Haliey Welch, the viral internet sensation behind the “hawk tuah” meme, has officially launched her own cryptocurrency, the HAWK token, on the Solana blockchain. Welch, who rose to fame earlier this year after coining the phrase “hawk tuah” to describe a sexual act, quickly became a meme phenomenon, turning her from a minimum wage worker with no social media presence into a widely recognized figure. Now, she is bringing that viral success into the world of crypto.
The HAWK token made its debut on Solana-based exchanges at 22:00 UTC on Wednesday, in collaboration with overHere, a token launchpad. Within minutes of launching, the token’s market cap soared to an impressive $491 million, though it later dipped below $100 million. Welch had previously distributed free tokens to her social media followers and the meme and NFT communities during a campaign held from November 26 to December 2.
Welch, in a statement shared with CoinDesk, revealed that the tokens she personally received will be locked for one year and will vest over a three-year period. “Who doesn’t love a good meme?” Welch remarked. “I’ve always been fascinated by the world of crypto, and launching my own token feels like a natural next step. It’s about creating something valuable for my fans while also shielding them from scammers who exploit my name.”
The HAWK token is supported by a foundation based in the Cayman Islands and is fully compliant with U.S. regulations. It raised $34.5 million from a group of private investors located outside the U.S. through a token sale.
Celebrity-backed tokens experienced a brief boom earlier this year within the Solana ecosystem, though most saw drastic losses, with many of their prices plummeting by 99% in a matter of days. Welch’s team, however, is aiming for a long-term strategy, focusing on building a strong community around the HAWK token and connecting with her fanbase.
“Launching the $HAWK token is a fun and secure way for Haliey to engage more closely with her fans,” said Jonnie Forster, Welch’s manager. “It empowers her community while protecting them from the increasing number of scammers creating unauthorized tokens under her name.”
