May 28, 2025
“That kind of access is rare, and it signifies how digital assets are becoming mainstream.” – Vincent Liu, Kronos Research
By Joe Pan
The Potomac shimmered outside Trump National Golf Club as 220 crypto whales and meme coin moguls traded their hoodies for tuxedos, gathering for a black-tie dinner that cost more than some Lamborghinis. The price of entry? A wallet fat with $TRUMP tokens—President Trump’s own meme coin, which has become the hottest ticket in both politics and crypto since its January debut.
The menu, as gold-embossed as the guest list, offered a taste of power: Trump Organic Field Green Salad, a choice of Filet Mignon with demi-glace or Pan-Seared Halibut with citrus reduction, and a Warm Lava Cake with Valrhona chocolate and caramel sauce. The “value” of the meal? Social media pegged it at $55,000 per plate, though the real entrée was face time with the president and his inner circle.
Who Was at the Table?
The guest list included Justin Sun, BitMart founder Sheldon Z, Magic Eden CEO Jack Lu, Synthetix founder Kain Warwick, and even former NBA star Lamar Odom, who launched his own memecoin just days before the dinner. Most attendees remained anonymous, known only by their wallet addresses and leaderboard nicknames.
The $TRUMP Token: From Meme to Main Course
Launched at $0.8, the $TRUMP token rocketed to a high of $75.35 before settling around $7.66 by late April, with the top 25 holders—some with over $9 million in tokens—earning VIP access and even a Trump Tourbillon watch worth $00,000. The dinner, announced jointly by CIC Digital LLC and Fight Fight Fight LLC, was promoted as “the world’s most prestigious invitation,” with the top 220 token holders securing their seat at the table.
Vincent Liu, CIO of Kronos Research, was among the crypto elite in attendance. In a Q&A with Blockwind News, Liu explained what he saw, heard and ate.
Asked about the utility of the token, Liu was candid:
“The most concrete utility so far has been token-gated access to events, most notably the dinner. That moment marked a shift: the token moved from being purely speculative to enabling real-world experiences.”
Q&A Highlights with Vincent Liu
Q: When did you first buy into the Trump token, and at what price did you make your initial investment?
A: “As a market-making firm, our entry wasn’t tied to a fixed price level but rather to observe liquidity demand and trading volume across exchanges.”
Q: Have you sold any of your Trump tokens since your initial purchase? If so, at what price points and what influenced those decisions?
A: “Our position is based on trading market momentum and narrative-driven interest not a reflection of any political stance. We’re monitoring developments closely, especially those that could act as catalysts, such as tie-ins with World Liberty, exclusive merch drops, or potential integrations with platforms like Truth Social. That said, it remains a speculative position and could go either way.”
Q: How does your research firm approach analyzing and valuing political meme tokens like this one compared to more traditional crypto assets?
A: “We categorize these as narrative-driven assets. Unlike utility tokens or infrastructure projects, their price behavior is rooted more in sentiment cycles, media velocity, and attention capture. We model them with a greater emphasis on social and behavioral indicators rather than fundamental value flows.”
Q: What risks do you see for large holders like yourself if Trump’s political fortunes change or if regulatory scrutiny increases?
A: “The primary risk is narrative collapse. If political alignment shifts or the project fails to evolve beyond hype, price support could be more volatile. On the regulatory side, if token-based fundraising is deemed campaign-linked, there could be legal complications around distribution and KYC.”
Q: How has the value proposition or community sentiment around the token shifted since Trump’s election win?
A: “The sentiment has grown more polarized but also more energized. There’s greater belief in the possibility of future integrations, whether symbolic or functional but also more scrutiny around insider allocations and long-term intent.”
Q: Did Trump share any insights or opinions about the broader crypto market or digital assets during the event?
A: “Nothing technical or deeply policy-related, but his comments clearly positioned crypto as part of his economic messaging. He emphasized that he wanted to see the industry grow rapidly.”
Q: How did the tone and atmosphere of the dinner compare to your expectations—was it more business, more politics, or something else entirely?
A: “It was surprisingly light and theatrical. Not overtly political or policy-heavy, but certainly curated to reinforce loyalty and presence. In many ways, it was a new type of event: one where token ownership functioned as both an entry pass and symbolic alignment.”
FOMO or Fundamentals? Not Everyone’s Buying
When asked if Ray Wong felt the FOMO and regretted not buying into $TRUMP earlier, he was pragmatic:
“Not really, as we captured part of the rally. There are a growing number of big projects in the Web3 space, including those by the Trump family and beyond.”
Wong’s view reflects a broader sentiment among seasoned investors—while the spectacle and headlines around Trump’s black-tie crypto gala are hard to ignore, the real action in Web3 isn’t limited to a single meme coin or political brand. The industry’s attention, and capital, are already moving to the next big narrative.
This is, after all, the age of the attention economy—where narratives are currency, and every headline, tweet, or gala dinner can become a catalyst for the next wave of speculation. Trump, for better or worse, has always been a maestro at commanding the spotlight. Whether he’s driving the next bull run or just serving up another round of fleeting hype, one thing is certain: the crowd at the gala got their five minutes of fame, and the attention economy got another black-tie boost.
In the end, it’s impossible to say if Trump is lifting the industry or simply riding the narrative rollercoaster. But for now, the spectacle is the story—and everyone’s watching to see what’s on the menu next.
About the Author
Joe Pan is a multi-disciplinary journalist, educator, and startup founder. Currently serving as an editor and producer at Blockwind News, he has covered major crypto conferences globally since 2019 and moderated Web3 events across Asia. Joe teaches Asia’s only accredited Master of Journalism class on “Covering Cryptocurrency and Blockchain” at Hong Kong Baptist University.
