Vine Co-Founder, McAfee Estate Launch Meme Coins Amid Crypto Craze

NEW YORK — Celebrity-inspired meme coins are surging in popularity, with new tokens launched by Vine co-founder Rus Yusupov and the estate of the late John McAfee drawing significant investor attention. The trend highlights the growing intersection of pop culture and cryptocurrency markets.

Yusupov unveiled the VINE meme coin on the Solana blockchain, posting on X, “Remembering all the fun we had building Vine — Let’s relive the magic and DO IT FOR THE #VINECOIN.” After initial skepticism about potential account hacking, Yusupov confirmed the announcement with a photo of his printed tweet, stating, “Not hacked! Just having fun.”

The VINE token quickly surged to a $90 million market cap before experiencing a brief pullback. It then skyrocketed 5,800%, reaching a peak valuation of $500 million before stabilizing at $200 million. Yusupov assured investors that all developer tokens for VINE would remain locked until April 20 at 4:20 PM, signaling his commitment to the project.

The launch coincides with renewed interest in reviving Vine, the defunct short-form video app. Tech reporter Sawyer Merritt fueled speculation on X, posting, “I think it’s time to bring it back,” alongside a photo of Vine’s logo and tagging Elon Musk. On January 19, 2025, Musk responded, “We are looking into it,” sparking rumors of a potential revival.

This follows the recent success of Donald Trump’s meme coin, which reached a $15 billion market cap before settling at $7.5 billion. A Melania Trump token launched two days later but failed to gain similar traction, underscoring the unpredictable nature of celebrity-driven crypto projects.

Separately, John McAfee’s X account announced the AIntivirus token, an AI-driven cryptocurrency built on Solana. The post read, “I’m back with AIntivirus. An AI version of myself. You didn’t think I would miss this cycle, did you?” Janice McAfee, John’s widow, confirmed the project’s legitimacy, stating it would honor her late husband’s legacy.

AIntivirus peaked at a $100 million market cap before declining to $36 million. According to Solscan, the token has 99,999,858 units in circulation with 15,676 holders.

McAfee, who founded McAfee Antivirus, faced legal challenges in his later years, including tax evasion charges and controversies surrounding crypto projects like $GHOST. His posthumous entry into the meme coin market adds another layer to his complex legacy.

The rise of celebrity-backed meme coins reflects a broader trend in the crypto space, where cultural relevance and viral appeal often drive investor interest. However, the volatile nature of these tokens continues to raise questions about their long-term viability.