Donald Trump and his wife Melania’s new memecoins ignited criticism from crypto executives who were expecting the digital-asset sector to be treated seriously by the Republican’s incoming US administration.

Memecoins have long traded in crypto markets, with Dogecoin perhaps the best-known example. Launched as a joke, the crypto has exploded in popularity over the years, with its price often riding on the whims of its backers — the best known of which is Elon Musk.

What the launch of the $TRUMP and $MELANIA memecoins days before Donald Trump's inauguration mean for cryptocurrency markets