An Official Birthday Kickstarts Moo Deng Meme Coin Surge
This week’s surging price of a Solana-based cryptocurrency named “Moo Deng” appears directly linked to Khao Kheow Open Zoo’s announcement of celebrations planned for the baby pygmy hippo. According to CoinGecko, the coin (which currently trades at around $3.2 million market cap) jumped 32.9% to $183 million following the news.
Three-Day Birthday Extravaganza Planned for Six-Month-Old Moo Deng
Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located in Thailand, is preparing a three-day commemorative event centering on the pygmy hippo named Moo Deng, who turns six months old on June 10. The activities include a themed art exhibition, a photo gallery, a parade of animal mascots, and notably, the presentation of a giant birthday cake.
Background: Moo Deng’s Viral Fame and Crypto Spark
The source of this attention is Moo Deng herself. The animal gained widespread social media notoriety last year, captivating internet users with heartwarming pictures and videos from her zoo home in Khao Kheow. Her initial viral wave in September resulted in record visitor numbers at the zoo. This global attention subsequently fueled the founding and rapid early growth of a Solana-based digital token named after the elephant, reaching a peak market cap exceeding $336 million.
Further official recognition, including a listing on Binance earlier this year after a period of subdued interest, drove the token price significantly higher before its subsequent decline. While recent performance shows a typical cyclical drop when the initial viral attention subsided, the latest news cycle centered around the explicit three-day celebration seems to be reversing this trend.
The U.S. Embassy in Thailand is also reported to have sent a gift to Moo Deng, adding another layer to her international appeal, though the zoo has yet to open the package.
While alternative cryptocurrency tokens related to Moo Deng show minimal movement, other meme coins remain resilient in general market sentiment.
