Crypto bros were confident that Trump’s re-election as US president would usher in the crypto era. However, a year later, their predictions seem rather off. Bitcoin plummeted to its lowest price in nearly a year during Monday’s Asian trading hours, approaching pre-Trump levels.
The decline took
Ironically, Trump’s personal and family wealth grew substantially through crypto ventures. The Trump family added roughly $1.4 billion in crypto-related assets in the first year of his term, boosting their overall fortune amid signed legislation and favourable regulator appointments that aided the industry.
These gains came from projects like World Liberty Financial tokens, meme coins, and stablecoins.
He predicted Americans would witness “so much winning” but didn’t specify which Americans.
Trump please stop nuking my bags for real, I thought you were the one who was going to take us to the moon #DonaldTrump $btc pic.twitter.com/Dxy8M1aQNw
— Lewis🔶 (@Lewisholdr) January 29, 2026
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What Does Trump’s Return Have to Do With Bitcoin?
When Trump won the 2024 election, Bitcoin surged on expectations of reduced regulation and a more supportive SEC. Prices reached a new all-time high in early 2025, driven by legislative proposals for clearer crypto frameworks and executive orders favoring digital assets.
If Democrats were seen as crypto villains, Trump and his administration were expected to save the market and usher in unprecedented prosperity.
However, Trump’s aggressive economic measures, including high tariffs and rapid deregulation in legacy industries, disrupted global trade and fueled inflation. Equity markets fluctuated, prompting investors to move funds into gold and silver for stability.
Despite crypto-friendly laws, such as streamlined token rules and easier institutional access, Bitcoin’s ties to high-risk assets led to reversals, wiping out initial advances.
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From Trump Hype to Pre-Trump Prices: Bitcoin Is Back to $77k
The January 2025 launches of Official Trump (TRUMP) and Official Melania (MELANIA) meme coins on Solana created massive short-term hype but ultimately damaged crypto trust and liquidity. And now more and more investors are sharing their frustrations with this administration.
TRUMP debuted days before Trump’s inauguration, surging from under $10 to ~$75 (market cap $15–27B) before crashing over 90%. It now trades near $4.14.
If the first meme coin was now enough, MELANIA followed, peaking near $13.73 (market cap up to $13B), then collapsing 95–99% to ~$0.12–0.13, facing delistings and reduced trading.
Investors point to alleged pump-and-dump tactics, insider sales, centralized supply control, and lawsuits claiming teams exploited political fame for personal gain while retail holders suffered heavy losses. High-profile fraud perceptions amplified scam fatigue, deterred participation, and drained liquidity from crypto.
Even with regulatory enhancements like stablecoin standards, persistent policy shifts and international frictions kept allocations away. Even after the gold and silver metals liquidation, capital did not return to crypto, preferring cash equivalents and fixed income.
These dynamics have highlighted Bitcoin’s vulnerability to macroeconomic factors, causing its prices to fall short of records and challenging the industry’s resilience when trust in the supposed “crypto-friendly” institution is lacking.
DISCOVER:
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