Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin Becomes Proud Parent of Meme-Famous Hippo Moo Deng

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has made an endearing connection with the animal kingdom by donating 10,000,000 Thai baht to the Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Alongside his generosity, he’s now the proud “adoptive father” of Moo Deng, the tiny pygmy hippopotamus who was also turned into a meme coin earlier this year.

Moo Deng’s Cuteness and Rise Captivates Vitalik Buterin

For those unfamiliar, Moo Deng isn’t just any hippo—she’s a rare pygmy hippo with an outsized charm that has pretty much made her a sensation on social media. Born July 10, 2024, at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi Province, Thailand, this little ball of energy quickly won over fans with her playful personality and irresistible cuteness. Her name, which translates to “bouncy pork,” was selected via a public vote, capturing her spunky spirit.

Moo Deng. On Dec. 26, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin shared the news of his adoption of Moo Deng following his financial contribution to the zoo. The zoo, in turn, expressed its gratitude through its social media account, thanking Buterin for his impactful gift. “Thanks for the warm welcome to the family and your work for wild animals,” Buterin responded.

“I’m happy to be adoptive father to Moo Deng as she grows up over the next [2 years] and support her with my 10M THB donation, maybe more as I set aside 88 ETH for + frens. May they live long and prosper,” he added. Buterin’s X post sparked a flurry of animated replies, with users sharing a cascade of Moo Deng and hippo-themed images. Among the highlights, Buterin himself posted a playful snapshot with his head poking out of the mouth of a much larger hippo statue.

The Moo Deng craze had already made waves in the crypto world long before Buterin’s donation to the zoo. Inspired by the baby hippo’s name and likeness, a Solana-based meme token called moo deng (MOODENG) was launched. Today, the token currently boasts a market valuation of $274 million, with each coin trading at $0.27. That’s over 59% lower than its all-time high of $0.68 reached on Nov. 15, 2024. At press time, however, MOODENG remains 1,685.3% higher than its all-time low of $0.01545 recorded on Sept. 20, 2024.

MOODENG’s market valuation currently ranks 297th among thousands of digital assets. While the token’s long-term relevance as a meme coin is questionable and uncertain, one thing is clear: Buterin’s donation will provide valuable support to the real-life hippo and her zoo for the next two years.