Vitalik Buterin Sponsors Moo Deng

Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo at Khao Kheow Zoo that has created a global craze, is being “adopted” by Vitalik Buterin for the next 2 years.

Vitalik Buterin, the founder of Ethereum, recently visited Khao Kheow Zoo in Thailand, dressed in a hippo-patterned shirt. There, he met Moo Deng, a 5-month-old pygmy hippo that has captivated many people.

Thank you Vitalik Buterin @VitalikButerin for joining the Wildlife Sponsorship Program and adopting Moo Deng with a generous gift of 10,000,000 THB for her family! We look forward to working with you over the next 2 years for the benefit of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo community & all… pic.twitter.com/Ykrr53Y2tZ

— สวนสัตว์เปิดเขาเขียว Khao Kheow Open Zoo (@KhaokheowZoo) December 26, 2024

Vitalik also donated 10 million Thai baht (about 292,230 USD) to support the organization, and also sponsored Moo Deng and her hippo family for two years. Khao Kheow management said that this donation will be divided into two installments, the first of which is expected to be completed by December 26, 2024.

Moo Deng, which means "jumping pig" in Thai, became popular thanks to short videos shared by zoo staff on social media, recording their clumsy but extremely adorable daily lives.

Moo Deng not only created a fever in real life but also became the inspiration for memecoins of the same name on the blockchain. The price of MOODENG Ethereum system has increased by 78% in the past 24 hours, corresponding to a capitalization of more than 87 million USD. Meanwhile, the original memecoin on Solana decreased by 2.5% on the same reference frame.

Price fluctuation of MOODENG (Ethereum system) in the last 24 hours, screenshot of CoinGecko at 02:00 PM on December 26, 2024

In recent years, projects often proactively "airdrop" tokens to the wallets of famous figures in the industry, typically Vitalik Buterin. These tokens are not just gifts, but also help to increase the reputation of the project thanks to his reputation. However, Vitalik has always been straightforward that he does not want to be a promotional tool, although he still recognizes the potential of memecoin. He has pledged to sell any tokens sent to him for charity purposes.

True to his word, Vitalik has "cleared out his memecoin stash" many times to fund animal charities. The most recent time was in early October, when he sold 10 billion MOODENG and donated 80% of the proceeds to the Kanro charity fund.

Vitalik Buterin's actions not only contribute to animal conservation but also increase the connection between blockchain technology and the real world.