Cryptocurrency
Trump’s Meme Coin Makes Millions for a Select Few While Over 760,000 Wallets Suffer Losses
A recent investigation by CNBC’s MacKenzie Sigalos has revealed that Donald Trump’s meme cryptocurrency, dubbed $TRUMP or TrumpCoin, has created dramatic wealth disparity among investors. Just 58 crypto wallets have reportedly made millions from the token, while a staggering 764,000 wallets are currently sitting at a loss.
The Rise of TrumpCoin
Fueled by Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and his sudden embrace of cryptocurrency, TrumpCoin surged in popularity. The former president’s pivot toward crypto, now accepting Bitcoin and Ethereum donations, sent a signal to his base and the broader crypto market, triggering a buying frenzy. However, this rapid price surge followed a familiar pattern in the crypto world. Early adopters reaped significant profits, while latecomers entered the market as prices peaked, only to watch their investments plummet.
Winners and Losers in the Meme Coin Economy
Blockchain data confirms that the wallets that profited the most were either involved in the earliest trades or received large allocations before the token’s mainstream exposure. In contrast, the vast majority of retail investors who entered during peak hype have been left with depreciated holdings. This dynamic highlights a broader issue in the crypto ecosystem: a winner-takes-all structure where most users face outsized risk for limited reward.
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Digital Targeting and the Role of Cookie-Based Advertising
The spread of meme coins like TrumpCoin is closely tied to the digital advertising landscape. Companies such as NBCUniversal track user behaviour using cookies and other tools to deliver personalised content and ads. This includes interest-based advertising that can heavily promote crypto content to individuals based on browsing patterns.
While these tracking tools—such as measurement, analytics, and ad delivery cookies—are standard across the internet, they also contribute to the viral nature of speculative tokens. Investors may encounter frequent crypto promotions tailored specifically to their online habits, making falling into high-risk investment traps easier.
The Need for Caution and Transparency
Trump himself has not formally endorsed TrumpCoin, raising concerns about how such tokens gain traction through implication rather than verification. The situation underscores the urgent need for stronger regulatory frameworks, especially as political figures become entangled with crypto markets, whether directly or indirectly.
With election season ramping up and digital platforms delivering hyper-targeted political and financial content, investors must tread carefully. The lure of fast profits continues to attract newcomers, but as TrumpCoin illustrates, the cost of speculation often lands hardest on the many, not the few.
