K33 Research flags Trump memecoin's 'horrendous' tokenomics but highlights no immediate supply concerns

Quick Take

  • The Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin surged over 12% in the past day — trading above $42 — despite widespread criticism of its tokenomics and a pullback from its peak $14.5 billion market cap.
  • Meanwhile, Melania Meme (MELANIA), a memecoin associated with the First Lady, briefly reached a $2 billion market cap but has since lost momentum, declining by over 9% in the past 24 hours.

The Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin has surged over 12% in the past 24 hours, climbing back above the $42 mark, according to The Block's Price Page. Analysts suggest investors don’t need to worry about a supply shock for the next three months, despite criticism of its "poor tokenomics."

Launched less than 72 hours before his inauguration, the Official Trump memecoin quickly soared to a $14.5 billion market cap, before pulling back to a current value of $8.4 billion. "Official Trump tokenomics are poor, but with no unlocks for 3 months, there is a decent stretch without worry of new supply," K33 Research DeFi analyst David Zimmerman said in a report on Wednesday.

Currently, 20% of the Official Trump supply is in circulation. Half of this circulating supply was allocated for liquidity, while the other half was offered to the public. The remaining 80% is locked and will be released gradually over a 36-month period. These locked tokens are divided among six entities, labeled “Creators and CIC Digital 1-6.”

Each group faces a lock-up period ranging from 3 to 12 months, after which an initial unlock cliff of 10% or 25% will be followed by daily unlocks over two years. The first unlock, affecting the "Creators" and "CIC Digital 1," is scheduled for three months from now.

Zimmerman noted that such tokenomic structures are outdated for memecoins, as the market increasingly favors projects with fully circulating supply at launch. “There’s no sugar-coating this—these tokenomics are horrendous for a memecoin,” he added.

According to the K33 Research report, Trump has an established licensing deal with CIC Digital and CIC Ventures, two firms owned by The Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust. "It is not clear exactly who the 'Creators' are, but Trump will have a significant financial interest in the memecoin through CIC Digital," Zimmerman said.

Melania Meme struggles to regain momentum

Riding on Official Trump’s momentum, the U.S. First Lady launched her own memecoin, Melania Meme (MELANIA), on Sunday. Within 12 hours, Melania Meme skyrocketed in value 250 times, reaching a market cap of over $2 billion. Similar to Official Trump, the tokenomics include substantial allocations for the “team,” “treasury,” and “community."

However, Melania Meme offers a more aggressive unlock schedule, with an initial lock-up of just 30 days, followed by a 10% team unlock and linear vesting over 12 months.

Melania Meme has declined by over 9% in the past 24 hours, now priced at $4.00, according to The Block's Price Page.


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© 2024 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

About Author

Brian McGleenon is a UK-based markets reporter for The Block. He has worked as a financial journalist and producer for multiple news outlets over the years, such as Fuji Television, The Independent, Yahoo Finance, The Evening Standard, and The Daily Express. Brian is also a screenwriter and producer with one feature film produced and one in development with Northern Ireland Screen. Apart from web3 and cryptocurrency developments, he is also interested in geopolitics, environmental issues, artificial intelligence, and longevity research. Get in touch via email [email protected].

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