From January 2017 to mid-2025, Donald Trump’s influence has sent shockwaves through both traditional finance and crypto markets. His second term has reintroduced aggressive trade policies, stoked inflation fears, and, paradoxically, sparked renewed interest in decentralized assets.
Two tokens—Bitcoin and XRP—have become bellwethers of this era, each offering a distinct narrative: scarcity versus utility, digital gold versus payment rails. But while these giants continue their respective climbs, one explosive newcomer is rising fast to join their ranks. The meme token-turned-layer-2-ecosystem is attracting believers at lightning speed, and it’s not here to take sides. It’s here to take the throne.
Bitcoin (BTC): Scarcity That Outlasts Politics
When Trump first took the presidential oath in January 2017, Bitcoin was trading under $900. Today, in June 2025, it’s holding strong above $108,000, marking a mind-blowing 12,000%+ return.
Key Trump-era moments helped fuel this rise:
The 2017 bull run ($20K peak),
The 2020-2021 pandemic bounce,
2024’s spot ETF approvals,
And now, pro-crypto sentiment from the White House.
But Bitcoin hasn’t soared unchallenged. Recent tariff threats spooked markets, causing a 2.5% drop in BTC in a single day. Why? Because Bitcoin still behaves more like "risk-on" digital gold, it is volatile in the short term but stable over time. Its strength lies in what remains unchanged: a fixed supply, a decentralized protocol, and a deepening institutional interest. If trade wars inflate the dollar into oblivion, Bitcoin may become the ultimate hedge against government overreach. And it's already got a 100x head start.
XRP: Utility Unleashed in a Trade-Fragmented World
Then there’s XRP, the payment-layer juggernaut that thrives when friction rises.
Priced at just $0.0067 in 2017, XRP now trades near $2.33, delivering a monstrous 34,800% gain. But this rocket wasn’t smooth. Following a significant surge in 2017, the 2018 crash and subsequent SEC lawsuit kept XRP down for years.
Trump’s 2025 push for a “U.S. crypto strategic reserve” gave XRP the break it needed. With Ripple onboarding banks like Zand and Mamo, XRP’s use case in cross-border money movement is more relevant than ever. Tariffs break supply chains. XRP patches them back up. With built-in compliance tools like blacklist and trust lines, XRP is made for banks navigating global chaos. The upside? Fast growth, real-world use. The risk? Regulatory landmines and monthly token unlocks.
Little Pepe ($LILPEPE): The Meme Revolution Trump Didn’t See Coming
While Bitcoin dominates headlines and XRP signs bank deals behind the curtain, a green frog in a crown is quietly stealing the spotlight.
Introducing Little Pepe (LILPEPE)—a presale sensation with all the madness of a meme and the backbone of a blockchain protocol. It's not just another internet joke. It’s crypto satire turned market strategy, and right now, it’s going viral for all the right reasons. With $910,945 already raised and only 376 million tokens left in Stage 2, the speed of adoption is staggering.