Investigating Kanye West’s YZY Chaos: Insider Bragging, TRUMP–LIBRA Connection and More
Kanye West’s (Ye) new YZY meme coin launch on Solana was billed as another cultural moment from one of music’s most influential figures. Instead, it has turned into a case study in how celebrity tokens can spiral into controversy.
On-chain data reveals a strange connection between YZY insiders and early LIBRA and TRUMP meme coin traders. Investigations also show a figure named ‘Mikey Shelton’ behind the insider pump-and-dump setup.
Some Traders Lost Millions on Kanye’s YZYThe YZY token went live on August 21, 2025. Within 40 minutes, it surged to a $3 billion market cap, before falling back to nearly a third of that.
Nansen’s analysis shows 62,465 wallets traded YZY on launch day, generating extreme outcomes:
- Profits: +$50.4 million realized across the top 500 wallets.
- Losses: −$21.4 million realized.
- Largest profit: $3 million.
- Largest loss: $1.3 million.
- Liquidity pool: earned $10 million in fees.
In short, a handful of wallets captured millions in upside while thousands of retail traders ended up in the red.
YZY Token Profit and Loss Leaderboard. Source: Nansen
The Shady Role of Mikey Shelton
One of the most striking post-launch developments came from Mikey Shelton, a name that had already appeared in Ye’s circle earlier this year.
Back in February, Ye shared a conversation with Shelton in which he told him: “You are the brand. Whatever it is will do well. Some things are better than others. It’s about who you trust.”
After YZY’s launch, Shelton’s Instagram Stories circulated widely. In one, over a black screen, he wrote “Best day.” Attached was a chat message:
“We made $160k in first 10 min. Still haven’t sold just under $300.”
The implication was clear: Shelton and his circle had secured insider access, reaping six-figure gains within minutes of the token going live.
So the guy who is behind $YZY token is publicly bragging about insider trading and rugging for MILLIONS of dollars on his IG 