Key Insights
- 74% of YZY investors experienced losses following Kanye’s coin launch.
- 11 wallets took home 30% of the total profits from the launch.
- Insider involvement spurred criticism and market debate.
Kanye West’s YZY Meme Coin: Who Profited and Who Did Not
The Bubblemaps project has published a comprehensive report on the YZY meme coin introduced by artist Kanye West (Ye). As stated in the report, 74% of the 70,201 investors in the asset faced losses.
West officially unveiled YZY on the morning of August 21, 2025, although speculation had been rampant for months prior. The project was met with immediate backlash due to concerns regarding insider participation, igniting discussions within the crypto community.
Leading Wallets Earn Most Profits
Bubblemaps further revealed that Hayden Davis, co-founder of the controversial LIBRA project — Argentina’s alleged official memecoin benefited from YZY. Davis started acquiring the asset just a minute after the announcement and sold it for substantial profit.
Of 70,201 traders:
- 18,333 (26.11%) generated a total of $66.64 million.
- 51,862 (73.89%) lost a cumulative $74.84 million.
Among the profitable wallets:
- 11 earned over $1 million each
- 2,541 earned between $1,000 and $10,000
- 15,040 earned up to $1,000
This indicates that approximately 30% of total profits originated from just 11 wallets, showcasing a significant disparity in profit distribution. The average profit and loss (PNL) for traders was a loss of $8.2 million.
Insider Involvement and Market Disparity
The report did not specify if unrealized gains and losses were factored in, but the disparity is clear. A very small percentage of investors saw major returns, while the majority incurred losses.
Furthermore, three addresses lost over $1 million, with countless others facing considerable losses. This early distribution trend raises concerns about fairness and transparency in prominent memecoin launches.
Final Thoughts
The launch of the YZY meme coin highlights the risk and volatility associated with celebrity-driven cryptocurrencies. While a select few traders made substantial gains, most investors faced losses, underscoring the need for caution in crypto speculation.
