Viral Stunt Fuels Solana Meme Coin to 2,000% Pump, Generates $49,000 in Creator Fees
A recent incident involving a Solana-based meme coin, $BAGWORK, and fitness influencer Bradley Martyn highlighted the potent combination of virality and cryptocurrency. A staged prank at Martyn's gym, culminating in a slap and expletives, propelled the $BAGWORK token's market cap from $131,150 to $2.78 million in seven hours.
The creators, leveraging the Pump.fun platform's creator rewards system, earned nearly $50,000 in fees from trading activity. This event underscores the growing trend of leveraging social media influence and real-world stunts for significant financial gains in the meme coin market. While some lauded the innovative marketing, others raised concerns about potential harassment and the focus on sensationalism over quality content. The incident also draws parallels to Pump.fun's history of extreme livestreamed stunts, prompting ongoing discussions about content moderation and ethical boundaries in the evolving creator economy.