Artist Phillip Banks, the creator behind the viral “Just a Chill Guy” meme, has announced plans to enforce copyright protection on his popular character.
The announcement comes as the meme, a laid-back, anthropomorphic dog with a signature smirk and hands in pockets, has taken over the crypto world with its meteoric rise in value.
“Just putting it out there, chill guy has been copyrighted. like, legally. I’ll be issuing takedowns on for-profit related things over the next few days,” Banks wrote on X.
He added that this does not include brand accounts using the meme as a trend. “Mainly unauthorized merchandise and shitcoins,” he added.
Just a Chill Guy Meme Becomes Viral Sensation
The “Just a Chill Guy” meme gained traction in late 2023 after Banks initially posted the illustration on social media.
The character quickly resonated with audiences, becoming a viral sensation on platforms like TikTok and X.
Known for its casual and carefree demeanor, the humanoid dog became symbolic of a stress-free approach to life.
The meme recently garnered further global attention when El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele shared it on his official X account.
The viral success of the character has extended into the cryptocurrency space, with the launch of the Solana-based memecoin, $CHILLGUY.
Serving as the coin’s mascot, the “Chill Guy” character played a pivotal role in the token’s explosive rise.
The memecoin’s value surged an astonishing 538% in just two days, skyrocketing its market capitalization from $11.5 million on Monday to $488 million by Wednesday.
One trader, identified by the wallet address 9zW, reportedly turned a modest investment of just over $1,100 into unrealized gains exceeding $1 million.
Initially investing $233.89 during the token’s early stages on the Pump.fun meme coin launchpad, the trader capitalized on the coin’s 38,800% surge to a $4.4 million market cap within 30 hours.
The rollercoaster did not stop there.
Despite a temporary retracement, $CHILLGUY experienced another rally, leading the trader to make additional investments totaling $867.35.
By the time the token peaked on Wednesday, the trader had sold $411,500 worth of holdings while still holding tokens valued at $636,942.
Meme Coin Season Rages On
Notably, there have been more examples of traders turning a small investment into a massive fortune as of late as the meme coin mania rages on.
Just recently, an anonymous trader turned a $17 investment in Pnut, a meme coin inspired by a viral squirrel, into an astonishing $3 million in Solana tokens.
The token, created through Pump.Fun, gained popularity following the story of P’Nut, a squirrel euthanized for a rabies test, which sparked widespread internet support.
By leveraging perfect timing, the trader capitalized on Pnut’s meteoric rise, swapping tokens at their peak value of $1.50 just hours after Binance announced its listing.
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