The memecoin sector is full of joke tokens offering little intrinsic value and lots of volatility, feeding criticism of the nascent industry as frivolous and risky.

Days ahead of Trump's inauguration as President of the United States, scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20, Trump launched the $TRUMP memecoin on crypto platform Solana. The President-elect posted the news from his official X account, making it as official as can be.

Within hours, TRUMP skyrocketed in value, climbing from pennies to over $50, with a market cap over $10 billion. The coin now ranks among the world’s top 20 digital assets, attracting both investors and critics. Trump’s business arm holds 80% of the tokens, set to release gradually during his presidency.