- Ye is launching the YZY token, reserving 70% for himself while accepting it as Yeezy’s official currency.
- The project mirrors Trump’s TRUMP coin, with insiders saying Ye originally wanted an 80% stake.
- YZY’s launch comes amid the LIBRA scandal, raising fears of another celebrity-backed pump-and-dump.
Ye (formerly Kanye West) is diving into crypto—but not without controversy. According to multiple sources, he’s gearing up to launch a token called YZY, designed to sidestep mainstream platforms like Shopify, which cut ties with him over his recent inflammatory comments.
The move follows a pattern seen with other celebrity-driven crypto launches—including Donald Trump’s TRUMP coin, which Ye reportedly tried to replicate. But with 70% of the supply reserved for himself, questions about fairness and fan exploitation are already piling up.
YZY Token—A Controlled Cash Grab?
Ye’s crypto playbook looks familiar:
- 70% of YZY is reserved for Ye—compared to TRUMP’s 80% insider allocation.
- Only 10% will be available for liquidity, with 20% for investors.
- The token will be used as Yeezy’s “official currency”, accepted on his website.
Despite past statements claiming he wasn’t interested in launching a coin, Ye’s team moved forward anyway—initially planning the YZY sale for Thursday, then delaying it to Friday without explanation.
CoinDesk uncovered the project through an unsolicited email from Hussein Lalani, who identified himself as Yeezy’s CFO. When pressed, he asked for an embargo on the story—but three independent sources confirmed its authenticity.
Following TRUMP’s Crypto Playbook
Ye’s interest in launching a token first surfaced earlier this month after he hinted at reaching out to Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong. Days later, he claimed he wasn’t launching a coin and that “coins prey on the fans with hype.”
Now? He’s fully in.
Insiders say Ye wanted 80% ownership of YZY, but was negotiated down to 70%. If the token reaches even a fraction of TRUMP’s success, his stake could be worth millions.
LIBRA Scandal—A Warning Sign?
YZY arrives just as the crypto world recovers from Argentina’s LIBRA fiasco—a presidentially-endorsed token that turned into a pump-and-dump, triggering fraud accusations against Javier Milei.
- Celebrity coins tend to pump hard, then crash, leaving retail investors burned.
- Ye’s massive insider allocation raises red flags about liquidity risks.
- Without real utility, the token could be another short-lived cash grab.
For now, YZY is set to launch—but whether it’s a meme-fueled moonshot or just another celebrity-backed exit liquidity scheme remains to be seen.
