An unusual event sparked the creation of a meme coin that has quickly become one of the most discussed tokens in the crypto space.
What began as a controversial incident involving an animal control raid gained viral attention, and the subsequent outcry gave rise to a new symbol of resistance against regulatory overreach – Peanut the Squirel (PNUT). This memecoin, which gained significant traction, would soon capture the interest of crypto enthusiasts, especially with the ongoing memecoin mania.
PNUT, which was inspired by the viral squirrel incident, has seen a dramatic rise in value. One investor capitalized on this surge, spending 2,717 Solana (SOL) – around $450,000 – on 16 million of these meme coins on November 5, when each token was worth only $0.045. By December 6, the token’s price skyrocketed to $1.34, resulting in a nearly $8 million return for the trader, marking an impressive 1,772% profit.
While this remarkable success story is one of the standout examples, it’s far from the only one during the ongoing bull market. Another investor turned $169 into $435,000 by investing in a Leonardo da Vinci-inspired token, and a trader’s bold bet on the FRIC token saw a $6,300 investment balloon into $1.5 million within just an hour.
That said, these gains are the exception rather than the rule. As highlighted by a recent Binance study, a staggering 97% of meme coins created over time have ultimately failed, underscoring the inherent risks of these high-stakes, speculative investments. While stories of massive returns make headlines, the reality is that most meme coins do not survive long-term.
Middle-East tensions pushed Bitcoin under $100k and drove Ethereum to its lowest levels since May, but the next potential volatility spark is already on the calendar: a cluster of token releases worth nearly $140 million will hit the market between 24–28 June.
Wallets linked to the development team behind the TRUMP memecoin — associated with U.S. President Donald Trump — transferred 3.5 million tokens (worth $32.8 million) to Binance earlier today, raising questions about future sell pressure.
Binance will give traders first access to Humanity Protocol’s native token next week, rolling it out on two of its experimental venues before any spot listing is considered.
Crypto markets were the first to absorb the shock of escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as news of targeted airstrikes on nuclear facilities sent ripples across the digital asset landscape.