The internet has a way of turning fleeting moments into something else entirely. Remember the “Hawk Tuah Girl”? Hailey Welch, who captured attention with a certain phrase, now finds herself in a different kind of spotlight. It is a crypto spotlight, and it is not shining so brightly. Memecoins have a strange pull. They often pop up fast, fueled by internet trends or viral moments. People jump in, hoping for quick gains. It is a wild ride, often without much underlying value.
- The “Hawk Tuah Girl” is now involved in a memecoin, which has led to scrutiny from the FBI and SEC.
- Welch claims she was cleared by the authorities, but investors have still lost money.
- Public perception is negative, with many criticizing Welch’s lack of crypto knowledge before endorsing the project.
The HAWK token was one such story. It rode the wave of Hailey Welch’s sudden fame. Welch recently spoke on her Talk Tuah podcast. She said the FBI questioned her. The SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission, a US financial watchdog) even looked at her phone. But she was “cleared,” she insists. “They went through my phone, so they cleared me. I was good to go,” she stated. It sounds like a clean bill of health, does it not? One might wonder what exactly “cleared” means in the fast-moving world of digital assets.
Being “cleared” by federal agencies sounds definitive. It suggests a clean slate. But for those who lost money, it does not bring their funds back. The SEC and FBI look for specific legal violations. They do not usually recover investor losses from bad investments. It is a subtle but real difference. One might say it is a matter of legal definition versus practical outcome. This “cleared” stance feels a bit like a sudden memory lapse.
Just last December, Welch launched the HAWK memecoin. She called it compliant. She said it was for fans. She was proud of it. She even said she had “learned so much” working with partners. Now, she claims she did not understand crypto. She feels “sick” that fans trusted her. It is a sharp turn, a real head-scratcher for anyone who followed the initial hype. When someone famous, even internet famous, puts their name on a crypto project, it carries weight. Fans often trust these figures.
They see an endorsement as a sign of safety. Welch herself said she was “excited” and “learned so much.” This was before the crash. Her current claim of not understanding crypto feels a bit like closing the barn door after the horses have bolted. It makes one wonder if enough care was taken before such launches. The HAWK token launched on Solana (a fast blockchain network). It soared quickly. It hit a market cap (total value of all tokens) of $491 million.
Then it crashed. It fell below $100 million in mere hours. Her team had said the project was legal. They claimed it had a Cayman foundation. Her own tokens would vest over three years. The market, however, had other plans. It often does. Welch also tried to downplay the financial damage. She said customer losses were not $1.2 million. She put the real figure at $180,000. But here is the thing: Solscan, a public record of transactions, shows over 10,000 token holders.
Many of these people never sold their tokens. Their losses are not “realized” in her numbers. The idea of “unrealized” losses is a tricky one. If you buy a token for a dollar and it drops to a penny, you have lost 99 cents per token. You still hold the token, yes. But its value is gone. It is like owning a ticket to a concert that was canceled. You still have the ticket, but the experience is not happening. So, while Welch cites a lower “realized” loss figure, many people are still holding nearly worthless tokens. That stings, no matter how you count it.
The public is not buying her story. Comments on her podcast show this clearly. One person wrote, “She admits that she didn’t know anything about it but decided to endorse it anyway and promote it?” Another said, “You should have never attached yourself to something you didn’t understand.” It is a fair point. Trust is a fragile thing, especially in crypto. Once broken, it is hard to mend. HAWK prices are down. They sit 99% below their December peak.
The token now has a tiny market capitalization. It is just $104,000 as of Tuesday morning. This is a stark reminder. Quick fame in crypto can lead to quick falls. It is a lesson many learn the hard way. Perhaps Welch is learning it too. It serves as a cautionary tale. Always do your own research. Do not just follow the hype. The internet gives everyone a voice, but not every voice offers sound financial advice.
