QuickTake:

• TRUMP token faces challenges in securing listings on major exchanges due to its political connotations.
• Exchanges prefer listing TREMP over TRUMP, citing political sensitivity.
• TRUMP trades primarily on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and lesser-known centralized exchanges.
• Marketing director Steven Steele criticizes exchanges for avoiding TRUMP for political reasons.
• Kraken lists jokey counterpart TREMP and Joe Biden-themed token BODEN, but not TRUMP.

The TRUMP token, a meme coin with no official ties to former U.S. President Donald Trump, is encountering significant challenges in getting listed on major digital asset trading platforms. Despite its efforts, the team behind TRUMP claims that the token is being unfairly excluded from mainstream exchanges due to its political nature.

The team behind TRUMP, whose logo features the former GOP candidate with laser eyes, has expressed frustration over what they perceive as a biased approach by major exchanges. Steven Steele, the marketing director for the TRUMP token, shared their struggles with CoinDesk. “The exchanges that have refused to list TRUMP for ‘political reasons’ are exhibiting embarrassing levels of cowardice that is also incredibly tone-deaf to the current memecoin landscape and their own customers,” Steele said.

The TRUMP token primarily trades on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and some lesser-known centralized exchanges such as MEXC, LBank, BingX, and BitMart. However, when the team applied in mid-May to have TRUMP listed on Kraken, one of the oldest and largest U.S. exchanges, they received no response. A spokesperson for Kraken declined to comment on the matter.

Steele argued that the refusal to list TRUMP is a significant oversight by these exchanges. “To shun the pioneer of PoliFi because it’s a Trump-themed project in an election season wherein he is openly running as America’s first major Presidential ‘crypto candidate’ is shockingly out of touch and speaks volumes as to who they are and where they’re coming from,” he continued.

PoliFi, short for political finance, refers to a category of election-themed memecoins where ownership represents partisanship. Although these tokens do not have formal affiliations with political candidates, their market movements often reflect a candidate’s perceived chances of winning.

Despite Kraken’s apparent refusal to list the TRUMP token, a jokey counterpart named TREMP has recently debuted on the U.S. exchange. TREMP, like TRUMP, is a meme coin but seems to have avoided the political baggage associated with the TRUMP token. In addition to Kraken, TREMP is also traded on HTX and several lesser-known exchanges that list TRUMP.

The discrepancy in how these tokens are treated by exchanges highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of the crypto landscape. Kraken, for instance, also lists BODEN, a Joe Biden-themed counterpart to TREMP, further complicating the narrative around political sensitivity in token listings.

The TRUMP team’s experience sheds light on the broader issue of how political themes are handled within the crypto industry. While memecoins are often created and traded in a spirit of humor and speculation, the political connotations attached to tokens like TRUMP can lead to serious barriers to entry on major trading platforms.

The reluctance of exchanges to list TRUMP could be attributed to the polarized political climate and the potential backlash from users. Exchanges might fear that listing a politically charged token could alienate part of their user base or attract regulatory scrutiny. However, this cautious approach contrasts with the willingness to list other politically themed tokens like BODEN and TREMP.

The crypto community’s reaction to these developments has been mixed. Some traders and enthusiasts support the exchanges’ decision to avoid politically sensitive tokens, while others see it as a form of censorship and an impediment to the free market principles that underpin the crypto ecosystem.

For the TRUMP token team, the road ahead involves navigating these challenges while continuing to build their community and promote their token. They believe that the value and potential of their token should be judged based on its merits and market performance rather than its political associations.

In conclusion, the struggle of the TRUMP token to gain listings on major exchanges highlights the ongoing tensions between political sensitivity and market opportunity within the crypto industry. As the landscape evolves, the experiences of tokens like TRUMP will continue to shape the policies and practices of digital asset trading platforms. The future of politically themed tokens remains uncertain, but their impact on the crypto market is undeniable.