Bits + Bips: Debate: Is Trump’s Memecoin a Gift or a Grift? - Ep. 769

Unchained

This week, Trump’s memecoin launch had everyone talking—and scrambling for Phantom wallets. But was it a strategic masterstroke or just another speculative frenzy?

On this episode of Bits + Bips, the hosts unpack the wild moments of the Crypto Ball, where $TRUMP made its surprise debut. They discuss how Bitcoin maxis were forced to embrace Solana wallets, why Multicoin Capital emerged as the biggest winner, and whether the memecoin launch signals a local market top.

Plus, they debate whether Trump’s crypto-friendly stance could shape policy in 2025, why Litecoin might beat Solana to a spot ETF, and what Trump’s inauguration speech reveals about his crypto game plan.

Show highlights:

• 0:58 What Ram can tell us about his experience at the Crypto Ball
• 3:39 How Ram was so surprised when the $TRUMP coin dropped in the middle of the event
• 7:51 What will happen with the 80% of $TRUMP that Trump holds
• 8:51 Why Ram believes Multicoin Capital was the biggest winner of $TRUMP dropping
• 10:14 Whether the coin was “gift or grift”
• 17:07 How the $Melania coin was the Trumps shooting themselves in the foot
• 19:37 How the launch of the coin is a “major win” for Solana
• 22:49 Whether ETH can have a comeback as the “TradFi chain”
• 35:28 How the market would react to the lack of a strategic bitcoin reserve mention
• 43:28 What executive orders Trump could deliver for the crypto industry
• 48:47 Alex’s experience with the pump and dump of a fake Barron Trump memecoin
• 53:41 What was notable from Trump’s inauguration speech
• 56:28 Whether rate cuts in December were a mistake and whether more are coming
• 1:05:51 Why James believes that Litecoin has more chances than Solana for a spot ETF
• 1:08:41 Whether the launch of $TRUMP will mark a local top for the markets

Hosts:

• James Seyffart, Research Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence
• Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard
• Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida
• Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter

Links

• Saylor’s parody account’s tweet recounted by Alex
• Meme recounted by Noelle
• Vitalik on changing the EF leadership
• Josh Stark’s tweet on how the EF “uses Ethereum”
• Paper on DeFi that Alex talked about: Christopher J Waller: Centralized and decentralized finance - substitutes or complements?
• Polymarket: Will Trump create Bitcoin reserve in first 100 days?
• Unchained:
• Trump Appoints Crypto-Friendly Mark Uyeda as Acting SEC Chair
• Trump-Backed World Liberty Financial Goes on Token Buying Spree
• Trump Picks Pham as Acting CFTC Chair

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices