Ex-NYC Mayor’s Mysterious New ‘NYC Token’ Sparks Frenzy Right After Office Exit
So, Eric Adams just stepped off the mayoral stage and decided to toss New York’s flavor into the crypto cauldron with his brand-new NYC Token — a bold move aiming to battle antisemitism and anti-Americanism through the mysterious alchemy of blockchain. Now, isn’t it wild how a city that never sleeps tries to package its spirit into a digital coin? Adams claims this token is about bringing the Big Apple to the fingertips of everyone, everywhere — but will it really “take off like crazy,” or is this just another memecoin in the noisy bazaar of digital assets? With promises to funnel proceeds into educating the next generation and funding non-profits, it sounds like idealism wrapped in cryptographic code. Yet, the early tumble in its market cap and whispers of liquidity drama add a delicious twist of skepticism to the mix. It’s a fascinating case that begs the question: can a token truly capture the ambition of a city as audacious as New York? Dive in and see what’s cooking behind the scenes. LEARN MORE.
Eric Adams has made his first major public move since leaving the New York City Mayor’s Office, launching a New York City–themed crypto token aimed at addressing antisemitism and “anti-Americanism.”
In a post to X on Monday, Adams announced the launch of the NYC Token, with a link to a website that says it also aims to inspire the next wave of innovation in NYC.
“I always say there are two types of Americans, those who live in New York and those who wish they could,” Adams said in a video, adding that “We’re about to change the game.”
“If you can’t make it to New York, we’re going to bring New York to you,” Adams said, suggesting that the NYC-themed token was poised to “take off like crazy.”
Proud to launch @buynyctoken, a new token built to fight the rapid spread of antisemitism and anti-Americanism across this country and now in New York City.
Now live at https://t.co/zowY9Ri3aK pic.twitter.com/qBMzV88Tmj
— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) January 12, 2026
In an interview with FOX Business, Adams explained that proceeds from the NYC Token would provide funding to non-profits to raise awareness about antisemitism and anti-Americanism through education programs. It will also be used to fund education about blockchain and crypto and support scholarships for NYC students in underserved communities.
“[There’s a] wave of anti-Americanism that is sweeping not only on Ivy League college campuses but in the cities, so the goal is how do we use blockchain technology with this token, and a substantial amount of money raised from this token is going to fight those initiatives.”
NYC Token plunges soon after launch
Adam’s new memecoin, however, saw a rocky launch.
DEXScreener data shows that the Solana-based token fell from $0.47 to the $0.10 roughly 30 minutes after launching, with the market cap falling from near $500 million to less than $110 million at the time of writing.
There are also unverified accusations that the team behind the token has intentionally removed liquidity, with crypto analyst Rune citing blockchain data suggesting investors have been scammed out of more than $3.4 million.
Cointelegraph reached out to Adams for comment but didn’t receive an immediate response.
Questions remain over what’s next for the NYC token
The NYC Token website provides little information on the project’s direction. The website’s “Buy NYC Token” and “Read Whitepaper” buttons also currently don’t work.
However, information on its tokenomics states that 40% of the NYC tokens are allocated to community rewards, 25% to liquidity, 15% to development, and the remaining 20% split between marketing and the team.
The website also suggests that Adams may pursue more than a token launch, stating: “We’re creating a decentralized financial ecosystem that’s as ambitious as the city itself.”
NYC has taken a change in direction
Adams was officially replaced by Zohran Mamdani on Jan. 1 following Mamdani’s victory over crypto advocate and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo on Nov. 4.
Related: Crypto custody company BitGo seeks up to $201 million in US IPO
Adams was one of the most pro-crypto mayors in the US when leading the mayor’s office and was well-known for converting some of his earliest paychecks into crypto.
Mamdani, however, adopts a far more anti-capitalist stance, a position that has drawn criticism from many in the crypto industry, with some warning that his leadership could drive tech talent out of the city.
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