Chill Guy Meme Coin Pumps Another 50% as Creator Fights Back

From TikTok trends to crypto wallets, the “Chill Guy” meme has become an internet phenomenon, turning a laid-back cartoon dog into the face of a million-dollar crypto market cap.

Since its launch on November 15, the Chill Guy Coin ($CHILLGUY) grew from a market capitalization of $10 million to more than $461 million, thanks to the widespread popularity of the character Chill Guy, a laid-back anthropomorphic dog dressed in a gray sweater, jeans blue and red sneakers.

The value of the Solana-based meme coin has increased by 50% in the last 24 hours alone, trading at just under $0.50 per CoinGecko data. The token’s rise reflects the current craze for meme coins, which continue to defy market norms with their volatile but lucrative returns.

CHILLGUY features an anthropomorphic brown dog sporting a gray sweater, rolled-up jeans and red sneakers, captivating audiences with his laid-back attitude and becoming a cultural phenomenon.

Frequently associated with humorous captions on platforms like TikTok, the character embodies a carefree attitude, which particularly resonates with Gen Z audiences.

However, the coin’s rise has not been without controversy. Behind the meme coin’s success lies growing tension as the meme’s creator, Philip Banks, pushes back against what he calls unauthorized exploitation of his work.

“Just publishing it makes Chill Guy copyrightable. Like, legally. I will be posting takedowns on for-profit related things over the next few days,” Banks tweeted last week.

While Banks clarified that casual use by brands or individuals is not his target: “I’m just asking for credit. Or Xboxes. “-he note unauthorized goods and shitcoins cross the line.

Despite these concerns, early adopters of CHILLGUY have seen massive returns, with one trader turning a $1,000 investment into over $1 million in a matter of days.

This is not the first time that meme coins have demonstrated their ability to convert Internet phenomena into financial windfalls.

Recently, the Peanut the squirrel (PNUT), inspired by the viral story of Peanut, a pet squirrel euthanized by New York authorities, reached a market capitalization of $1 billion in two weeks, while the coin First Convicted Raccoon (FRED) climbed 383% in one day.

Edited by Sébastien Sinclair