There was a time when the metaverse and NFTs made investors dream of a new digital frontier. Blockchain promised to revolutionize video games and virtual ownership. Yet this enchanting universe has often turned into financial rollercoasters. The downturns outnumber the upswings. Today, Pudgy Party, a very promising mobile game, abruptly closes its doors after just a few months of existence.
In brief The Pudgy Party game closes after one year despite one million downloads. The game had only 200 to 300 active players at the end of its life. Pudgy Penguins lost several million dollars on this very costly project. Pudgy World is now the brand’s new flagship game. A mobile venture that cost millions without winning hearts Launched in August 2025 with extensive advertising, Pudgy Party had all the ingredients to succeed. This battle royale game, developed with Mythical Games and associated with PENGU, quickly reached first place on the App Store. It surpassed one million downloads and was even crowned “Game of the Year” by Decrypt’s GG. Yet behind these numbers, the reality is much darker.
According to notes from an internal meeting reported by chefjames.eth, the game had only 200 to 300 active players at the end of its life. Losses were already in the millions of dollars. Continuing the adventure would have required an additional investment of 2.5 million. CEO Luca Netz admitted he was “super ambitious” and fully embraces this difficult decision.
“I was super ambitious and thought it was one of the best Web3 games built” he said during the community meeting on June 14 (Source: chefjames.eth, X).
The team tried to save the project by injecting nearly one million dollars more, but without success.
Pudgy World, the new life of the NFT brand The closure of Pudgy Party is not a simple abandonment. It is part of a much broader vision for the Pudgy Penguins project. The brand no longer wants to be just an NFT collection.
It is building a true mainstream ecosystem with physical toys sold at Walmart and Target. Partnerships with Visa and Manchester City demonstrate this voracious ambition.
Pudgy World is now the gaming showcase of this strategy. This browser game, free and requiring no download, aims to attract a massive audience. Its creators carefully hid blockchain elements so as not to scare off newcomers. With 15,000 to 20,000 daily users, the game already seems to find its audience.
Pudgy World continues to grow rapidly and offers one of the most fun and innovative web experiences. Source: @PlayPudgyParty
The game offers 12 cities, narrative quests, and mini-games in a universe called “The Berg.” It is a bold attempt to go from a crypto niche to a global entertainment brand. However, this strategic pivot has a human cost.
The community is still angry. Players invested time and money in Pudgy Party. Today, they demand accountability. The lack of clear compensation or transfer of items to Pudgy World fuels the anger.
“Imagine if you were one of those people who bought a Power Pudgy skin for $5,000… ” wonders a user on X (Source: Sasquatch, @sas0xatch).
Another bitterly deplores: “You ignored our feedback again and again and now you are shutting everything down. Shame. ” (Source: Foxie1, @Macieyo193416).
The loss of trust could tarnish the brand image in the long term.
However, the PENGU token rose more than 10% after the announcement, indicating that investors support the strategic pivot. Players, however, are left on the sidelines.
Key figures of the closure 1 million downloads for Pudgy Party; Only 200 to 300 active players at the end; Several million dollars in losses already recorded; 15,000 to 20,000 daily users for Pudgy World; PENGU price: currently 0.007207 dollars. The crypto gaming industry is going through a difficult period, but NFTs are not completely abandoned. The new SEC chairman, Paul Atkins, recently clarified their legal status in the United States. This change opens up more serene prospects for projects wishing to innovate without fearing regulatory backlash.
Maximize your Cointribune experience with our "Read to Earn" program! For every article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning benefits.
Join the program
A
A
Lien copié
Mikaia A.
La révolution blockchain et crypto est en marche ! Et le jour où les impacts se feront ressentir sur l’économie la plus vulnérable de ce Monde, contre toute espérance, je dirai que j’y étais pour quelque chose
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
New York, United States, 18th June 2026, ChainwireBy Chainwire
Jun 18, 2026
3 min read
Create an account to save your articles.
Add on Google
Add Decrypt as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.
New York, United States, June 18th, 2026, Chainwire
Stratosphere, Pudgy Penguins and Streamex hosted a private Founders Table VIP Dinner in New York City during ETHConf 2026 and NYC Tech Week, bringing together leaders across digital assets, tech, AI, traditional finance and institutional capital.
The invite-only dinner took place on June 9th and gathered a curated room of founders, operators, funds, C-level executives and institutional leaders for an intimate evening of dinner and conversation.
Guests in attendance included leaders from Citi, BitMine, BitGo, Mirae Asset Securities USA, Experian, Pyth Network, Space and Time, MegaETH, B3, Stable, Antler, Delphi Digital, Fun, Linera, Vanta Trading, Streamex, PolyData, Horizen Labs, World Foundation, Zipcode, OpenLedger, Onyx, Definitive, Notalone Ventures and more.
The Founders Table format is intentionally simple: a selected guest list, a private room and no stage agenda. The goal is to bring the right people together in a setting where conversations can happen naturally.
The dinner was hosted by Stratosphere with Pudgy Penguins and Streamex. Stratosphere brought its network across founders, operators, investors and institutional teams. Pudgy Penguins added one of the strongest consumer brands and communities in digital assets. Streamex brought the institutional and real-world asset side of the conversation, with its focus on tokenized gold and commodity markets.
The Stratosphere team and its CEO, Hassan Shaikh, have continued to build Founders Table into a private dinner series around major industry conferences. After previous editions during Digital Asset Summit and Consensus, the New York dinner continued the same idea: high-quality rooms, selected attendance and conversations that are hard to recreate on a conference floor.For Stratosphere, the dinner reinforces the company’s position as an ecosystem partner for leading brands across tech, finance and digital assets. Established projects work with Stratosphere to deepen cultural relevance, strengthen market narratives and connect with founders, investors, institutions and operators across the industry.
"I’m optimistic about the next phase of digital assets, especially around the tokenization of commodities," said Hassan Shaikh, CEO of Stratosphere. "These dinners give us a way to bring funds, institutions, and founders into the same room to talk about where the market is heading."
The Founders Table series is expected to continue around major global conferences throughout the year, with future editions focused on bringing together founders, capital, institutions and leading brands in private, relationship-driven rooms.
For those interested in attending or getting involved in future Founders Table editions, reach out to the Stratosphere team.
About Stratosphere
Stratosphere is an ecosystem partner and growth consultancy for industry leaders in tech and finance, building the narratives, ecosystem partnerships, and distribution flywheels that create sustainable, repeatable growth.
New York, United States, June 18th, 2026, Chainwire
Stratosphere, Pudgy Penguins and Streamex hosted a private Founders Table VIP Dinner in New York City during ETHConf 2026 and NYC Tech Week, bringing together leaders across digital assets, tech, AI, traditional finance and institutional capital.
The invite-only dinner took place on June 9th and gathered a curated room of founders, operators, funds, C-level executives and institutional leaders for an intimate evening of dinner and conversation.
Guests in attendance included leaders from Citi, BitMine, BitGo, Mirae Asset Securities USA, Experian, Pyth Network, Space and Time, MegaETH, B3, Stable, Antler, Delphi Digital, Fun, Linera, Vanta Trading, Streamex, PolyData, Horizen Labs, World Foundation, Zipcode, OpenLedger, Onyx, Definitive, Notalone Ventures and more.
The Founders Table format is intentionally simple: a selected guest list, a private room and no stage agenda. The goal is to bring the right people together in a setting where conversations can happen naturally.
The dinner was hosted by Stratosphere with Pudgy Penguins and Streamex. Stratosphere brought its network across founders, operators, investors and institutional teams. Pudgy Penguins added one of the strongest consumer brands and communities in digital assets. Streamex brought the institutional and real-world asset side of the conversation, with its focus on tokenized gold and commodity markets.
The Stratosphere team and its CEO, Hassan Shaikh, have continued to build Founders Table into a private dinner series around major industry conferences. After previous editions during Digital Asset Summit and Consensus, the New York dinner continued the same idea: high-quality rooms, selected attendance and conversations that are hard to recreate on a conference floor.For Stratosphere, the dinner reinforces the company’s position as an ecosystem partner for leading brands across tech, finance and digital assets. Established projects work with Stratosphere to deepen cultural relevance, strengthen market narratives and connect with founders, investors, institutions and operators across the industry.
“I’m optimistic about the next phase of digital assets, especially around the tokenization of commodities,” said Hassan Shaikh, CEO of Stratosphere. “These dinners give us a way to bring funds, institutions, and founders into the same room to talk about where the market is heading.”
The Founders Table series is expected to continue around major global conferences throughout the year, with future editions focused on bringing together founders, capital, institutions and leading brands in private, relationship-driven rooms.
For those interested in attending or getting involved in future Founders Table editions, reach out to the Stratosphere team.
About Stratosphere
Stratosphere is an ecosystem partner and growth consultancy for industry leaders in tech and finance, building the narratives, ecosystem partnerships, and distribution flywheels that create sustainable, repeatable growth.
New York, United States, June 18th, 2026, Chainwire
Stratosphere, Pudgy Penguins and Streamex hosted a private Founders Table VIP Dinner in New York City during ETHConf 2026 and NYC Tech Week, bringing together leaders across digital assets, tech, AI, traditional finance and institutional capital.
The invite-only dinner took place on June 9th and gathered a curated room of founders, operators, funds, C-level executives and institutional leaders for an intimate evening of dinner and conversation.
Guests in attendance included leaders from Citi, BitMine, BitGo, Mirae Asset Securities USA, Experian, Pyth Network, Space and Time, MegaETH, B3, Stable, Antler, Delphi Digital, Fun, Linera, Vanta Trading, Streamex, PolyData, Horizen Labs, World Foundation, Zipcode, OpenLedger, Onyx, Definitive, Notalone Ventures and more.
The Founders Table format is intentionally simple: a selected guest list, a private room and no stage agenda. The goal is to bring the right people together in a setting where conversations can happen naturally.
The dinner was hosted by Stratosphere with Pudgy Penguins and Streamex. Stratosphere brought its network across founders, operators, investors and institutional teams. Pudgy Penguins added one of the strongest consumer brands and communities in digital assets. Streamex brought the institutional and real-world asset side of the conversation, with its focus on tokenized gold and commodity markets.
The Stratosphere team and its CEO, Hassan Shaikh, have continued to build Founders Table into a private dinner series around major industry conferences. After previous editions during Digital Asset Summit and Consensus, the New York dinner continued the same idea: high-quality rooms, selected attendance and conversations that are hard to recreate on a conference floor.For Stratosphere, the dinner reinforces the company’s position as an ecosystem partner for leading brands across tech, finance and digital assets. Established projects work with Stratosphere to deepen cultural relevance, strengthen market narratives and connect with founders, investors, institutions and operators across the industry.
“I’m optimistic about the next phase of digital assets, especially around the tokenization of commodities,” said Hassan Shaikh, CEO of Stratosphere. “These dinners give us a way to bring funds, institutions, and founders into the same room to talk about where the market is heading.”
The Founders Table series is expected to continue around major global conferences throughout the year, with future editions focused on bringing together founders, capital, institutions and leading brands in private, relationship-driven rooms.
For those interested in attending or getting involved in future Founders Table editions, reach out to the Stratosphere team.
About Stratosphere
Stratosphere is an ecosystem partner and growth consultancy for industry leaders in tech and finance, building the narratives, ecosystem partnerships, and distribution flywheels that create sustainable, repeatable growth.
Stratosphere, Pudgy Penguins and Streamex hosted a private Founders Table VIP Dinner in New York City during ETHConf 2026 and NYC Tech Week, bringing together leaders across digital assets, tech, AI, traditional finance and institutional capital.
The invite-only dinner took place on June 9th and gathered a curated room of founders, operators, funds, C-level executives and institutional leaders for an intimate evening of dinner and conversation.
Guests in attendance included leaders from Citi, BitMine, BitGo, Mirae Asset Securities USA, Experian, Pyth Network, Space and Time, MegaETH, B3, Stable, Antler, Delphi Digital, Fun, Linera, Vanta Trading, Streamex, PolyData, Horizen Labs, World Foundation, Zipcode, OpenLedger, Onyx, Definitive, Notalone Ventures and more.
The Founders Table format is intentionally simple: a selected guest list, a private room and no stage agenda. The goal is to bring the right people together in a setting where conversations can happen naturally.
The dinner was hosted by Stratosphere with Pudgy Penguins and Streamex. Stratosphere brought its network across founders, operators, investors and institutional teams. Pudgy Penguins added one of the strongest consumer brands and communities in digital assets. Streamex brought the institutional and real-world asset side of the conversation, with its focus on tokenized gold and commodity markets.
The Stratosphere team and its CEO, Hassan Shaikh, have continued to build Founders Table into a private dinner series around major industry conferences. After previous editions during Digital Asset Summit and Consensus, the New York dinner continued the same idea: high-quality rooms, selected attendance and conversations that are hard to recreate on a conference floor.For Stratosphere, the dinner reinforces the company’s position as an ecosystem partner for leading brands across tech, finance and digital assets. Established projects work with Stratosphere to deepen cultural relevance, strengthen market narratives and connect with founders, investors, institutions and operators across the industry.
“I’m optimistic about the next phase of digital assets, especially around the tokenization of commodities,” said Hassan Shaikh, CEO of Stratosphere. “These dinners give us a way to bring funds, institutions, and founders into the same room to talk about where the market is heading.”
The Founders Table series is expected to continue around major global conferences throughout the year, with future editions focused on bringing together founders, capital, institutions and leading brands in private, relationship-driven rooms.
For those interested in attending or getting involved in future Founders Table editions, reach out to the Stratosphere team.
About Stratosphere
Stratosphere is an ecosystem partner and growth consultancy for industry leaders in tech and finance, building the narratives, ecosystem partnerships, and distribution flywheels that create sustainable, repeatable growth.
[PRESS RELEASE – New York, United States, June 18th, 2026]
Stratosphere, Pudgy Penguins and Streamex hosted a private Founders Table VIP Dinner in New York City during ETHConf 2026 and NYC Tech Week, bringing together leaders across digital assets, tech, AI, traditional finance and institutional capital.
The invite-only dinner took place on June 9th and gathered a curated room of founders, operators, funds, C-level executives and institutional leaders for an intimate evening of dinner and conversation.
Guests in attendance included leaders from Citi, BitMine, BitGo, Mirae Asset Securities USA, Experian, Pyth Network, Space and Time, MegaETH, B3, Stable, Antler, Delphi Digital, Fun, Linera, Vanta Trading, Streamex, PolyData, Horizen Labs, World Foundation, Zipcode, OpenLedger, Onyx, Definitive, Notalone Ventures and more.
The Founders Table format is intentionally simple: a selected guest list, a private room and no stage agenda. The goal is to bring the right people together in a setting where conversations can happen naturally.
The dinner was hosted by Stratosphere with Pudgy Penguins and Streamex. Stratosphere brought its network across founders, operators, investors and institutional teams. Pudgy Penguins added one of the strongest consumer brands and communities in digital assets. Streamex brought the institutional and real-world asset side of the conversation, with its focus on tokenized gold and commodity markets.
The Stratosphere team and its CEO, Hassan Shaikh, have continued to build Founders Table into a private dinner series around major industry conferences. After previous editions during Digital Asset Summit and Consensus, the New York dinner continued the same idea: high-quality rooms, selected attendance and conversations that are hard to recreate on a conference floor.
For Stratosphere, the dinner reinforces the company’s position as an ecosystem partner for leading brands across tech, finance and digital assets. Established projects work with Stratosphere to deepen cultural relevance, strengthen market narratives and connect with founders, investors, institutions and operators across the industry.
“I’m optimistic about the next phase of digital assets, especially around the tokenization of commodities,” said Hassan Shaikh, CEO of Stratosphere. “These dinners give us a way to bring funds, institutions, and founders into the same room to talk about where the market is heading.”
The Founders Table series is expected to continue around major global conferences throughout the year, with future editions focused on bringing together founders, capital, institutions and leading brands in private, relationship-driven rooms.
For those interested in attending or getting involved in future Founders Table editions, reach out to the Stratosphere team.
About Stratosphere
Stratosphere is an ecosystem partner and growth consultancy for industry leaders in tech and finance, building the narratives, ecosystem partnerships, and distribution flywheels that create sustainable, repeatable growth.
According to Coingecko, the 10 top Crypto gainers performed well in the last 24 hours, in terms of Price, Market Cap, 7D Change, and holding volume. There is a fluctuation in the price of these cryptocurrencies over a 7-day period. Here is the name of these gainers along with their details that are different from each other over a period of a week.
Siren ($SIREN), Pudgy Penguins ($PENGU), Solana ($SOL), Bittensor ($TAO), Avalanche ($AVAX), Venice Token ($VVV), Lighter ($LIT), Chainlink ($LINK), Aster ($ASTER), and Velvet Capital ($VELVET). In this list, the First position is given to Siren ($SIREN). This coin has the biggest decrease percentage of -76.2% over the last 7D, with a current price of $0.11. River ($RIVER) also holds a 24-hour volume of $16.6M along with a market cap of $81.8M on Gate Exchange. Phoenix Group has released this news through its official social media X account.
Solana, Bittensor, and Avalanche Shine Among Top Market Performers Pudgy Penguins ($PENGU) gets 2nd position with a volume of $73.4M over the last day. Moreover, Pudgy Penguins ($PENGU) trades at a new price of $0.006 with a declining trend of -3.9% in the previous 7D. Pudgy Penguins ($PENGU) holds a market cap of $407.2M on the Binance exchange. Solana ($SOL) and Bittensor ($TAO) have a price difference of $37.6B. Solana ($SOL) attains 3rd position in the list of the top performers, crypto gainers. Solana ($SOL) is currently trading at $68.42 price with an increase of +3.6% over the last day. Solana ($SOL) holds a volume of $2.5B by last 24 hours and a market cap of $39.7B on the Binance exchange.
In addition, Bittensor ($TAO) and Avalanche ($AVAX) got 4th and 5th positions with current prices of $227.45 and $6.01, respectively. These two cryptocurrencies trade on the same exchange, Binance, with market caps of $2.1B and $2.5B, respectively. Bittensor ($TAO) holds a volume of $205.2M, and Avalanche ($AVAX) also holds $273.0M.
Lighter and Chainlink Post Gains as Venice Token Holds Strong Market Presence As per CoinGecko data, Venice Token ($VVV) is also among the top performers with a decrease of -2.6%, with a new price of trading at $14.34. Venice Token ($VVV) has a volume of $26.9M along with a market cap of $672.2M on the Coinbase exchange. This cryptocurrency holds almost a central position in the whole list. Furthermore, Lighter ($LIT) has a volume of $41.0M of 24H, with a price of $1.57. This coin also gained +3.1% increases on the Coinbase exchange.
Chainlink ($LINK) and Aster ($ASTER) also show increased responses toward growth over the past 24 hours. Chainlink ($LINK) and Aster ($ASTER) got +1.2% and -0.2% growth with volumes of $233.8M and $177.8M on the same exchange, Binance. Chainlink ($LINK) is available for trading at $7.86 in the entire list with a market cap of $5.7B. Aster ($ASTER) trades at a new price of $0.62 along with a market cap of $1.6B.
Last but not least, Velvet Capital ($VELVET) has the last position in the entire list with a volume of $34.9M, along with the market cap of $203.4M over the previous days. Velvet Capital ($VELVET) is currently available for trading at $0.84 on Gate Exchange.
AUTHOR
Crypto journalist with years of experience providing in-depth analysis and news on blockchain and decentralized finance. With a keen eye for detail, Shahzaib delivers insightful articles that explore the latest trends, market movements, and innovations within the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. His work focuses on educating readers while offering expert commentary on the evolving landscape of digital assets, DeFi protocols, and the broader impact of blockchain technology.
Non-fungible token (NFT) project Pudgy Penguins has expanded the retail reach of its trading card game through a nationwide rollout at Target stores in the US.
According to a press release shared with Cointelegraph, the launch of Vibes Series 3 marks the game's biggest retail expansion to date and brings the total number of circulated cards to 15 million. The new set includes additional gameplay mechanics, original artwork and appearances by characters from the Moonbirds collection.
Pudgy Penguins developed Vibes in partnership with Orange Cap Games, with Series 3 following two earlier releases. The digital collectible project is the fourth-largest NFT collection by market capitalization, according to data tracker NFT Price Floor.
Top five NFT collections by market capitalization. Source: NFT Price Floor
The rollout shows how Pudgy Penguins is extending its NFT-born intellectual property into mainstream consumer products as it aims to build a broader entertainment franchise beyond digital assets.
Pudgy Penguins has spent years turning its Ethereum-based NFT collection into a broader consumer brand, with ventures spanning toys, licensing and other consumer products.
Its physical toys entered more than 2,000 Walmart stores in 2023. CEO Luca Netz said in May 2024 that more than 1 million toys had been sold over the preceding 12 months.
The project’s licensing model also allows NFT holders to receive 5% of net revenue from physical products featuring their individual penguins.
The franchise has also expanded into gaming. In 2025, Pudgy Penguins launched Pengu Clash, a game on The Open Network. At the time, Netz described gaming as a vehicle for bringing the project’s intellectual property to wider audiences.
It also launched a mobile game called Pudgy Party in August 2025. According to Pudgy Penguins, the game's downloads exceeded 1 million. However, the project said on Monday that it would halt further development of the game and focus its resources on a browser-based game called Pudgy World.
Magazine: Vietnam preps crypto pilot, HK pushes tokenization: Asia Express
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
Non-fungible token (NFT) project Pudgy Penguins has expanded the retail reach of its trading card game through a nationwide rollout at Target stores in the US.
According to a press release shared with Cointelegraph, the launch of Vibes Series 3 marks the game's biggest retail expansion to date and brings the total number of circulated cards to 15 million. The new set includes additional gameplay mechanics, original artwork and appearances by characters from the Moonbirds collection.
Pudgy Penguins developed Vibes in partnership with Orange Cap Games, with Series 3 following two earlier releases. The digital collectible project is the fourth-largest NFT collection by market capitalization, according to data tracker NFT Price Floor.
Top five NFT collections by market capitalization. Source: NFT Price Floor
The rollout shows how Pudgy Penguins is extending its NFT-born intellectual property into mainstream consumer products as it aims to build a broader entertainment franchise beyond digital assets.
Pudgy Penguins has spent years turning its Ethereum-based NFT collection into a broader consumer brand, with ventures spanning toys, licensing and other consumer products.
Its physical toys entered more than 2,000 Walmart stores in 2023. CEO Luca Netz said in May 2024 that more than 1 million toys had been sold over the preceding 12 months.
The project’s licensing model also allows NFT holders to receive 5% of net revenue from physical products featuring their individual penguins.
The franchise has also expanded into gaming. In 2025, Pudgy Penguins launched Pengu Clash, a game on The Open Network. At the time, Netz described gaming as a vehicle for bringing the project’s intellectual property to wider audiences.
It also launched a mobile game called Pudgy Party in August 2025. According to Pudgy Penguins, the game's downloads exceeded 1 million. However, the project said on Monday that it would halt further development of the game and focus its resources on a browser-based game called Pudgy World.
Magazine: Vietnam preps crypto pilot, HK pushes tokenization: Asia Express
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
Pudgy Penguins, the NFT collection that started as 8,888 cartoon birds on Ethereum, now has trading cards sitting next to Pokemon packs at Target. The Vibes TCG Season 3 hit shelves at Target stores across the US around June 19, marking the franchise’s most ambitious retail push yet.
The move comes through a partnership with Orange Cap Games and builds on a physical product strategy that’s already put Pudgy Penguins plush toys and merchandise in the same retail chain. For a project that launched as a JPEG collection in 2021, the trajectory is remarkable.
From NFTs to aisle endcaps Vibes Series 3 follows two previous card sets: Series 1 (Enter the Huddle) and Series 2 (Legend of the Lils). Before this latest drop, over 15 million Vibes cards were already in circulation.
The new series introduces fresh gameplay mechanics, street artist collaborations on the artwork, and tiered Soulbound Tokens for Pengu Card users. It also features guest appearances from Moonbirds characters, another well-known NFT collection.
Advertisement
Here’s the thing about Soulbound Tokens: they’re non-transferable digital assets tied to a specific wallet. They function like merit badges that prove you did something, and you can’t sell them. Adding these to a physical trading card game creates a bridge between the cardboard in your hands and the blockchain entry on your screen.
CEO Luca Netz, who acquired the Pudgy Penguins project in 2022, has framed the Target rollout as a critical step in building what he envisions as a global entertainment brand. The franchise has already shown up at the LA Card Show and San Diego Comic-Con, treating its IP less like an NFT project and more like a media property in the making.
PENGU token gets a boost The market noticed. PENGU, the project’s token launched on Solana in Q4 2024, rallied roughly 7% around the time of the Target announcement. As of June 20, the token was trading at approximately $0.0067 with a market cap of around $420M.
The price action also coincides with a broader strategic pivot from the Pudgy Penguins team. The project recently discontinued its Pudgy Party mobile game, choosing instead to focus resources on the more expansive Pudgy World browser game.
Why this matters beyond cute penguins Target isn’t some niche collectibles store. It’s the eighth-largest retailer in the US. When a blockchain-born brand gets shelf space there, it represents proof that Web3 intellectual property can compete in traditional consumer markets.
Pudgy Penguins has been notably aggressive and systematic about physical retail. Plush toys came first, building brand recognition with a younger demographic. Trading cards deepen the engagement. And the Soulbound Token integration quietly introduces blockchain concepts to consumers who might never visit a crypto exchange.
Traders should watch two things closely. First, whether the PENGU rally holds or fades as the news cycle moves on. Second, whether Series 3 sales data shows growth over the previous two series. If 15 million cards were in circulation before this Target expansion, the next milestone should be significantly higher given the distribution upgrade.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
PANews, June 20 – The NFT project "Pudgy Penguins" announced an expansion of its physical retail presence, with its trading card game Vibes Series 3 now available across all channels of U.S. retail giant Target, marking the project’s largest retail expansion to date. Following the launch of Vibes Series 3, the total circulation of Pudgy Penguins trading cards has reached 15 million. The new series reportedly introduces new game mechanics, original art designs, and incorporates Moonbirds character elements.
Pudgy Penguins has expanded its physical retail push by bringing Vibes Series 3 trading cards to Target stores across the United States.
Summary
Pudgy Penguins Vibes Series 3 cards are now available at Target stores across the U.S. The rollout gives the NFT-born brand more exposure to collectors outside traditional crypto markets nationwide. Moonbirds characters and new gameplay features aim to broaden appeal for Vibes trading cards online. The rollout gives the NFT-born brand more shelf space in a mainstream retail channel.
The launch follows earlier Vibes card releases and builds on the project’s push into toys, games and licensed products. The new set adds more gameplay features, original artwork and characters from the Moonbirds collection.
Pudgy Penguins and Vibes TCG said on X that the Vibes Season 3 collection is now available in all Target stores nationwide. The post described the launch as “a new chapter for Pudgy Penguins and Web3.”
Vibes TCG is officially sold in one of the largest retailers in America.
Packs are on the shelves of ALL Targets that carry TCG now. https://t.co/KuwlEWAVhG
— Vibes TCG (@vibes_tcg) June 19, 2026 The project also shared a VibesChecker tool for buyers to find local Target stock and upload card pulls. The rollout marks the largest retail move so far for the Vibes trading card game.
Vibes is a physical and digital trading card game built around Pudgy Penguins IP. The game lets users collect, trade and compete with penguin characters that have different abilities and rarities.
Brand moves further beyond NFTs Pudgy Penguins began as an Ethereum NFT collection of 8,888 cartoon penguins in 2021. Since then, the project has tried to turn its characters into a consumer brand through plush toys, cards, games and licensing.
As previously reported by crypto.news, PENGU drew market attention earlier this year as analysts pointed to the strength of the Pudgy Penguins brand beyond short-term NFT trading. The report said the project’s value story had moved beyond the original digital collection.
The Target rollout fits that same strategy. Instead of relying only on NFT markets, Pudgy Penguins is placing its characters in stores where customers may have little direct contact with crypto.
Vibes adds Moonbirds characters Vibes Series 3 includes characters from Moonbirds, another known NFT collection. The set follows earlier Vibes releases and adds new card types and gameplay mechanics for returning players.
NFT Calendar reported in May that the third set, called Birb & Pengu, would include 195 new cards. It also said the set would introduce “Fits,” a card type used to upgrade character cards during gameplay.
Orange Cap Games developed Vibes in partnership with Pudgy Penguins. The studio says Vibes is both a physical and digital trading card game based on the Pudgy Penguins brand.
PENGU remains tied to consumer push The rollout comes as Pudgy Penguins continues to connect its token, games and consumer products. CoinGecko data showed PENGU trading near $0.0067, with a market cap of about $425 million at the time of review.
The token sits beside the brand rather than replacing its retail push. Buyers of cards at Target may not need to hold PENGU or own a Pudgy Penguins NFT, which gives the brand a different path to reach new users.
Crypto.news also reported that Pudgy World helped lift attention around PENGU earlier in 2026. The project has used games, merchandise and public brand deals to keep the penguin characters visible outside NFT marketplaces.
The Target card rollout adds another retail channel to that plan. It also shows how some NFT projects are testing physical products as a way to stay relevant after the first NFT market boom.
CoinGecko, a leading independent cryptocurrency data aggregator that tracks and analyzes market data across the blockchain industry, has unveiled the list of top 10 NFTs by trading volume for the last week. The degrading positions highlight the necessity of these non-fungible tokens NFTs in the market from multiple angles. NFTs are being used extensively for trading worldwide.
These top 10 NFTs by last 7D are Courtyard, Bored Ape Yacht Club, Pudgy Penguins, Mutant Ape Yacht Club, DeezNode, Normies, Muraqqa, Ordinal Maxi Biz (OMB), Bitcoin Shrooms, and Milady Maker. These NFTs are covered by 4 sides to estimate their growth in the market. These 3 aspects are 24-hour change, Market Cap, and 24h volume.
Courtyard is at the shining stage in the top 10 NFTs pack, with a market cap of $2529272 and a 24 h trading volume of $1563980, and a 16.4% price change over the period. In the provided list, Bored Ape Yacht Club is in the 2nd position, which bears a change of 2.0% with trading volume of $221494. In the same way, Bored Ape Yacht Club has a market cap of $164891615.
Pudgy Penguins and Mutant Ape Yacht Club Lead NFT Market Activity as Muraqqa Surges 12.8% Pudgy Penguins appear on the list with a market cap of $69784759 and have a change of 1.0% over the last day. Pudgy Penguins has a trading volume of $67716. Mutant Ape Yacht Club is in 4th position in this list, with a change in value of 1.4% by the last 24h. Mutant Ape Yacht Club has a trading volume of $57659 and holds a market cap of $48075273.
As per Coingecko data, DeezNode is the NFT project that has faced no change over the last 24h and has a market cap of $63624 with a 24h trading volume of $25452. Normies faced a decline of 10.8% in price change over the last 24h. Normies has a trading volume of $25261 and a market cap of $7258147. Normies is at the 5th position in the given list. Muraqqa faces a huge increase in the price change over the last 24h, which is 12.8%.
Muraqqa Leads NFT Gainers While Milady Maker Records Positive Growth Muraqqa holds a trading volume of $22134 and a $864426 market cap over the previous day’s analysis. Ordinal Maxi Biz (OMB) is the NFT performer as the DeezNode, who has faced no change in price over the last 24h. Ordinal Maxi Biz (OMB) has a market cap of $5881793 and also has a trading volume of $21603.
Bitcoin Shrooms has got the 9th position in the top performer list of NFTs. Bitcoin Shrooms also faces no change in price over the last 24h. Bitcoin Shrooms has a market cap of $8590069 with a trading volume of $19872. Milady Maker is ranked in 10th position with a change in value of 2.1% in the last 24h. Milady Maker has a trading volume of $19437 with a market cap of $17958472.
AUTHOR
Crypto journalist with years of experience providing in-depth analysis and news on blockchain and decentralized finance. With a keen eye for detail, Shahzaib delivers insightful articles that explore the latest trends, market movements, and innovations within the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. His work focuses on educating readers while offering expert commentary on the evolving landscape of digital assets, DeFi protocols, and the broader impact of blockchain technology.
PANews, June 23 – According to SoSoValue data, crypto market sectors are broadly trending downward. The NFT sector fell 3.79% in 24 hours. Within the sector, Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) dropped 2.96%, and Audiera (BEAT) fell 6.29%. Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) declined 1.06%, falling below $64,000; Ethereum (ETH) dropped 1.34%, fluctuating narrowly around $1,700.
Only the SocialFi sector showed relative resilience, being the sole sector to post gains today with a 24-hour increase of 1.23%. Within it, Gram (GRAM), renamed from Toncoin (TON), rose 2.13%.
In other sectors, the DeFi sector fell 0.47% over 24 hours, but DeXe (DEXE) surged 59.33%. The CeFi sector declined 0.94%, though OKB (OKB) rose 2.98%, briefly breaking above $83 during the session, influenced by factors including the formation of a joint venture with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). The Layer1 sector dropped 1.51%, while TRON (TRX) gained 1.77% intraday. The Layer2 sector fell 1.51%, with Celestia (TIA) bucking the trend to rise 5.40%. The Meme sector declined 1.55%, but BUILDon (B) increased 6.27%. The PayFi sector fell 2.04%, while Telcoin (TEL) rose 8.06%.
TRUMP, MELANIA, and LOFI are three meme coins drawing attention today amid renewed market activity and the Trump Gala Dinner. TRUMP has surged 71.7% over the past month, with its market cap back above $3 billion and trading volume up sharply.
MELANIA is up 12% this week and approaching a potential golden cross, while LOFI has rebounded 9% in the last 24 hours despite ecosystem-wide fallout from the Cetus Protocol hack. All three tokens sit near key support and resistance levels, with volatility expected to remain high.
Melania Meme (MELANIA) Launch Date – January 2025 Total Circulating Supply – 396.29 Million MELANIA Maximum Supply – 1 Billion MELANIA Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $392.49 Million Contract Address – FUAfBo2jgks6gB4Z4LfZkqSZgzNucisEHqnNebaRxM1P MELANIA, the Trump-themed meme coin, made headlines after launching just one day after the official TRUMP token, skyrocketing to a $1 billion market cap within hours.
However, the hype was short-lived—MELANIA quickly entered a steep correction phase, shedding 90% of its value in the following months.
The dramatic rise and fall exemplified the volatility of politically themed meme tokens, with retail sentiment dominating price action.
MELANIA Price Analysis. Source: TradingView.Now, with the highly anticipated Trump Gala Dinner taking place today, MELANIA is regaining some momentum.
The token is up 12% over the past week, and its EMA lines are nearing a golden cross formation—a potential bullish signal. If the setup confirms, MELANIA could challenge resistance at $0.426 and $0.488, with a possible breakout toward $0.574 if momentum accelerates.
However, downside risks remain: if the $0.382 support fails, the price could retreat to $0.357 or even $0.315.
Official Trump (TRUMP) Launch Date – March 2025 Total Circulating Supply – 199.99 Million TRUMP Maximum Supply – 999.99 Million TRUMP Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $15.42 Billion Contract Address – 0x5c85d6c6825ab4032337f11ee92a72df936b46f6 With the Trump Gala Dinner taking place today, attention is turning once again to the official TRUMP meme coin, which was one of the most hyped meme tokens ever launched.
At its peak, TRUMP’s market cap surged to nearly $9 billion within days, capturing headlines and investor speculation alike. While the initial frenzy cooled, the token still commands significant interest, especially during high-profile Trump-related events.
TRUMP Price Analysis. Source: TradingView.TRUMP has rallied 21.3% in the last seven days and 71.7% over the past month, pushing its market cap back above $3 billion. Trading volume is also up 29% in the last 24 hours, hitting $2.37 billion—another sign of renewed momentum.
Technically, TRUMP is hovering just above a key support at $15.31.
Holding that level could pave the way for a retest of $16.44, while a breakdown might send it lower to $13.60, with deeper downside targets at $12.16 and $10.37 if bearish pressure builds.
LOFI Launch Date – November 2024 Total Circulating Supply – 1 Billion LOFI Maximum Supply – 1 Billion LOFI Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV) – $62.86 Million Contract Address – 0xf22da9a24ad027cccb5f2d496cbe91de953d363513db08a3a734d361c7c17503::LOFI::LOFI LOFI was one of the standout meme coins in the rising SUI ecosystem, riding a wave of retail enthusiasm and outperforming many peers in recent weeks.
However, the ecosystem quickly shifted following the $260 million exploit of Cetus Protocol, the leading liquidity provider on SUI. The attack—linked to an oracle vulnerability and now confirmed as a coordinated exploit—forced Cetus to halt all operations.
The ripple effects were immediate: tokens across the SUI network, including LOFI and HIPPO, experienced price crashes of up to 80%, and liquidity pools remain frozen across multiple platforms.
LOFI Price Analysis. Source: TradingView.Despite the chaos, LOFI has shown signs of life, climbing nearly 9% in the past 24 hours.
If the rebound holds, the token could retest resistance at $0.076, signaling a potential recovery in confidence.
That said, technical risks remain elevated—if LOFI loses the $0.056 support, it could spiral further down to $0.040 or even $0.0275.
Shiba Inu has once again been overlooked for a potential ETF launch in the United States.
The Cboe BZX Exchange seeks to list and trade shares of the Canary PENGU ETF. Yesterday, Cboe submitted its 19b-4 application to the U.S. SEC.
According to the filing, Cboe has indicated its interest in listing and trading shares of the Canay PENGU ETF, which aims to provide investors with indirect exposure to the Solana-based meme coin. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas also confirmed the development in an X post.
The Canary PENGU ETF, the first and only spot pudgy penguin filing, just got its 19b-4 filing via CBOE. On clock soon. pic.twitter.com/852jIPtuvF
— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) June 25, 2025
Canary PENGU ETF This comes three months after Canary first submitted its S-1 application to launch the PENGU ETF in the U.S. The proposed spot-based exchange-traded fund seeks to invest primarily in the PENGU token and Pudgy Penguins NFTs.
Moreover, the Canary PENGU ETF will hold other digital assets, such as Solana and Ethereum. Notably, this move aims to facilitate the sale and purchase of the ETF’s core holdings, PENGU and Pudgy Penguins NFTs.
While Canary sponsors the ETF, CSC Delaware Trust will be the fund’s trustee. Like most crypto-focused ETFs, the Canary PENGU ETF will be structured as a commodity-based product.
Regulatory Process Commences Notably, Cboe has backed Canary’s PENGU ETF application with a 19b-4 filing, officially commencing the regulatory process for the ETF. Per the filing, Cboe seeks to list and trade shares of the Canary PENGU ETF under BZX Rule 14.11(e)(4).
In the meantime, the SEC is expected to acknowledge the application within two weeks of filing. Afterward, the commission will schedule four separate deadlines to decide whether to reject or approve it.
Shiba Inu Overlooked Despite Growing Demand for SHIB ETF This development comes as asset managers continue to bypass Shiba Inu, focusing instead on other meme coins as potential candidates for spot ETFs.
Firms have submitted ETF applications for Dogecoin (DOGE), Pudgy Penguins (PUDGY), Official Trump (TRUMP), Bonk (BONK), and Official Melania Meme (MELANIA).
However, they have consistently overlooked Shiba Inu, despite calls from its community for a SHIB ETF. As previously reported, the Shiba Inu community petitioned Grayscale on Change.org, urging the digital asset manager to introduce an ETF tied to SHIB. The petition has attracted 11,700 signatures since its introduction last year.
In an effort to attract asset managers, Shiba Inu’s marketing lead, Lucie, published a post on X earlier this year, highlighting why SHIB is worth an ETF. She cited the token’s broad accessibility, resistance to manipulation, and community-driven growth.
Despite these efforts, asset managers have largely continued to overlook Shiba Inu as a potential ETF candidate, favoring other meme coins instead.
Meanwhile, Shiba Inu’s popularity in the meme coin niche and the broader crypto market has continued to grow. It currently ranks as the 19th-largest crypto and the second-largest meme coin, with a market capitalization of $6.88 billion.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
In brief Meme coins are jumping higher after a one-day crypto market downturn. DOGE is leading the category higher, with other top memes like PEPE and SHIB up significantly as well. The official presidential tokens, MELANIA and TRUMP, lead Solana memes following the Pump.fun token launch. Meme coins are once more rising, led by Dogecoin (DOGE), which has climbed 6.7% in the last 24 hours and now more than 18% on the week to $0.20. But other major meme coins have posted much larger gains on the day.
Dogecoin, which ranks 8th among all cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, ranks second in the category with more than $5.7 billion in 24 hour trading volume, trailing only the Ethereum-based Pepe (PEPE) in that metric.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s official meme coins have gained 10.3% and 32.5% in the last day, respectively. TRUMP and MELANIA are outpacing Dogecoin and the category as a whole, which is up 6.8% in the same timeframe, according to CoinGecko.
The Solana-based tokens lead a growing list of meme coins jumping higher after the launch of PUMP, the official token of the popular Solana meme coin launchpad, Pump.fun. After hosting its initial coin offering (ICO) on Saturday and raising $600 million, PUMP became eligible for trading on Monday and quickly exploded to nearly a $2 billion market cap.
It has since risen even more, jumping nearly 12% in the last 24 hours to a $2.2 billion market cap. That’s enough to rank it #57 among crypto tokens by market capitalization, according to CoinGecko.
The success of PUMP has pulled up other tokens from the Solana trenches as well, including tokens launched on Pump.fun like Unicorn Fart Dust (UFD), Michi (MICHI) and Just a Chill Guy (CHILLGUY)—all of which have jumped more than 10% over the last 24 hours.
BONK too is up 20% in the last 24 hours, adding to the Solana meme coin’s successful month of gains—which now stand at more than 69% as its own token launchpad, a new rival of Pump.fun, continues to gain steam.
And while Solana has been the home to much of the meme coin success over the last year, the rise in ETH’s price has been a boon for Ethereum-based memes as well.
Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Pepe (PEPE), the top two meme coins on the Ethereum blockchain, have jumped 7.9% and 11% respectively in the last 24 hours—only outdone by SPX6900 (SPX), the meme token attempting to flip the market cap of the S&P 500.
The token has jumped nearly 25% in the last 24 hours, setting a new all-time high price of $1.89. However, at a market cap shy of $1.9 billion, it remains well shy of the combined $52.56 trillion market cap of the S&P 500 companies.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
Onchain analytics platform Bubblemaps has published a detailed investigation suggesting that crypto figure Hayden Davis (also known as Kelsier) may have been behind a coordinated snipe of the newly launched $YZY token, allegedly generating $12 million in profits in this Kanye coin scandal.
In brief Bubblemaps alleges Hayden Davis (Kelsier) sniped $YZY through 14 linked wallets, generating $12M in profits. The wallets were funded just before launch, reportedly tied to $57M in unfrozen USDC from the LIBRA collapse. This follows a pattern, as Bubblemaps previously linked Davis to MELANIA and LIBRA token launches. Bubblemaps’ findings on Kanye’s coin In a thread shared on X, Bubblemaps outlined how a cluster of wallets tied to Davis became active immediately before the $YZY launch. The firm claims the addresses were funded from centralized exchanges the day prior, then funneled through CCTP transfers and other shared deposits that ultimately link back to Davis.
According to Bubblemaps’ visualizations, 14 wallets sniped $YZY within one minute of its launch announcement. Collectively, these wallets realized $12 million in profits.
Bubblemaps stressed it cannot confirm whether Davis had insider information or a direct connection to the YZY team, but said the onchain evidence strongly indicates preparation ahead of the launch.
Unfrozen funds raise questions around Hayden Davis The report also highlights the timing of events. Just a day before $YZY went live, a U.S. judge unfroze $57 million in USDC tied to Davis from the collapsed LIBRA project. Bubblemaps described the coincidence as suspicious, alleging that the newly unlocked funds could have been used to fuel the $YZY trades.
Not Davis’ first rodeo This is not the first time Bubblemaps has tied Davis to controversial launches. The analytics firm has previously linked him to MELANIA and LIBRA, two short-lived tokens that collapsed after initial hype. In its latest report, Bubblemaps concluded that Davis’ alleged involvement in $YZY fits the same pattern: rapid funding, aggressive sniping, and outsized profits. For now, Davis has not publicly responded to the allegations, and the $YZY team has remained silent.
Maximize your Cointribune experience with our "Read to Earn" program! For every article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning benefits.
Join the program
A
A
Lien copié
Gijs O.
I've been passionate about crypto for nearly a decade, ever since I was young and first became curious about investing. That early spark led me to years of research, writing, and exploring the future of decentralized tech.
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
At the Trumps, crypto is no longer a hobby, it’s almost a totem. Donald has his memecoin. Melania Trump too, with her MELANIA token. And the sons? They invest between Bitcoin, Ethereum and NFTs. In this dynasty where buzz is a second nature, digital technology is now part of the heritage. Latest twist: Melania Trump returns to the spotlight… with an AI-generated video to relaunch a project that has nevertheless plummeted 98% since January.
In brief Melania Trump relaunched her memecoin after ten months of total silence on social media. The team reportedly sold 30 million community tokens without providing a clear explanation. The MELANIA token has lost 98% of its value since its launch last January. 92% of the total supply is concentrated in wallets linked to the project team. Radio silence and 30 million less: Melania Trump plays the AI card Ten months without a word. Then a tweet. A video generated by artificial intelligence. That’s how Melania Trump revived the MELANIA memecoin, lost in the depths of the crypto market. Posted on October 1st on X, the sequence shows her emerging from the digital void, with a cryptic promise: “Into the Future.”
Result? The token gains 12%, reaching $0.19, before plunging again the next minute.
But behind the futuristic aesthetics hides a much less flattering reality. In April, the team behind the project quietly moved $30 million worth of tokens from community wallets. No justification was given. The company MKT World LLC, supposed to lead the initiative, remains silent. Meanwhile, Bubblemaps does not give up.
In a scathing tweet, the platform denounces: ” Melania Trump does not respond to the 10 million community tokens sold by team wallets. Just an AI video after 10 months of silence“.
The presidential memecoin: between lightning crash and organized suspicions Launched in January 2025, MELANIA had everything to cause a sensation. A powerful name, a launch orchestrated 48 hours after that of the TRUMP memecoin, and a meteoric rise to $13.73 per unit. But in a few days, the price collapsed under profit-taking and questionable strategies.
Bubblemaps’ analyses are damning. Barely two minutes before the official announcement, 24 wallets acquired 33% of the total supply. An operation that looks more like a trap than a fair launch. Then, between April and June, 82 million tokens were sold through 44 different wallets. Estimated value: over $35 million. All spread across Solana, Arbitrum, and Avalanche.
At the controls of this mess: Hayden Davis. This name is not unknown. Already involved in the LIBRA scandal, where $4 billion vanished in two days. Davis returned to his old habits: liquidity manipulation, fragmented sales, market siphoning before the crash. Meanwhile, Melania Trump maintains her silence. A well-oiled strategy.
Between red numbers and crypto hype: the double life of MELANIA Melania Trump’s memecoin is a textbook case: it combines glamour, opacity, and well-crafted manipulation. To understand it clearly, nothing beats some precise figures.
The 5 numbers that speak volumes 98% loss since the historical peak in January ($13.73 → $0.18 today); $30 million moved without communication by the team, according to Bubblemaps; 12% increase on the day Melania returned to X, followed by an immediate relapse; 92% of the total supply controlled by internal wallets, according to on-chain data; 24 wallets bought a third of the supply, 150 seconds before the public announcement. Beyond the numbers, MELANIA has become a showcase of crypto abuses: orchestrated hype, hidden internal sales, then founders’ disappearance. Yet, the token continues to attract attention. Why? Because the name “Trump” is still enough to capture the spotlight. Even if behind the AI smoke screen, it’s the insiders’ code that rules. And in this game, small investors often foot the bill.
At 19, Barron Trump is already a multimillionaire. Thanks to crypto, which he adopted very early. His brothers followed, also sensing the potential of these digital assets. In this family, decentralized finance has become a battlefield as strategic as politics. And every token launched is a bet on the future… or on oblivion.
Maximize your Cointribune experience with our "Read to Earn" program! For every article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning benefits.
Join the program
A
A
Lien copié
Mikaia A.
La révolution blockchain et crypto est en marche ! Et le jour où les impacts se feront ressentir sur l’économie la plus vulnérable de ce Monde, contre toute espérance, je dirai que j’y étais pour quelque chose
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
The team wallet moved 30 million MELANIA meme coins in April. Questions about silent sale resurfaced after Melania Trump shared X post published by the meme coin’s page. MELANIA is down by 90.89% since January 2025. MELANIA meme coin has lost over 90% of its value since January 2025. The decline is largely credited to the activity that was flagged a couple of weeks ago. Questions around significant sales by team wallet are starting to pick up pace once again. While the token has indeed gained value in recent hours, it remains to be seen if the Solana-based cryptocurrency ever sees upticks.
MELANIA Meme Coin Continues on a Lower Call The decline of the MELANIA token technically commenced in February 2025, when it noted a steep decline from $3.7946 to $1.9332. But, it was only in April 2025 that the meme coin, co-created by Hayden Davis, came under fire.
It was reported by Bubblemaps that funds worth approximately $30 million were moved from community funds. The report added that they were being silently sold, and the team did not offer any explanation to the community. That made up for almost 50 million MELANIA meme tokens at that moment.
Lookonchain also reported around that time that the team had employed DCA strategy to sell the token. It is estimated that more than 3.1 million tokens were sold under the DCA strategy within 3 days. The incident, even though weeks old, resurfaced when the official X account of MELANIA token posted a video with the caption, Into the future.
MELANIA price continues to play a downtrend since the time the original report broke out. The recent X post, shared by Melania Trump on her profile, has reignited discussions around it.
Ongoing MELANIA Price MELANIA meme coin is currently down by 90.89% since January 2025, and is exchanging hands at $0.1818. The 24-hour trading volume has also plummeted by 27.42% to hover around $7.16 million. However, MELANIA price has soared by 11.48% over the past 7 days. It last achieved an ATH of $13.73 on January 20, 2025. The meme coin is now down by 98.67% from its all-time high milestone.
The MELANIA price is now testing crucial levels of $0.189148 and $0.173347, as its resistance and support margins, respectively. Notably, the all-time low value of MELANIA is $0.1598, and the meme coin is only 14.22% above that mark.
MELANIA Price Corrections Expected Short-term estimates underline that MELANIA token may undergo a correction of 25.07% in the next 30 days. That would take the value to around $0.137997. Price prediction also underlines that the next 5 days could see a decline of 23.19% to $0.141451. Overall sentiments are bearish amid the volatility of 7.53%, and the FGI rating of 63 points.
The majority of the Oscillators are neutral. That said, it is important to note that the contents of this article are neither recommendations nor advice for crypto trading. Do thorough research and risk assessment before engagement.
Highlighted Crypto News Today:
42% Bloodbath for MYX Finance (MYX): Is the Worst Behind or Yet to Come?
Curious by nature, Ankur's core topic is Web3, but he's a versatile writer who can cover many more subjects. If you catch up with him in his free time, you'll find discussions often center around different movies and TV series. He's an easy person to talk to—you can literally chat with him about anything.
Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a NYC meme coin on Monday, which surged to a $580 million market cap before crashing 81% to $110 million as a wallet linked to the deployer pulled $2.5 million in liquidity at the peak.
NYC Token Hits $580M Then Collapses In MinutesThe token rocketed from launch to a $580 million market cap within minutes before plummeting 81% as nearly $500 million in value evaporated.
Analytics firm Bubblemaps identified suspicious activity by wallet 9Ty4M, which created one-sided liquidity pools on Meteora.
The wallet removed approximately $2.5 million in USDC at the peak, then added back $1.5 million after a 60% drop with no explanation for the liquidity moves.
Moreover, one trader lost $473,500 (a 63.5% loss) in under 20 minutes as panic selling hit the token.
Blockchain data shows the wallet linked to the token deployer pulled $3.18 million USDC from the liquidity pool right as price peaked.
Adams Calls It A ‘Commemorative Asset’ For Social CausesAdams said during the Fox Business interview that “a substantial amount of the money raised” would go to nonprofits, historically black universities, and scholarships for New York City students from underserved communities.
He’s not currently taking a salary but said that decision could change later.
The token has a maximum supply of 1 billion coins, with 80 million available at launch expanding to 300 million in circulation.
The official website describes NYC Token as representing “the spirit of New York City—innovation, diversity, and the drive to succeed.”
However, critical details like project partners and a whitepaper are missing from the website, prompting questions about transparency.
Pattern Matches Argentine President’s Failed LIBRA TokenThe collapse echoes last year’s LIBRA token promoted by Argentine President Javier Milei, which crashed after similar liquidity manipulation and led to fraud and racketeering class-action lawsuits.
Bubblemaps said the liquidity manipulation closely mirrors the LIBRA launch, when actors also heavily manipulated liquidity.
The pattern of politician-backed memecoins launching with fanfare then immediately collapsing is becoming a concerning trend.
He hosted NYC’s inaugural Crypto Summit last year and established the Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology, vowing to make New York “the crypto capital of the globe.”
Political Memecoins Face Growing ScrutinySenator Adam Schiff (D-CA) is among lawmakers calling for ethics rules preventing public officials from profiting on crypto ties as a market structure bill approaches Thursday’s markup vote.
These tokens raise concerns because they can be used to corrupt elected officials.
A federal judge dismissed Adams' corruption charges in April at the Department of Justice's request under President Trump.
Image: Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
The Trump family’s entry into the crypto industry has become a cautionary event for retail investors. Specifically, both Melania Meme ($MELANIA) and Official Trump ($TRUMP) tokens have gone through extreme dips since their launch. As per the data from CryptoRank, $MELANIA and $TRUMP tokens have plummeted to $0.123 and $3.66. Majorly, the retail investors have absorbed the losses during the crash, while the insiders have potentially gone away with gains.
Trump Memecoins: How Insiders Pocketed Millions While Retail Investors Lost Billions
The official $TRUMP and $MELANIA tokens have collapsed 92% and 99% from their all-time highs, respectively, and the damage to retail investors has been staggering. While insiders cashed out over… pic.twitter.com/qyWswzRgFv
— CryptoRank.io (@CryptoRank_io) February 20, 2026 $MELANIA and $TRUMP Tokens Collapse, Retail Losses While Insiders Gain Based on the market data, Melania Meme ($MELANIA) and Official Trump ($TRUMP) tokens have dropped by 98.8% and 91.8%. These staggering price plunges have struck the retail investors with significant losses. As a result of this, the $MELANIA’s price has hit $0.123, and $TRUMP now accounts for $3.66 in price while insiders have reportedly made notable profits by dumping their holdings.
The disparity existing between retail losses and insider gains is stark. In this respect, insiders collected more than $600M via token sales and fees. On the other hand, the ordinary investors experienced losses at a huge 20-to-1 ratio. So, the retail investors lost $20 for every dollar earned by insiders. This pushed the cumulative retail losses above the $4.3B mark.
At the moment, almost 2M wallets are still in the negative zone, suggesting a catastrophic effect on small-scale investors, those who purchased into the massive hype of $MELANIA and $TRUMP tokens. Fueling this controversy, only forty-five whale wallets remained successful in extracting a total $1.2B. This underscores the wealth concentration among a few wallets. Moreover, there is a speculation of a potential continuation of this sell-off because $2.7B in terms of insider holdings will remain locked until the year 2028.
Further Sell-Off Threat Looms as Billions Stay Locked in Insider Token Holdings According to CryptoRank, $TRUMP witnessed a sheer initial drop, leading to an extended halt at considerably low price levels. Additionally, the trajectory of $MELANIA has also become cautious. The respective performance patterns indicate caution over the plunging investor confidence as well as the wider skepticism in the case of celebrity-led memecoins. Overall, with billions locked in diverse insider wallets, there is a noteworthy threat of more sell-offs.
AUTHOR
Umair Younas is a cryptocurrency-related content writer linked with this work since 2019. Here, at Blockchainreporter, he serves as a news and article writer. He is a crypto, blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and FinTech enthusiast. He has strong command over writing authentic reviews about brokers and exchanges and he has collaborated with our education team to write educational content as well. He has a dream to raise awareness among people about digital currencies. His works are well-researched and brimmed with information hence they provide fresh insights. Stay tuned to his posts if you want to stay up-to-date with the crypto-verse.
The top global crypto exchange airdropped Animecoin (ANIME) to qualified users this week and then listed the asset for trading.
[adinserter block="1"]
Animecoin is the sixth project launched via Binance’s HODler Airdrops program, which rewards BNB holders with tokens based on historical snapshots of their balances.
Animecoin bills itself as a way for fans to own a piece of the anime industry.
“ANIME is a true Culture Coin – a movement that transforms the anime fandom of 1 billion fans into a community-owned network of creativity. Where passion becomes power, cultural energy becomes real value, and the boundaries between consumer and creator dissolve.
Backed by Azuki, we’re building a creative economy for the global anime community of one billion fans. A space where fans truly own what they create, where creativity and innovation flow freely.”
ANIME is trading at $0.0817 at time of writing. The 202nd-ranked crypto asset by market cap plunged by nearly 45% on its first day of trading on Thursday, according to CoinGecko.
Binance attached a seed tag to Animecoin. The exchange applies seed tags to lower-liquidity projects that could exhibit higher volatility compared to other listed tokens, and it requires users who want to trade assets with seed tags to pass quizzes every 90 days to ensure they’re aware of the risks.
Bullish ANIME price prediction for 2025 is $0.02020 to $0.03451. Animecoin (ANIME) price might reach $0.1 soon. Bearish ANIME price prediction for 2025 is $0.00763. In this Animecoin (ANIME) price prediction 2025, 2026-2030, we will analyze the price patterns of ANIME by using accurate trader-friendly technical analysis indicators and predict the future movement of the cryptocurrency.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Animecoin (ANIME) Current Market StatusWhat is Animecoin (ANIME)?Animecoin (ANIME) 24H TechnicalsAnimecoin (ANIME) PRICE PREDICTION 2025
Animecoin (ANIME) Support and Resistance LevelsAnimecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2025 — RVOL, MA & RSIAnimecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2025 — ADX, RVIComparison of ANIME with BTC, ETHAnimecoin (ANIME) PRICE PREDICTION 2026, 2027-2030CONCLUSIONFAQ Animecoin (ANIME) Current Market Status Current Price $0.009318 24 – Hour Price Change 7.6% Down 24 – Hour Trading Volume $20.68M Market Cap $51.82M Circulating Supply 5.53B ANIME All – Time High $0.1861 (On Jan 25, 2025) All – Time Low $0.006175 (On Oct 11, 2025) ANIME Current Market Status (Source: CoinMarketCap) What is Animecoin (ANIME) TICKERANIMEBLOCKCHAINArbitrum CATEGORYNFT project LAUNCHED ONJanuary 2025 UTILITIESGovernance, Community Development, User Accessibility Animecoin (ANIME) is the official cryptocurrency of the famed NFT project, Azuki. The altcoin, after being under development from 2022, launched in January 2025. Since its launch, it has garnered attention from the community members. Animecoin functions as a governance token within the Azuki ecosystem. This project is an integration of blockchain and NFT into the famed Japanese art form Anime and Manga.
Moreover, Animecoin saw huge interest from exchanges, even prior to its launch. The OKX exchange initiated ANIME mining before the token’s official debut. Following the cryptocurrency’s debut, in the past day Azuki also unveiled a new platform – Anime.com for Anime lovers.
Anime 24H Technicals (Source: TradingView)
Animecoin (ANIME) ranks 491st on CoinMarketCap in terms of its market capitalization. The overview of the Animecoin price prediction for 2025 is explained below with a daily time frame.
In the above chart, Animecoin (ANIME) laid out a descending channel pattern. Descending channel patterns are short-term bearish in that a stock moves lower within a descending channel, but they often form longer-term uptrends as continuation patterns. Higher prices often follow the descending channel pattern. but only after an upside penetration of the upper trend line. A descending channel is drawn by connecting the lower highs and lower lows of a security’s price with parallel trendlines to show a downward trend.
A trader could make a selling bet within a descending channel when the security price reaches its resistance trendline. An ascending channel is the opposite of a descending channel. Both ascending and descending channels are primary channels followed by technical analysts.
At the time of analysis, the price of Animecoin (ANIME) was recorded at $0.009318. If the pattern trend continues, then the price of ANIME might reach the resistance levels of $0.02046 and $0.03046. If the trend reverses, then the price of ANIME may fall to the support of $0.01580 and $0.01235.
Animecoin (ANIME) Resistance and Support Levels The chart given below elucidates the possible resistance and support levels of Animecoin (ANIME) in 2025.
ANIME/USDT Resistance and Support Levels (Source: TradingView)
From the above chart, we can analyze and identify the following as the resistance and support levels of Animecoin (ANIME) for 2025.
Animecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2025 — RVOL, MA, and RSI The technical analysis indicators such as Relative Volume (RVOL), Moving Average (MA), and Relative Strength Index (RSI) of Animecoin (ANIME) are shown in the chart below.
ANIME/USDT RVOL, MA, RSI (Source: TradingView)
From the readings on the chart above, we can make the following inferences regarding the current Animecoin (ANIME) market in 2025.
INDICATORPURPOSEREADINGINFERENCE50-Day Moving Average (50MA)Nature of the current trend by comparing the average price over 50 days50 MA = $0.01466Price = $0.01803
(50MA < Price)Bullish/UptrendRelative Strength Index (RSI)Magnitude of price change;Analyzing oversold & overbought conditions62.29940
<30 = Oversold
50-70 = Neutral>70 = OverboughtNeutral Relative Volume (RVOL)Asset’s trading volume in relation to its recent average volumesBelow cutoff lineWeak Volume Animecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2025 — ADX, RVI In the below chart, we analyze the strength and volatility of Animecoin (ANIME) using the following technical analysis indicators — Average Directional Index (ADX) and Relative Volatility Index (RVI).
ANIME/USDT ADX, RVI (Source: TradingView)
From the readings on the chart above, we can make the following inferences regarding the price momentum of Animecoin (ANIME).
INDICATORPURPOSEREADINGINFERENCEAverage Directional Index (ADX)Strength of the trend momentum40.94320Strong TrendRelative Volatility Index (RVI)Volatility over a specific period57.97
<50 = Low
>50 = HighHigh Volatility Comparison of ANIME with BTC, ETH Let us now compare the price movements of Animecoin (ANIME) with that of Bitcoin (BTC), and Ethereum (ETH).
BTC Vs ETH Vs ANIME Price Comparison (Source: TradingView)
From the above chart, we can interpret that the price action of ANIME is similar to that of BTC and ETH. That is, when the price of BTC and ETH increases or decreases, the price of ANIME also increases or decreases, respectively.
Animecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2025, 2026 – 2030 With the help of the aforementioned technical analysis indicators and trend patterns, let us predict the price of Animecoin (ANIME) in 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030.
Year Bullish Price Bearish PriceAnimecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2026$0.4$0.007Animecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2027$0.6$0.006Animecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2028$0.8$0.005Animecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2029$1$0.004Animecoin (ANIME) Price Prediction 2030$1.2$0.003 Conclusion If Animecoin (ANIME) establishes itself as a good investment in 2025, this year will favor the cryptocurrency. In conclusion, the bullish Animecoin (ANIME) price prediction for 2025 is $0.03451. Comparatively, the bearish Animecoin (ANIME) price prediction for 2025 is $0.00763.
If there is a positive elevation in the market momentum and investors’ sentiment, then Animecoin (ANIME) might hit $0.1. Furthermore, with future upgrades and advancements in the Azuki ecosystem, ANIME might surpass its current all-time high (ATH) of $0.1861 and mark its new ATH.
FAQ 1. What is Animecoin (ANIME)? Animecoin (ANIME) is the official cryptocurrency of the famed NFT collection and Anime platform, Azuki. It was launched to promote global access to Anime and Manga.
2. Where can you buy Animecoin (ANIME)? Animecoin (ANIME) has been listed on many crypto exchanges which include Bybit, KuCoin, OKX, Gate.io, Binance, CoinW, and LBank
3. Will Animecoin (ANIME) record a new ATH soon? With the ongoing developments and upgrades within the Azuki platform, Animecoin (ANIME) has a high possibility of reaching its ATH soon.
4. What is the current all-time high (ATH) of Animecoin (ANIME)? Animecoin (ANIME) hit its current all-time high (ATH) of $0.1861 on Jan 25, 2025.
5. What is the lowest price of Animecoin (ANIME)? According to CoinMarketCap, ANIME hit its all-time low (ATL) of $0.006175 on October 11, 2025.
6. Will Animecoin (ANIME) hit $0.1? If Animecoin (ANIME) becomes one of the active cryptocurrencies that majorly maintain a bullish trend, it might rally to hit $0.1 soon.
7. What will be the Animecoin (ANIME) price by 2026? Animecoin (ANIME) price might reach $0.4 by 2026.
8. What will be the Animecoin (ANIME) price by 2027? Animecoin (ANIME) price might reach $0.6 by 2027.
9. What will be the Animecoin (ANIME) price by 2028? Animecoin (ANIME) price might reach $0.8 by 2028.
10. What will be the Animecoin (ANIME) price by 2029? Animecoin (ANIME) price might reach $1 by 2029.
Top Crypto Predictions
Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT) Price Prediction
Onyxcoin (XCN) Price Prediction
Sonic (prev. FTM) (S) Price Prediction
Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this chart is solely the author’s. It does not represent any investment advice. TheNewsCrypto team encourages all to do their own research before investing.
ANIME, the native token of the Animecoin Foundation, surged 12% after the major South Korean exchange Bithumb announced its listing of the meme coin.
Animecoin (ANIME) rose to an intraday high of $0.0502 on Jan. 31, marking a 15% surge from its weekly low of $0.0437 as of press time. The altcoin market cap was seated at $278 million while its daily trading volume was up 40%, hovering around $153 million.
The Azuki-backed meme coin rallied after Bithumb, a major South Korea-based crypto exchange, announced the addition of a KRW trading pair for the ANIME token on Jan. 31, alongside the VTHO token at 7 PM KST. The token will be available on the Arbitrum network.
Buy orders for ANIME will be restricted for approximately five minutes after trading begins. During this period, sell orders will be limited to prices within -10% to +100% of the base price. Automated orders can be placed only after the first trade has been executed following the start of trading.
According to the announcement, the base price for the Animecoin token is expected to be approximately $66.11 once trading officially begins.
An ANIME/KRW trading pair will enable direct trading between the ANIME token and the South Korean won.
On Jan. 23, Upbit, South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, listed three ANIME trading pairs, including ANIME/KRW, ANIME/BTC, and ANIME/USDT. Animecoin has also been listed on other major crypto exchanges, including Binance, Bybit, and OKX.
500 million ANIME was airdropped to BNB holders subscribed to BNB Simple Earn products. Since its launch on centralized exchanges, the token has steadily dropped and is down over 72% from its all-time high of $0.1861, which was reached on Jan. 23.
Listings on prominent exchanges like Upbit or Bithumb often trigger significant price rallies; the current rally could extend once trading is live. However, for newly launched tokens like ANIME, the effect can be adverse, as traders often rush to sell the holdings acquired during token generation events.
What is ANIME coin? ANIME, a meme coin, was launched as the “culture coin of the anime industry” but is expected to find utility as a governance token for Animechain, an upcoming Arbitrum Orbit Layer-3 being developed by the Animecoin Foundation, which also developed ANIME.
Animechain is slated for launch in the first quarter of 2025 and could significantly affect the price trajectory for ANIME by enhancing its utility.
Animecoin has shown a significant price increase of 27.46% in the last 24 hours. The altcoin began to show recovery over the past week after significant bearish movements last month. Over the past few hours, the crypto market has begun to show mild recovery signs after a bearish lean in the last 24 hours. Bitcoin is progressing slowly towards its $86K resistance, raising speculations amid investors for a potential resurfacing above $88,000. Meanwhile, global tariff discussions have been reinitiated over the past few days.
Notably, within the altcoin sector, significant members like Ethereum and Solana have begun to show upward movements, after weeks of dormancy. One other altcoin that showed significant growth is Animecoin. The digital asset shows a 27.46% surge in its daily price chart, thus catching market attention.
In the evening hours of April 14, the altcoin was trading at a low of $0.01581. However, as bullish candles sparked, it has risen to current trading levels at the $0.020 level. With prices increasing exponentially, at the time of writing, ANIME was trading at $0.02006 as per CMC data.
Zooming out onto its weekly price chart, Animecoin shows a significant 54.32% increase. This increase is mostly concentrated on the past day’s significant surge, although there were modest upward movements throughout the week.
Will Animecoin Hit $0.01 Soon? On analyzing the altcoin’s technical indicators its Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) signal line stands way above the MACD line. This indicates the existence of an overall bearish trend. However, the RSI value stands at a high of 71.80 as per TradingView data.
This suggests that Animecoin is holding a positive market sentiment, from its existence in the oversold zone. If the digital asset manages to maintain its positive momentum in the coming days, then it can be expected to reestablish a bullish trend.
In such a case ANIME might face resistance at $0.02919 and $0.04128. Meanwhile another altcoin, Kaspa, has shown similar price movements in the last 24 hours.
Highlighted Crypto News Today:
Celestia Launches MAMO-1 Testnet with 128MB Blocks to Enhance Blockchain Scalability
A passionate writer who is exploring the world of crypto. In my spare time I write poetry and read novels.
Animecoin surges 5.08% in 24 hours with intraday gains and higher lows, supported by a 44.92% surge in trading volume. MACD crossover and positive histogram signal strong buying momentum, while RSI above 70 suggests overbought conditions. Animecoin, a cryptocurrency set for the manga, has reported a positive action in recent sessions. ANIME offers a channel for fans to interact, and support their best characters. Additionally, it mixes crypto and anime, planning to make a decentralized place where fans can interact.
Tracking the trend, ANIME opened its day with a price of $0.03405 during the Asian trading session. During its market performance, the cryptocurrency reported a low of $0.03233 and a high of $0.03467 before a slight decline to its current levels.
A deeper view of its performance as of press time by CoinMarketCap data indicates that Animecoin (ANIME) trades at $0.03407, showing a 5.08% increase over the last 24 hours. Its market capitalization reached $188.75 million, rising at the same 5.08% daily growth rate as the 24-hour trading volume surged 44.92%, totaling $179.06 million during this period.
The volume-to-market-cap ratio hit 96.03%, indicating high trading activity compared to total value as the price chart showed intraday fluctuations, ranging from a low of $0.03273 to above $0.0345. Despite brief declines, the price trend ended upward, reflecting positive momentum across the observed time frame.
ANIME Technical Analysis: MACD and RSI Indicators After a prolonged consolidation, Animecoin has started to invite bulls in its price trend. A 4H TradingView chart indicates that the MACD indicator shows bullish momentum with the MACD line at 0.00221 above the signal line at 0.00181.This crossover suggests increasing buying pressure as the histogram turns positive.
However, the RSI (14) is currently at 71.95, placing Animecoin in the overbought zone, above the 70 threshold. This level indicates strong buying interest but also a potential for short-term correction or consolidation.
The recent price action shows steady upward movement, with higher lows forming since late May. A continued RSI above 70 may lead to temporary pullbacks before potential continuation. MACD and RSI together indicate bullish sentiment, though the overbought status warrants caution. Traders may anticipate short-term volatility while the broader trend remains upward if momentum sustains.
Highlighted Crypto News Today:
Binance Launches First Spot Liquidity Program for Altcoins to Boost Liquidity and Market Diversity
