Hawk Tuah’s Crypto Confession: Viral Star Launched $500M Coin With Zero Knowledge

After riding a wave of internet fame that turned her viral “hawk tuah” phrase into lucrative business deals, Haliey Welch now admits she knew almost nothing about the cryptocurrency that briefly carried her name.

Welch, who rose to fame after a June 2024 street interview where her response to a risqué question went viral, partnered with crypto company OverHere to launch the $HAWK token on the Solana blockchain in December 2024.

Viral internet sensation Welch turned her “hawk tuah” fame into cryptocurrency business with the Solana-based $HAWK token launch.

The memecoin was marketed as “fully compliant” and “fan-focused,” with Welch claiming she had “learned so much” about cryptocurrency.

The token quickly soared to a market cap of nearly $500 million before crashing more than 90% within hours. This dramatic collapse left investors with estimated losses of $180,000 and sparked accusations of a “pump and dump” scheme.

On the Talk Tuah podcast in May 2025, Welch confessed, “I couldn’t tell you what a blockchain even was.” She claimed she thought the cryptocurrency was “just a fun promo” and insisted she received only a flat marketing fee rather than tokens or profit-sharing.

The fallout was swift. FBI agents visited Welch’s grandmother’s house the day after the token crashed, requesting her phone for examination. A class-action lawsuit in New York has since been filed against Clinton So and Larson, the alleged masterminds behind the $HAWK token. The SEC launched a separate investigation targeting those behind the scenes of the token launch.

Welch has since distanced herself from the project, claiming authorities have “cleared” her of wrongdoing. She shifted blame to her partners, saying, “I thought they were professionals” and “I didn’t know I was walking into a scam.”

The podcast episode containing her crypto confession mysteriously disappeared after posting, though leaks of the content spread on social media.

Welch expressed regret about the situation, saying she felt “sick” that fans trusted her with the project and that her “granny was about to have a heart attack” from the stress of the investigation. The token’s value has plummeted down 99% since its December peak, leaving many of the 10,149 token holders with substantial unrealized losses.