A fortunate trader invested $341 in a meme coin linked to the World Cup in mid-May, at a time when its market cap was below $40,000. Since that initial purchase, the token has skyrocketed over 30,000%, allowing the trader to realize gains of 14,000% after selling more than $49,000 of their investment.
World Cup Coin was launched on May 11 in anticipation of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is set to commence in June and is historically the most-watched sporting event globally. Alongside this coin, meme coins representing each participating nation were introduced on the Solana token launchpad Pump.fun, although it is crucial to clarify that this initiative is not officially affiliated with FIFA.
Who is actually gonna win the Worldcup?
đâ˝ď¸ pic.twitter.com/WlzaSYdGm5
â World Cup Coins (@WorldCupCoinsPF) May 25, 2026
Shortly after its launch, the trader acquired $341 worth of World Cup Coin through five transactions, as reported by DEX Screener. The token initially traded sideways for about 12 hours before its market cap surged to $2.18 million, eventually reaching $6 million the following day. During these price increases, the trader liquidated $35,700 worth of their holdings.
Subsequently, World Cup Coin's market cap dropped by 49% to $3.15 million over the next week, before hitting an all-time high of $12.2 million on May 21, representing a more than 30,000% increase since the traderâs initial purchase. The trader capitalized on this spike, bringing their total realized profits to $49,400 through 78 transactions, according to block explorer SolScan.
Currently, the meme coin has a market cap of $8.37 million, and the trader's holdings amount to $108,200, as per DEX Screener. Including realized profits, the trader's original $341 investment has grown to an impressive $157,600, although they risk losing unrealized gains if the token's market value declines.
Why Hold On?
Interest in World Cup Coin has surged as the tournament approaches, with traders speculating that its price could escalate with the kickoff on June 11, featuring hosts Mexico against underdogs South Africa. Prediction market Myriad gives Mexico a 68% chance of winning this inaugural match (Disclaimer: Myriad is owned by Decrypt's parent company Dastan).
The FIFA World Cup is considered the premier sporting event globally, with the final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup drawing in 1.5 billion viewers, according to FIFA. For perspective, the highest-rated Super Bowl attracted only 125.6 million viewers, based on data from research firm Nielsen.
Such trading activities are not unusual for meme coin enthusiasts, who have historically promoted tokens leading up to major events, anniversaries, and cultural celebrations. However, these tokens often see a significant drop in value shortly after the event concludes.
In addition to their World Cup Coin holdings, traders have also invested in nation-specific coins developed by the central World Cup Coin creator. As of now, France, Spain, and Portugal have the highest market caps at $315,000, $255,000, and $225,000, respectively, according to Pump.fun. The fortunate trader also holds a significant amount of nation-specific coins, with $9,400 in Spain as their largest single nation investment, as per SolScan.
It seems traders are buying tokens based on which nations they believe are most likely to excel in the tournament. According to Myriad, France, Spain, and Portugal are among the favorites to clinch the title, along with England, Brazil, and Argentina.
The World Cup final is slated for July 19, when the top soccer nation will be declaredâwill traders find a way to capitalize on this opportunity?