The new crypto president launched a memecoin before appointing regulators. What could go wrong?
Welcome to the WLFI Era
Donald Trump’s return to the White House kicked off not with a policy speech but with the launch of a memecoin. On Jan. 20, while most presidents are busy being inaugurated, Trump’s family firm World Liberty Financial (WLFI) was busy launching its second token sale.
The WLFI token spiked early—because why not—but it’s currently untradeable and about as liquid as a concrete milkshake. Think of it as a crypto souvenir from the inauguration. “Collectible” might be the word.
Pro-Crypto Appointments: Gensler Who?
On day one, Trump started playing regulatory musical chairs. Out went Gary Gensler, widely considered crypto’s arch-nemesis, and in came Paul Atkins, a businessman with a friendlier take on digital assets. He wasn’t confirmed until April 21, but who's counting?
Trump also brought in David Sacks to lead his tech advisory council—a.k.a. the AI and crypto “czar.” Brian Quintenz, a known crypto supporter, was also tapped to head the CFTC. If nothing else, Washington suddenly spoke fluent blockchain.
$500 Billion Stargate Project: Is This Sci-Fi or Fiscal Policy?
On Jan. 21, Trump announced a $500 billion AI infrastructure plan called “Stargate,” led by OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle. Apparently, it's designed to reindustrialize America and make sci-fi nerds feel seen.
Jobs promised: 10,000. National security benefits: incalculable. Sci-fi metaphors: infinite.
Ross Ulbricht: Presidential Pardon Meets Crypto Martyr
Trump also made good on a long-teased campaign promise by commuting Ross Ulbricht’s life sentence. The founder of Silk Road, Ulbricht had become a cult figure for libertarians and crypto activists alike. Naturally, this earned Trump both praise and pushback—and probably a few new Twitter followers in the process.
Bye-Bye Digital Dollar
In another executive flex, Trump banned the U.S. from launching its own central bank digital currency (CBDC). To fill the void, he formed a “make America crypto again” working group instead. The goal? Make the U.S. the global hub for crypto—without launching any government-controlled coinage.
Libertarians cheered. Central bankers facepalmed.
Feb. 1: Trade War Reloaded
What’s a Trump presidency without a trade war? On Feb. 1, the U.S. slapped tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. Crypto and stock markets had a mini heart attack, and retaliations flew faster than meme stocks in 2021.
Trump eventually walked back the Canada and Mexico tariffs—but not before miners started sweating over hardware import costs.
Feb. 12: Vinnik-for-Fogel Swap Deal
In a headline that reads like a spy novel, the U.S. swapped Russian crypto launderer Alexander Vinnik for American schoolteacher Marc Fogel. One taught grammar; the other laundered billions. It’s the 2025 version of Cold War diplomacy—powered by Bitcoin.
Feb. 18: SBF Tries to Charm His Way Out
Sam Bankman-Fried gave an interview where he subtly hinted that he’d love a presidential pardon. “The Republicans were more reasonable,” he said, trying to score points with Team Trump.
Observers called it what it was: a soft PR pitch for clemency. (Spoiler alert: not going great.)
March 7: Bitcoin Reserve—Kind Of
Trump’s executive order created the “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.” Sounds impressive, right? But really, it’s just a pool for seized BTC—kind of like a blockchain lost-and-found.
Bonus feature: a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile filled with ETH, SOL, ADA, and XRP. Crypto maximalists were underwhelmed, but hey, it’s a start.
March 7: The White House Crypto Summit
Big names like Michael Saylor and Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong gathered at the White House to talk crypto policy. Some, like Chainlink’s Sergey Nazarov, were optimistic. Others, like Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson (not invited), were unimpressed.
Chainlink Co-Founder Sergey Nazarov will attend the White House Crypto Summit on Friday. In an interview on "Bloomberg Crypto," he discusses what to expect from the summit and what he thinks the administration's priorities should be https://t.co/g00MVmzD87 pic.twitter.com/z4MRnqQC9T
— Bloomberg TV (@BloombergTV) March 6, 2025
“We need laws, not luncheons,” was the vibe.
March 25: WLFI Goes Stable
WLFI launched a stablecoin, USD1, backed by U.S. Treasuries. All fine and dandy—until lawmakers raised red flags over the obvious conflict of interest: the President’s family launching a stablecoin while controlling the agencies regulating them.
Nothing suspicious about that at all.
April 2: “Liberation Day” Tariffs
Trump rolled out 10% tariffs on every country with tariffs on the U.S. and called it “Liberation Day.” Wall Street called it something else—like “crash day.”
Crypto miners, already grappling with price volatility and hardware inflation, braced for tighter margins. Economists warned of a medium-sized recession. Trump smiled for the cameras.
Anthony Scaramucci summed it up best: “Worst 95 days in modern presidential history.” Bold claim, Mooch.
April 25: Memecoin Dinners and Impeachment Chatter
Want dinner with the President? Easy—just hold $300,000 worth of his memecoin. That’s the rumor, anyway. The administration denied it, but the Internet had a field day.
Senator Jon Ossoff didn’t laugh. He called for impeachment over alleged pay-to-play crypto dinners. To be fair, the optics weren’t great.
The Verdict: A Wild First 100 Days
Love him or loathe him, Trump’s first 100 days have been anything but boring for the crypto world. Between the pardons, memecoins, and tariff tantrums, the space has seen unprecedented visibility—and equal controversy.
Whether Trump’s actions will catalyze meaningful crypto legislation or just flood the ecosystem with drama is anyone’s guess. But one thing’s for sure: no other U.S. president has done more for meme coins or to them.
Kataryna Habeliia
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