In a remarkable display of cryptocurrency market volatility and the speculative power of social media, a single trader transformed a modest $3,000 investment into an astounding $2 million in a matter of hours. This extraordinary gain was achieved through a newly launched memecoin on the BNB Chain, propelled into the spotlight by a public endorsement from Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao. The incident underscores the high-stakes, high-reward nature of the memecoin phenomenon, where community sentiment and influencer attention can lead to massive — albeit often fleeting — fortunes.
The Meteoric Rise of Memecoin '4'
The story centers around a trader, identified by the wallet address "0x872", who strategically invested 3,000 BNB into a nascent token simply named "4". This particular memecoin emerged from an unusual origin: a phishing attack on the BNB Chain that netted the hacker a mere $4,000. The community, in an ironic twist, embraced the incident, turning the token into a meme. The pivotal moment arrived when CZ reposted the BNB Chain's statement about the phishing incident on X, adding commentary that highlighted the community's adoption of "4" as a mockery of the hacker. This post, shared with CZ's 8.9 million followers, instantly ignited interest, causing the token's value to skyrocket and transforming the trader's initial investment into approximately $2 million, representing an incredible 650x return.
Social Buzz and Smart Money Fueling the Frenzy
The rapid appreciation of memecoin "4" is a testament to the profound influence of social media figures and the collective buying power of the crypto community. While memecoins notoriously lack intrinsic utility, their value is almost entirely driven by hype, community engagement, and speculative trading. Blockchain analytics show that "smart money" traders – those known for profitable movements – also quickly bought into "4", making it one of the most purchased tokens on the BNB Chain in a 24-hour period. This pattern is not isolated, with other memecoins like Pepe (PEPE) turning modest investments into tens of millions for other traders, albeit with significant risks as values can plummet just as quickly. The "4" phenomenon vividly illustrates how a blend of community irony, high-profile social media mentions, and rapid "smart money" adoption can create sudden, albeit highly speculative, wealth in the fast-paced world of decentralized finance.