Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has become the "foster parent" of Moo Deng, the famous social media pygmy hippopotamus, after donating 88 ETH (worth over $292,000) to the Thai zoo.
Vitalik Buterin becomes the "foster parent" of Moo Deng
Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum - the second-largest blockchain network in the world, has officially become the "foster parent" of Moo Deng according to the announcement of Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Thailand, on December 26.
Moo Deng became a viral phenomenon on the internet in September 2024 due to its expressive and cute personality and the videos shared by the zoo in Thailand.
In response to the announcement, Buterin stated that he could donate more than the current amount of 88 Ether (around $292,000) to the zoo.
In October, Buterin donated over $180,000 worth of ETH, sent to his address in the form of the Moo Deng memecoin, to the Kanro biotechnology charity organization.
The popularity of Moo Deng creates a memecoin frenzy
The global spread of Moo Deng has inspired the creation of a memecoin based on the Solana platform. Some traders have made significant profits before the value of this memecoin dropped nearly 60% from its ATH.
Previously, a savvy investor turned $1,300 into $3.4 million, achieving a 2,554x return on investment on the Moo Deng (MOODENG) token. This financial windfall has raised suspicions among some community members, who speculate that there may have been insider or developer involvement.
Nevertheless, the memecoin inspired by this pygmy hippopotamus has declined 58% from its ATH of $0.62 recorded on November 16, 2024, according to data from CoinGecko.
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The article Vitalik Buterin adopts Moo Deng & donates 88 ETH to the zoo first appeared on CoinMoi.
