Hunter Biden's upcoming memecoin is under fire from the industry.
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Key Takeaways
Hunter Biden’s LAPTOP launches Sept. 9, with an airdrop planned for groups including TRUMP holders who lost money.
At least 14 copycat tokens generated roughly $6.9 million in trading, according to The Defiant.
Cowen and Coffeezilla criticized the launch, while Altcoin Daily viewed the attention as a bull market signal.
Hunter Biden’s planned LAPTOP memecoin has triggered a rush of copycat tokens ahead of its Sept. 9 launch, as the project prepares to target some investors who lost money on Donald Trump’s TRUMP token.
The Defiant reported that at least 14 imitation LAPTOP tokens appeared across four blockchain networks within an hour of news of the project, citing DEX Screener data.
Biden’s move into memecoins has also drawn criticism from prominent figures across crypto and online media, including analyst Benjamin Cowen and YouTube investigator Coffeezilla.
However, popular commentator Altcoin Daily argued that the political celebrity’s arrival and accompanying mainstream coverage represent the attention crypto attracts during a bull market.
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Hunter Biden’s LAPTOP Targets Investors Burned by Trump
One of LAPTOP’s most head-turning features is its planned distribution to investors who lost money on Donald Trump’s official memecoin.
According to The Wall Street Journal, LAPTOP will launch on Sept. 9 on Base, the Coinbase-developed blockchain, with a total supply of one billion tokens.
Twenty percent of that supply is expected to be distributed in two rounds.
Recipients will reportedly include wallets of investors who lost money on TRUMP, as well as subscribers to Biden’s Substack.
The project takes its name from the laptop that became a major political controversy shortly before the 2020 US presidential election.
Material obtained from the device fueled years of reporting and political scrutiny surrounding Hunter Biden’s overseas business activities and personal life while his father, Joe Biden, challenged Trump for the presidency.
Biden teased the memecoin on Monday in an X post featuring a montage of media references to the laptop.
YouTube journalist Andrew Callaghan said he and his media company, Channel 5, had no involvement in the project, despite the Journal’s report that a mailing list associated with him would feature in its distribution.
“As we have told our followers numerous times, we do not believe crypto is a legitimate investment,” Callaghan said in a statement.
“Hunter asked if he could use our mailing list whenever he launched a new project. We provided him a simple csv sheet from our email list to help him expand his audience,” it added.
Altcoin Daily Sees a Bull Market Signal
Altcoin Daily offered a more positive interpretation of what the announcement could mean for crypto’s visibility.
In a YouTube video, the channel’s host pointed to Biden’s public profile and the launch’s coverage in mainstream financial media.
“Hunter Biden is a mainstream political celebrity and this is bringing attention to crypto,” the host said.
He described such developments as “things you see in a bull market” and suggested that the attention could also benefit Base.
“Again, I bring this to your attention because this is kind of a mainstream thing, a bull market thing,” he said.
Political Memecoins Bring Losses and Controversy
Biden’s project follows several prominent token launches associated with politicians and their families.
Donald Trump introduced the TRUMP coin in January 2025.
It briefly reached a market capitalization of nearly $15 billion before falling sharply.
The Journal reported that it recently traded around $2, with a market value of approximately $600 million.
First lady Melania Trump’s MELANIA token also suffered a steep decline after its initial rally.
Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams encountered similar controversy with NYC Token in January 2026.
It lost nearly 75% of its value by the evening of its launch after an initial surge, the Associated Press reported. Adams subsequently denied profiting from the token or moving investor funds.
The debate around Trump’s ventures also extends to his role in government.
Watchdogs have raised concerns about his family benefiting from crypto businesses while his administration shapes federal policy.
The White House has denied that the president or his family has engaged, or would engage, in conflicts of interest.
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The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
