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Memecoin PNUT Rips on Elon Musk’s Epstein Cue
PNUT, which has no affiliation with the actual squirrel or Musk, saw trading volumes surge over 120% from $65 million to $214 million in a 24-hour period, according to CoinGecko.
Jul 9, 2025, 6:08 a.m.
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What to know:
- Elon Musk criticized U.S. authorities for euthanizing a viral squirrel named Peanut while failing to charge anyone from Jeffrey Epstein's alleged client list.
- Following Musk's comments, the Solana-based meme token PNUT saw a significant spike in both price and trading volume.
- PNUT, unrelated to the squirrel or Musk, is known for trading on cultural trends and speculative interest.
‘Peanut’ the squirrel is dead, but the meme coin named after him is still mooning.
A late-night post from technocrat Elon Musk slamming U.S. authorities for euthanizing the viral squirrel while failing to charge anyone from Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged client list preceded a volume and price spike, data shows, showing speculative fervor is alive and well in the market.
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(The "Epstein list" refers to high-profile individuals allegedly connected to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network. No official, verified public list exists.)
“Government is deeply broken,” Musk wrote. “They arrested (and killed) Peanut, but have not even tried to file charges against anyone on the Epstein client list.”
They arrested (and killed) Peanut, but have not even tried to file charges against anyone on the Epstein client list.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 8, 2025
Government is deeply broken. pic.twitter.com/YndRadQUBE
Within minutes, Solana-based meme token PNUT spiked over 10% as traders piled in on the name-drop.
PNUT, which has no affiliation with the actual squirrel or Musk, saw trading volumes surge over 120% from $65 million to $214 million in a 24-hour period, according to CoinGecko. The token’s price briefly touched 23 cents before cooling.
With no protocol, no utility, and no roadmap, PNUT trades purely on cultural resonance and reflexive speculation. That makes it a favorite for momentum hunters, and a token to watch for when controversial topics do the rounds — at least on Musk’s X.
Read more: Elon Musk Says America Party Will Embrace BTC as 'Fiat Is Hopeless'
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