John McAfee reborn as AI memecoin and chatbot with $27 million market cap
The Twitter/X account of Janice McAfee, wife of infamous cybersecurity expert John McAfee, announced the launch of AIntivirus (AINTI), a memecoin tied to an AI-driven project inspired by her late husband’s legacy.
The token, which went live on Jan. 23 at 1 A.M. GMT, reached a $100 million market cap within five hours before stabilizing near $27 million. Its price fluctuated between $0.27 and $1 during the first 11 trading hours.
Per Janice McAfee’s X post, the initiative combines John McAfee’s advocacy for privacy, crypto, decentralized technology, and AI capabilities. The project’s smart contract address was shared alongside warnings against fraudulent tokens. In a separate post, she emphasized leveraging her husband’s unfinished work to “expand his legacy” amid the current market cycle. McAfee is said to be “John McAfee AI incarnated.”
The launch follows the Trump family’s success with the official TRUMP and MELANIA memecoins ahead of the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration. Further, it is uncertain whether the token is a pump-and-dump scam, with users pointing out the use of US English instead of UK English, which Janice McAfee uses.
AIntivirus’s volatility mirrors patterns seen in celebrity-linked tokens, where initial hype often outpaces sustained demand. The token is already down 70% from its short-liven all-time high. The token’s performance aligns with broader memecoin trends, which have resurged as Bitcoin repeatedly tests all-time highs above $100,000. While the project claims to integrate AI tools for cybersecurity—a nod to John McAfee’s antivirus software—specific technical details remain undisclosed beyond a promotional website.
The website reads,
“In a world overrun by surveillance states, corporate greed and digital enslavement, the AIntivirus is the ultimate disrupter.
A string of defiance wrapped in cryptographic brilliance. If $AIntivirus represents freedom, privacy and sticking it to the establishment, then consider it endorsed. Use it wisely, use it boldly, don’t let anyone tell you how to live your life.”
The token’s contract address is ‘BAezfVmia8UYLt4rst6PCU4dvL2i2qHzqn4wGhytpNJW.’and the materials highlight the risks of ‘copycat scams.’
Importantly, it is still unclear whether this launch is itself a scam fueled by hacking both McAfee accounts. However, the community response has been mixed regardless of its origin.
