The world of cryptocurrency has a new star: Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT), a meme-inspired coin based on the Solana blockchain. In just 24 hours, PNUT surged by nearly 200%, hitting an all-time high (ATH) of $2.4 on November 14. This rise catapulted PNUT into the spotlight as one of the top daily gainers on the market, with a market cap peaking at an impressive $2.2 billion. The sudden growth, attributed in part to an endorsement by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has ignited widespread investor interest and positioned PNUT among the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
The meme coin’s origin story has been central to its appeal. Inspired by Peanut, a pet squirrel euthanized by New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, PNUT gained significant traction following public backlash. Musk’s support, alongside other prominent figures who decried the incident as an overreach, added fuel to the coin’s rise. Musk recently posted on X, “America was saved by a squirrel and a meme coin,” echoing a familiar pattern of support for meme coins like Dogecoin. His backing, combined with public sympathy, has solidified PNUT’s place in the crypto market as a unique fusion of social sentiment and financial opportunity.
PNUT’s explosive growth has also been driven by the larger bull run in the crypto market. The recent listing of PNUT on Binance provided increased liquidity and credibility, spurring further demand. As one of the newest additions to the Solana blockchain's meme coin lineup, PNUT now ranks as the third-largest Solana-based meme coin, competing with long-standing tokens like Bonk (BONK) and dogwifhat (WIF). The coin’s trading volume soared by 279%, reaching $5.75 billion, underscoring the immense interest it has sparked within a short period.
Despite its rapid rise, the question remains whether PNUT can maintain its momentum. Technical indicators like the Super Trend and Aroon suggest a bullish outlook, with potential resistance levels at $2.3 and an ambitious target of $4 if the uptrend continues. Some investors speculate that PNUT could even reach $6 in the near term, provided the enthusiasm endures. However, market volatility remains high, and any shift in sentiment could lead to profit-taking, which may slow the ascent.
The ongoing excitement around PNUT reflects the broader resurgence of meme coins, with the niche market’s total capitalization now exceeding $125 billion. Whether Peanut the Squirrel’s story will continue to captivate investors remains uncertain, but for now, it stands as a remarkable example of how social sentiment, celebrity endorsement, and market dynamics can converge to create a crypto sensation.