Just hours before Donald Trump’s second inauguration as President, incoming First Lady Melania Trump announced the launch of her own cryptocurrency, named $MELANIA.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Melania Trump wrote, “The Official Melania Meme is live! You can buy $MELANIA now.” The announcement comes shortly after Mr. Trump unveiled his own meme coin, $TRUMP, which temporarily affected its value before stabilizing.

Built on the Solana Blockchain

According to its official website, $MELANIA operates on the Solana blockchain, a platform known for its efficiency and scalability. Meme coins, like $MELANIA and $TRUMP, are digital currencies inspired by individuals, characters, or cultural references. While these coins have seen value increases since their launch, they remain subject to high volatility.

A Symbolic Community Initiative

The websites for both $TRUMP and $MELANIA emphasize that these cryptocurrencies are not meant to be considered investment opportunities or securities. Instead, they are positioned as symbolic tokens representing their respective communities.

Donald Trump has described the $TRUMP coin as a way for his supporters to celebrate his return to the presidency. In a post on X, he wrote, “It’s time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING! Join my very special Trump Community.”

Market Valuation

As of now, the $TRUMP meme coin boasts a market valuation of approximately $12 billion, while $MELANIA stands at just over $2 billion, as reported by CoinMarketCap.

A Pro-Crypto Agenda

The launch of these tokens aligns with Donald Trump’s pro-cryptocurrency agenda. The president-elect has proposed issuing an executive order to prioritize crypto-friendly policies, marking a shift from the Biden administration’s regulatory approach, which focused on investigating the industry for fraud and money laundering concerns.

Trump has pledged to make the United States a “Bitcoin superpower” and to end what he calls the “persecution” of the cryptocurrency industry.

With the introduction of $MELANIA and $TRUMP, the Trump family appears to be embracing digital currencies as part of their broader political and cultural brand.