- Justin Sun donated $100k to the viral baby monkey, Punch.
- This donation comes after the Punch meme coin surged past $30 million cap.
- Sun hails the monkey as the official HTX brand ambassador.
Tron founder Justin Sun has pledged a massive $100,000 to support a baby Japanese monkey named Punch, whose emotional story recently went viral online. Sun’s announcement comes as the Punch meme coin, launched inspired by the monkey, surged, jumping 200% in just 24 hours and reaching a $34 million market cap.
Sun and HTX stated that they were deeply moved after seeing videos of the young monkey clinging to an orangutan stuffed toy following his abandonment at birth. The donation will go to Ichikawa City Zoo, where Punch is being cared for.
Sun also noted that the monkey will be named an “official HTX brand ambassador.” This indicates that he intends to turn the once-abandoned baby monkey into a global symbol that blends viral internet culture with the crypto world.
Viral Monkey Gets $100k Donation from Justin Sun
Justin Sun took to X earlier today to announce a $100k donation to the viral abandoned baby monkey, Punch. The X post read,
“Punch, the bravest little macaque, has captured the world’s heart. HTX.com are deeply moved by his resilience. To ensure he gets the best care at Ichikawa City Zoo, HTX is pledging a $100,000 donation to support his growth and habitat. We are also honored to name Punch an Official HTX Brand Ambassador!”
Notably, Punch is a Japanese macaque who was born in July at Ichikawa City Zoo. He was abandoned by his mother monkey immediately after birth. Soon, the zookeeper gave him a soft orangutan toy, which they called “Ora-mama.”
The baby monkey was often seen carrying the toy around his enclosure and hugging it when he was alone. Videos of these scenes quickly spread online, making him one of the most viral animal stories of the year. A zoo caretaker even called the toy Punch’s “surrogate mother.”
New videos also show Punch trying to protect his stuffed toy from other monkeys that tease him. In one clip, a bigger monkey even tosses him around before Punch escapes and quickly runs back to hug his toy.
Punch Meme Coin Goes Viral
Interestingly, Justin Sun’s donation comes in response to the surging popularity of the Punch meme coin. As the story of the monkey went viral, the crypto community launched a meme coin, which quickly gained attention.
As of now, the Punch meme coin is trading at $0.03456, up by a massive 204% in a single day. The market cap has surged past $34 million, sparking widespread optimism. Over the past seven days, the meme token saw a massive hike of nearly 20,000%. It has a fixed supply of 1 billion coins. It claims to have 0% transaction tax, with liquidity locked and burned, and ownership renounced.
The project, built inspired by the baby monkey, describes itself as a community-driven coin built around themes of emotion, comfort, and companionship.
Blockchain data revealed by analysts show that one wallet has bought about $226,000 worth of PUNCH meme coins. Data also shows that holdings linked to public figures increased by nearly 90% over the past week. At the same time, balances held by “smart money” investors and large whale wallets have gone down.
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