From Launch to 3000% Surge: TRUMP Coin Challenges Pepe for Meme coin Dominance

A newly launched meme coin, $TRUMP, has taken the crypto world by storm, experiencing an astronomical surge of over 3000% in just 20 hours.

This rapid price rise has sparked speculation on whether it could challenge Pepe Coin for the title of the third-largest memecoin in the market.

The Rise of $TRUMP

Launched on January 17, 2025, the $TRUMP token quickly captured attention, fueled by an announcement from President-elect Donald Trump himself. Trump shared the launch news via his social media platforms, including Truth Social and X, propelling the token to new heights. Within hours of its debut, the price skyrocketed from $0.7 to $21.7, briefly reaching an all-time high of $24.50. As of now, it is trading at around $21.7, securing its place as the fourth-largest memecoin by market capitalization.

The announcement of the $TRUMP launch. Source: Donald J. Trump via X

The token’s success is not just a product of Trump’s personal endorsement but also the promotion of influential figures in the crypto community. Notable investors, including Anthony Pompliano, have expressed their enthusiasm for the new coin, hinting that it could become the next big thing in the meme coin space.

Pepe Coin’s Long-Standing Dominance

Pepe Coin is a frog-themed cryptocurrency that launched in 2023 and has been among the top coins within the meme coin market. The token saw a similarly aggressive rally upon launch like $TRUMP, to peak at $0.00002825 in December 2024. It has, however, seen some consolidation and currently trades at $0.00001888 with a market capitalization of $7.94 billion.

While writing this report, Pepe Coin was trading at $0.0001725, reflecting an 8.12% drop over the last 24 hours. Source:Brave New Coin

While Pepe Coin remains one of the top meme coins, many questions have been raised on whether the sudden surge by $TRUMP means it could overtake Pepe for third place in the near future. With its market cap recently surpassing $4.3 billion and trading volume hitting $5.16 billion, $TRUMP has shown significant demand, though it remains to be seen whether the momentum will last.

Skepticism Surrounds $TRUMP’s Legitimacy

Despite the token’s impressive surge, skepticism persists within the cryptocurrency community. Critics have raised concerns about the legitimacy of the $TRUMP coin, with some questioning whether the posts announcing the coin were authentic or the result of a hack. However, the involvement of CIC Digital, the official licensee behind Trump’s NFT projects, has confirmed that the launch is genuine. Still, concerns about transparency linger, especially with CIC Digital holding 80% of the token’s supply, which is subject to a three-year unlocking period.

The Trump meme coin price chart. Source: Brave New Coin

The lack of decentralization has raised doubts about whether $TRUMP can maintain the kind of market stability seen with other successful cryptocurrencies. Nevertheless, the token’s success so far has led to comparisons with other memecoins, notably Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, both of which have seen significant growth and established themselves as leading players in the meme coin sector.

In any case, the lack of decentralization raises several doubts about whether or not $TRUMP can provide the market stability typically seen with more successful cryptocurrencies. The heavy concentration of token supply with CIC Digital only adds to concerns over potential manipulation.

The Future of $TRUMP and Memecoin Rivalries

Looking ahead, the future of $TRUMP remains uncertain. If the current trend continues and the token maintains interest among investors, it might well challenge Pepe Coin for third place in the meme coin rankings. However, legitimacy and long-term viability are what will define the success of $TRUMP.

This means that, at this level, $TRUMP has brought fresh enthusiasm into the market for meme coins. Being a meme coin, like others in the same class, it has lots of risks with potential losses and drops that may come all of a sudden. Its swift rise, however, shows that the participation of celebrities as leaders of particular tokens will likely be increasingly relevant in cryptocurrency.

The competition between $TRUMP and Pepe Coin promises to keep the crypto community on edge. As both coins navigate the volatile landscape of the digital asset market, only time will tell whether $TRUMP can sustain its momentum and rise to prominence as one of the top memecoins.