Celebrity meme coins have recently surged in popularity, with figures like Elon Musk, Donald and Melania Trump, and Javier Milei driving significant traffic to this speculative trading area. Once limited to artists and influencers, the meme coin craze has attracted the attention of political leaders.

In an interview with BeInCrypto, industry leaders from BingX, Titan, Bitget, and Trust Wallet discussed the general appeal of meme coins, their associated risks, underlying advantages, and future prospects in the broader crypto sector.

Celebrity Endorsements of Meme Coins

Meme‬‭ coins‬‭ generate‬‭ significant excitement in the cryptocurrency market,‬‭ attracting‬‭ investor‬‭ interest.‬‭ The accessibility of meme coins to crypto and non-crypto users, combined with their simple launch process, has led to a rise in celebrity-backed tokens.

“At their best, meme coins capture a unique cultural vibe and spark contagious‬ community virality. Celebrities amplify this effect by adding an instant dose of‬‭ mainstream appeal and social media buzz, effectively lighting a viral fuse,” said Eowyn Chen‬‭, CEO of Trust Wallet‬.

When regulatory obstacles hinder crypto project promotion, meme coins have emerged as a practical marketing alternative for developers. Renowned experts like crypto analyst Miles Deutscher have also spoken about the particular allure meme coins initially had on smaller retail investors. 

Deutscher argued that the rise of platforms like Pump.fun can be interpreted as a reaction to former SEC Chair Gary Gensler’s aggressive crackdown on the crypto industry. According to him, Pump.fun was created in direct response to the increasing difficulty of launching fair projects. 

To a certain extent, Chen agrees with this analysis. 

“On one hand, strict regulations have forced many projects that might have launched as ‘serious’ utility tokens to reinvent themselves as meme coins. These tokens offer wild, unpredictable price swings that‬‭ attract speculators—so much so that exchanges rush to list them. On the other hand,‬‭ meme coins tap into a cultural vibe that’s both rebellious and humorous,” she said.

Chen also provided a historical and sociological explanation for the rising trend of meme coins.

Generational Trends and the Rise of Meme Coins

In the 1990s, playwright William Strauss and historian Neil Howe coined the term known as the Strauss-Howe hypothesis. According to this theory, the progression of human society is closely linked to generational change, exhibiting patterns that repeat over approximately 80 to 100 years. 

These cycles feature four generations vying for power, leading to an inflection point that forces substantial social and political restructuring. Inspired by this theory, author G. Michael Hopf later developed a quote that represents these four cycles:

“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times,” the quote reads. 

According to Chen, we are currently in the last phase, where weak men create hard times, and we use meme coins to mock them.

“According to Strauss–Howe generational theory, we’re in the ‘Fourth Turning,’ a time when people expect the future to be bleak—think economic doldrums, looming wars,‬‭ and a general ‘what’s the point?’ attitude. When life feels like a constant lottery, why not bet on a coin that’s as unpredictable as your dorm roommate’s cooking? Meme coins, with their irreverent, joker-style humour, let people laugh at the establishment while secretly hoping for a visionary revival. They’re not just investments; they’re a way to vent‬‭ frustration, embrace risk, and even find a bit of community spirit—all with a wink and a‬‭ nod,” she explained. 

Though these meme coins may offer a reprieve from a bleak future, the question remains whether they‬‭ represent‬‭ a‬‭ viable‬‭ long-term‬‭ investment or simply a fad.‬

The Meme Coin Allure Among Public Figures

Several public figures have spotted the attractive prospects of meme coins. Their accessibility and ease of use have drawn high-profile names to launch their own tokens.

“The‬‭ surge‬‭ in‬‭ meme‬‭ coin‬‭ popularity‬‭ coincides‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ rise‬‭ of‬‭ decentralized‬‭ platforms‬‭ and‬‭ social‬‭ media-inspired‬‭ applications,‬‭ which‬‭ make‬‭ it‬‭ easy‬‭ for‬‭ anyone‬‭ with‬‭ a‬‭ wallet‬‭ to‬‭ launch‬‭ a‬‭ token.‬‭ Celebrities‬‭ recognized‬‭ this‬‭ as‬‭ an‬‭ opportunity‬‭ to‬‭ monetize‬‭ their‬‭ following‬‭ and‬‭ strengthen‬‭ engagement‬‭ with‬‭ fans,” Vivien Lin, Chief Product Officer at BingX, told BeInCrypto.

Given that younger generations tend to use meme coins the most, celebrities can use these types of token launches to engage the majority of their fan bases.

“‬Now, throw some celebrity sparkle into the mix. When a public figure launches a‬‭ memecoin, they might think in simple terms: this can connect with younger, digital native, grassroots public to signal that it’s cool. And of course, the tokens seem to be able to grow with unimaginable speed and value, that boost a lot of financial motivations behind‬‭ as well,” said Chen. 

In fact, the current wave of celebrity meme coins isn’t particularly unique. It mirrors past crypto waves that used different strategies to produce similar outcomes.

“This‬‭ wave‬‭ of‬‭ celebrity‬‭ meme‬‭ coins‬‭ bears‬‭ similarities‬‭ to‬‭ earlier‬‭ NFT‬‭ trends,‬ where‬‭ celebrities‬‭ launched‬‭ collections‬‭ promising‬‭ exclusive‬‭ experiences‬‭ for‬‭ fans.‬‭ Both‬‭ trends‬‭ demonstrate‬‭ how‬‭ celebrities‬‭ leverage‬‭ technology‬‭ to‬‭ strengthen‬‭ fan‬‭ engagement‬‭ and‬‭ create‬‭ new‬‭ forms‬‭ of‬‭ connection,” Lin added.

Yet, a notable difference exists between meme coins launched by influencers or pop artists and those launched by political leaders, especially when they are a country’s incumbent president. 

Meme Coins as Trackers of Public Sentiment

When pop star Iggy Azalea launched her MOTHER token, its highest point reached $136.6 million. Meanwhile, Haliey Welch’s HAWK token reached a maximum of $500 million. 

However, when political figures, such as the US presidential couple and Argentine President Javier Milei, launched their meme coins, their highest peak in market capitalization reached billions of dollars. 

“These‬‭ coins‬‭ were‬‭ unique‬‭ events,‬‭ and‬‭ replicating‬‭ them‬‭ would‬‭ be‬‭ nearly‬‭ impossible.‬‭ The‬‭ success‬‭ of‬‭ TRUMP‬‭ was‬‭ partially‬‭ driven‬‭ by‬‭ the‬‭ buzz‬‭ surrounding‬‭ Trump’s‬‭ reelection‬‭ and‬‭ global‬‭ recognition.‬‭ It’s‬‭ incredibly‬‭ rare‬‭ to‬‭ see‬‭ a‬‭ token‬‭ achieve‬‭ a‬‭ market‬‭ cap‬‭ exceeding‬‭ $3‬‭ billion‬‭ within‬‭ a‬‭ month‬‭ of‬‭ trading,” Lin said. ‬‭ 

The trading activity of meme coins launched by political figures can be useful in reflecting broader public sentiment and alignment with the figures themselves. 

“While‬‭ this‬‭ kind‬‭ of‬‭ rapid‬‭ surge‬‭ is‬‭ exceptional,‬‭ it‬‭ highlights‬‭ how‬‭ crypto‬‭ markets‬‭ can‬‭ quickly reflect trends,‬‭ with‬‭ investors‬‭ essentially‬‭ casting‬‭ ‘votes’ through‬‭ their‬‭ transactions.‬‭ This‬‭ makes‬‭ crypto‬‭ a‬‭ valuable‬‭ tool‬‭ for‬‭ identifying emerging social and financial sentiment,” Lin explained. 

To that point, Chris Chung, Founder of Solana swap platform Titan, added:

“‬The main driver of the current popularity of celebrity meme coins is the hype surrounding the US‬‭ election. People wanted to get involved in the political action and the TRUMP and MELANIA‬ meme coins offered them an easy and quick way to do so.”

However, despite initial price surges, if a solid roadmap doesn’t accompany the token launches, prospects of long-term viability seem abysmal.

A Short-Lived Success

The rise of meme coins associated with celebrities is fueled by their influence, market speculation, and cultural trends. The initial excitement generated by these coins attracts investors, and this cycle repeats as new celebrity-backed tokens emerge, appealing to both early investors and trend followers.

But time and time again, the success of celebrity token launches proved to be short-lived.

“Celebrities, aware of‬‭ the‬‭ short-term‬‭ nature of trends in today’s creator economy, recognize the demand and capitalize on the opportunity, endorsing these‬‭ tokens.‬‭ However,‬‭ the‬‭ long-term‬‭ success‬‭ of‬‭ these‬‭ coins‬‭ remains‬‭ uncertain,‬‭ as‬‭ they‬‭ heavily‬‭ depend‬‭ on‬‭ ongoing‬‭ public‬‭ interest‭ and market speculation,” Alvin Kan, Chief Operating Officer at Bitget Wallet, told BeInCrypto. ‭

The viability of any meme coin, whether endorsed or not by a celebrity, is straightforward, according to him.

“There‬‭ is‬‭ little‬‭ evidence‬‭ that‬‭ these‬‭ coins‬‭ can‬‭ sustain‬‭ their‬‭ price‬‭ or‬‭ popularity‬‭ over‬‭ time.‬‭ Typically,‬‭ after‬‭ a‬‭ quick‬‭ appreciation,‬‭ the‬‭ price‬‭ falls,‬‭ as‬‭ seen‬‭ with‬‭ recent‬‭ launches.‬‭ For‬‭ these‬‭ coins‬‭ to‬‭ evolve‬‭ into‬‭ more‬‭ stable‬‭ investments,‬‭ they‬‭ would‬‭ need‬‭ to‬‭ develop‬‭ stronger‬‭ community‬‭ engagement‬‭ and‬‭ broader‬‭ utility.‬‭ Without such developments, celebrity-backed memes‬ coins‬ are more likely to remain speculative and short-term in nature,” Kan said.

 According to Chung, plenty of examples exist to back this explanation up.

“‬I think it’s the same with any memecoin. You get a short term run-up, but unless it shows some benefits or strong following, it will die off. The memes that survive have a team behind them with a strong narrative. DOGE is still here because it has had continued support and endorsement from Elon Musk. WIF is still here because it’s a bit of a status symbol if you’re an OG on Solana, like DOGE and SHIBA are on other networks. But PNUT, for example, fell off the radar because‬‭ no one continued building the narrative behind it. It was just short-term hype,” he said. 

In fact, analyzing what other meme coin projects did right can serve as indicators of what celebrity projects did wrong.

Lessons from Successful Projects

Dogecoin originated as a joke in late 2013, intended by creators Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer as a lighthearted alternative to serious cryptocurrencies. Inspired by the ‘Doge’ meme, it quickly gained popularity. According to the official website, Dogecoin surpassed Bitcoin’s transaction volume within two weeks. 

After Markus and Palmer departed in 2014, a core development team assumed responsibility for maintaining and advancing the cryptocurrency. Despite its origins as a humorous endeavor, Dogecoin cultivated a substantial and dedicated community.

The success of the Shiba Inu coin mirrors that of Dogecoin. Its prominence is largely credited to its integration with internet meme culture. Viral moments, including celebrity tweets, influencer endorsements, and extensive social media campaigns, significantly boosted its popularity.

“‭DOGE‬‭ and‬‭ SHIB‬‭ spent‬‭ years‬‭ developing‬‭ communities,‬‭ publishing‬‭ whitepapers,‬‭ and‬‭ contributing‬‭ to‬‭ philanthropic‬‭ efforts‬‭ like‬‭ dog‬‭ rescue‬‭ programs,‬‭ Olympic‬‭ sponsorships,‬‭ and‬‭ clean‬‭ water‬‭ initiatives‬‭ once‬‭ they‬‭ realized‬‭ their‬‭ token‬‭ was‬‭ accumulating‬‭ more‬‭ market‬‭ share,” Lin explained.

Celebrity meme coins that learned to integrate real-world utility into their products early on also benefitted from long-term success.

“‬‭Iggy‬‭ Azalea’s‬ MOTHER‬‭ token‬‭ has‬‭ maintained‬‭ engagement‬‭ through‬‭ hosting‬‭ events,‬ ‭ giveaways,‬‭ and‬‭ partnerships‬‭ for‬‭ token‬‭ holders,” Lin added.

However, this was not the case for most celebrity meme coins.

“In contrast, celebrity meme coins get an instant spark from‬‭ top–down endorsements—they create quick buzz and viral hype, but often lack the‬‭ deep, sustained community support needed for long-term success. In short, while‬‭ celebrity-backed tokens capture immediate attention, lasting value comes from genuine,‬‭ grassroots engagement,” Chen explained. 

Given this reality, celebrity meme coins offer investors more risks than rewards today.

Associated Risks

The main risks associated with celebrity meme coins include pump-and-dump schemes and rug pulls.

“Investing in celebrity-backed meme coins comes with a set of risks that mirror those‬‭ found in the broader meme coin space, though they can sometimes be amplified by the extra hype. For example, pump-and-dump schemes remain a major hazard—when a‬‭ celebrity endorsement causes prices to surge on the strength of social media buzz, the‬‭ rally can quickly evaporate once the initial excitement subsides,” Chen told BeInCrypto. 

When Javier Milei launched LIBRA earlier this month, insider traders were the first to purchase the token when prices were still low. Within an hour of its launch, LIBRA had reached a market capitalization of over $4 billion. 

Taking advantage of the soaring prices, insiders sold off most of the token’s supply, causing the price to plummet. Meanwhile, smaller investors lost over $250 million. The episode serves as a key example of how these types of schemes most impact inexperienced investors.

“Celebrity-backed‬‭ meme‬‭ coins‬‭ follow‬‭ a‬‭ similar‬‭ pattern‬‭ of‬‭ influencer-driven‬‭ hype‬‭ seen‬‭ in‬‭ past‬‭ cryptocurrency‬‭ trends.‬‭ However,‬‭ the‬‭ key‬‭ difference‬‭ lies‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ target‬‭ audience:‬‭ previous‬‭ waves‬‭ of‬‭ meme‬‭ coins‬‭ were‬‭ often‬‭ promoted‬‭ by‬‭ crypto-native‬‭ figures,‬‭ such‬‭ as‬‭ Elon‬‭ Musk‬‭ or‬‭ well-known‬‭ developers.‬‭ Today’s‬‭ celebrity‬‭ meme‬‭ coins‬‭ aim‬‭ to‬‭ attract‬‭ a‬‭ broader‬‭ audience‬‭ that‬‭ is‬‭ more‬‭ familiar‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ celebrity‬‭ endorsing‬‭ the‬‭ coin‬‭ than‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ cryptocurrency‬‭ space‬‭ itself,” Kan explained.

Furthermore, celebrity involvement significantly increases the stakes, as their influence drives substantial traffic, amplifying the potential for catastrophic consequences.

Legal and Ethical Concerns

When celebrities are involved in fraudulent schemes connected to meme coins, the backlash tends to be higher. After the LIBRA boom and bust, Milei received over 100 legal complaints in Argentina, while opposition leaders threatened to impeach him.

Haliey Welch’s Hawk Tuah meme coin launch ended in similar circumstances. After reaching a market capitalization of half a billion dollars, the token crashed within 20 minutes. 

“The‬‭ ethics‬‭ of‬‭ celebrity-backed‬‭ financial‬‭ endorsements‬‭ are‬‭ under‬‭ intense‬‭ scrutiny.‬‭ Investors‬‭ often‬‭ don’t‬‭ know‬‭ the‬‭ true‬‭ intentions‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ teams‬‭ behind‬‭ these‬‭ tokens.‬‭ In the case of‬‭ Haliey‬‭ Welch’s Hawk Tuah token, allegations of fraud‬‭ and‬‭ deceptive‬‭ practices‬‭ led‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ project’s‬‭ swift‬‭ collapse.‬‭ Since‬‭ Welch’s‬‭ fan‬‭ base‬‭ was‬‭ largely‬‭ non-crypto‬‭ native,‬‭ many‬‭ investors‬‭ felt‬‭ misled,” Lin commented. 

In response, several legal actions were taken against Welch.

“Consider the consequences of the entire Hawk Tuah girl debacle. Investors have filed a lawsuit against her and there have even been reports of her being investigated by Interpol,” Chung said.

As a response, industry experts anticipate that regulatory bodies will increase their oversight of meme coins.

Regulatory Scrutiny and Investor Protection

Several celebrity meme coin launches ending in havoc‬‭ set‬‭ important‬‭ precedents‬‭ for‬‭ how‬‭ regulators‬ and the industry will address these issues.‬

“As‬‭ memecoins and celebrity endorsements gain more attention, regulatory bodies‬‭ are‬‭ likely‬‭ to‬‭ tighten‬‭ their‬‭ scrutiny.‬‭ Regulators‬‭ may‬‭ begin‬‭ to‬‭ categorize‬‭ these‬‭ endorsements‬‭ as‬‭ market‬‭ manipulation‬‭ or‬‭ fraudulent‬‭ activities,‬‭ especially‬‭ in‬‭ light‬‭ of‬‭ ongoing‬‭ investigations‬‭ into‬‭ cryptocurrency‬‭ and‬‭ celebrity‬‭ promotions.‬‭ This‬‭ could‬‭ result‬‭ in‬‭ stricter‬‭ guidelines‬‭ regarding‬‭ disclosure‬‭ and‬‭ anti-fraud‬‭ measures.‬‭ While‬‭ the‬‭ regulatory‬‭ landscape‬‭ is‬‭ still‬‭ evolving,‬‭ it‬‭ is‬‭ possible‬‭ that‬‭ the‬‭ popularity‬‭ of‬‭ celebrity-backed‬‭ meme‬‭ coins will diminish if stricter regulations are imposed,” Kan told BeInCrypto.

There are also steps individual investors can take to minimize risks. 

“‬Education is key. Before exploring any token—celebrity-backed or otherwise—users‬‭ should research its origins, tokenomics, and community involvement. If a token is heavily tied to a single person’s influence without clear utility or decentralization, it could be a‬ red flag. It’s also important to recognize that meme coins, especially celebrity-driven ones, are highly speculative, and people should never invest more than they can afford‬‭ to lose,” Chen said. 

Chang agreed with this last point and added:

“Information diversification is an important part of this – being more plugged into Crypto Twitter can help investors keep on top of‬ the news and narratives.”

Meanwhile, portfolio diversification is essential to reduce overexposure to meme coin investments.

“‭Diversifying‬‭ investments‬‭ and‬‭ avoiding‬‭ putting‬‭ more‬ money‬‭ into‬‭ these‬‭ coins‬‭ than‬‭ one‬‭ can‬‭ afford‬‭ to‬‭ lose‬‭ can‬‭ help‬‭ mitigate‬‭ risk.‬‭ Monitoring‬‭ the‬‭ market‬‭ and‬‭ staying‬‭ informed‬‭ about‬‭ potential‬‭ shifts‬‭ in‬‭ price‬‭ and‬‭ hype‬‭ can‬‭ also‬‭ prevent‬‭ significant‬‭ losses,” Kan said.‭

Yet, the onus for long-term viability should fall on meme coin projects to establish robust foundations rather than expecting investors to mitigate risk solely.

The Future of Celebrity Meme Coins

Industry experts unanimously agree that community and utility are the key determinants for the future success of celebrity meme coins. They are bound to fail without them, and smaller investors will bear the biggest brunt. 

“‬Celebrity memecoins will really be like any other memecoins. If a celebrity can form enough of a following and keep the narrative around the memecoin going, the token will survive. If not, it will die like the vast majority of memecoins,” Chung said. 

This will determine the project’s success or failure.

“As‬‭ more‬‭ negative‬‭ stories‬‭ accumulate‬‭ around‬‭ the‬‭ collapse‬‭ of‬‭ celebrity-backed‬‭ coins,‬‭ the‬‭ ethical‬‭ and‬‭ regulatory‬‭ challenges‬‭ may‬‭ discourage‬‭ further‬‭ celebrity‬‭ involvement.‬‭ The‬‭ future‬‭ of‬‭ these‬‭ coins‬‭ will‬‭ likely‬‭ depend‬‭ on‬‭ whether‬‭ they‬‭ can‬‭ evolve‬‭ to‬‭ offer‬‭ more‬‭ sustainable‬‭ communities‬‭ and‬‭ utility, or if they will remain tied to short-term hype,” Kan concluded. 

In the end, only time will reveal the fate of celebrity meme coins.