MOODENG memecoin jumps 17% as beloved pygmy hippo celebrates first birthday

It’s perhaps fitting for some crypto traders that Moo Deng translates to "bouncing pig,” as the memecoin named after the beloved pygmy hippo, MOODENG, jumps over 17% on her first birthday, according to The Block's price page.

This makes MOODENG the second-best performing crypto asset over the past 24 hours, sandwiched between two other animal-themed tokens: Pedgy Penguin (PENGU), up nearly 32%, and dogwifhat (WIF), up 16.9%, according to CoinGecko prices at press time. 

Moo Deng, who rocketed to celebrity last year after videos of her playful behavior went viral, reportedly enjoyed a tropical fruit platter birthday treat alongside her mother and throngs of adoring fans during a four-hour party at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo on Thursday.

Like the fan art, merchandise, songs, and memes inspired by Moo Deng, crypto traders also looked to capitalize on her internet presence by launching the MOODENG memecoin. The token was minted on Solana in September 2024, amid the height of so-called memecoin mania, and surged 1,400% within weeks of its launch. 

MOODENG, which hit a peak market cap of $614 million in November 2024, is currently trading above $0.21 — about 66.13% away from the token’s all-time high. 

The move comes amid a sector-wide rally as bitcoin continues to set fresh all-time highs. On Wednesday, a pump pushed bitcoin above $112,000 for the first time, while a continued move upwards on Thursday saw the coin climb above $113,500. 

Memecoin launches have begun to tick upwards again, largely driven by anticipation surrounding Pump.fun’s upcoming initial coin offering.  

In October 2024, Ethereum co-creator Vitalik Buterin sold nearly $200,000 worth of Ethereum-based MOODENG tokens sent unsolicited to his wallet and donated the proceeds to a biotech charity. Buterin later became the "adoptive father" to Moo Deng after donating additional funds to Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo.