, not elite gatekeeping. It won’t fix divides, but it will shift wealth for the sharp ones, not just the connected.”

This isn’t speculation anymore. It’s happening.

And, whether it fuels opportunity or deepens divides will depend on who learns to play the game first.

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