On January 24, the meme token Nietzschean Penguin (PENGUIN), based on Solana, skyrocketed from $0.01 to $0.16, marking an increase of approximately 1500%.
Hourly chart of PENGUIN/USD on PumpSwap. Source: DEXScreener.
This dramatic surge followed a post from the White House on social media platform X, featuring a photo of U.S. President Donald Trump holding hands with a penguin.
Embrace the penguin. pic.twitter.com/kKlzwd3Rx7
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 23, 2026
For reasons unknown, the community connected this post to the meme coin. The token itself was launched on January 16, likely linked by similar AI-generated images.
Before the White House post, the asset's market capitalization was around $300,000, peaking at $170 million. It has since adjusted to $112 million, with the coin currently priced at $0.11.
Analysts at Lookonchain noted a user who spent 6 SOL (~$867) to purchase 16.5 million PENGUIN tokens, then sold all of them for 6.12 SOL (~$886). At the time of the researchers' publication, those tokens were valued at $1.4 million.
This is truly a sad story.
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 24, 2026
Cooker.hl (@CookerFlips) spent 6 $SOL ($867) to buy 16.5M $PENGUIN, then sold it all for 6.12 $SOL ($886) — making a profit of 0.12 $SOL ($18).
The 16.5M $PENGUIN is now worth $1.4M.
He missed out on a $1.4M profit.https://t.co/HokhaetgB5 pic.twitter.com/EwSRlkbEj0
According to Arkham, one trader managed to earn $1.5 million within 72 hours after investing $53,900 in the asset.
PENGUIN TOP TRADER MADE $1.5M IN 72H
— Arkham (@arkham) January 24, 2026
Trader 7fFCz is up $1.5 Million on $PENGUIN, acquired for a total cost of $53.9K. Arkham ULTRA predicts this trader to be associated with @Banana__BuLLeT.
Despite being up over $1.5M, Trader 7fFCz (Banana Bullet) bought PENGUIN 2 days ago… pic.twitter.com/sFmtmEad7T
“The early success of PENGUIN proves that on-chain trading has never died; it has merely been a sleeping giant waiting for the right moment. Psychological barriers are just beginning to be overcome. Many opportunities lie ahead,” said alon, co-founder of Pump.fun.
Feasting During a Plague
The rise of PENGUIN occurred amid stagnation in the broader meme coin segment. According to CoinGecko, the market capitalization of this sector has decreased by nearly 10% over the past week, down to $43.9 billion.
The largest meme tokens are currently facing tough times, with most ending the week in the red: DOGE (-10%), SHIB (-7.5%), and PEPE (-14.5%).
Source: CoinGecko.
The segment is also suffering from an influx of scammers. A recent high-profile example is the NYC Token, promoted by former New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
According to CoinGecko analysts, over 11.6 million tokens have failed in 2025. Experts attribute this record level of “mortality” to volatility and the collapse of meme coins.
In December, MoonPay CEO Kit Grossman predicted a rebirth of meme tokens, stating that the sector would return in a “transformed form.”