Melania Meme Coin Sell-Off Raises Red Flags in Crypto Community

A recent analysis by blockchain tracker Lookonchain has sparked controversy in the cryptocurrency world, revealing that 82.18 million $MELANIA tokens—representing 8.22% of the total supply—were sold off by 44 wallets over the past four months. The transactions, executed across decentralized exchanges, netted 244,934 $SOL, equivalent to $35.76 million, according to data shared on X earlier today.

The $MELANIA token, marketed by MKT World LLC, a Florida-based company owned by Melania Trump, gained traction following its launch in early 2025, coinciding with a wave of politically themed meme coins. However, the coordinated sell-off, primarily through liquidity pool manipulations, suggests a potential pump-and-dump scheme.

Liquidity pools, a cornerstone of decentralized finance (DeFi), allow traders to influence token prices by adding or removing funds, a tactic detailed in blockchain studies (e.g., Qin et al., 2022, ACM Transactions on Economics and Computation). This strategy appears to have been exploited to cash out significant profits, leaving smaller investors vulnerable.

The timing of the sales aligns with the token’s peak hype, linked to a high-profile Trump gala event (Pintu News, May 2025), raising suspicions of insider trading. The crypto community’s reaction on X has been mixed, with some labeling it a “beautiful scam” and others questioning the involvement of the Trump family. This incident echoes broader concerns about unregulated meme coins, as highlighted in SEC reports from 2023, which warn of market manipulation in low-liquidity assets.

As the crypto market evolves in 2025, experts urge caution, advising investors to research thoroughly and avoid hype-driven tokens. The $MELANIA saga serves as a cautionary tale, underscoring the need for stronger regulatory oversight in the volatile world of meme coins.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. CoinCryptoNewz is not responsible for any losses incurred. Readers should do their own research before making financial decisions.