Essential Insights:
CZ’s mention propelled meme token “4” into a trade; one early investor’s $3,000 blossomed into $2 million.
The catalyst was the hacking of BNB Chain’s X account, which led to the birth of “4.”
The spike was driven by flow into thin liquidity, rather than underlying fundamentals.
Several wallets had already invested just before CZ’s announcement.
On October 1, 2025, BNB Chain’s official X account was compromised and exploited to share phishing links. Within hours, the incident turned into a humorous token on BNB Chain known as “4,” alluding to reports that the hacker made off with only about $4,000.
Subsequently, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, Binance’s co-founder and former CEO, commented on the event.
This single reference transformed a niche joke into an active market signal as attention flooded into a nascent pool with scant liquidity.
In the ensuing frenzy, one early investor placed around $3,000 worth of BNB (BNB) into “4,” witnessing its value surge to nearly $2 million on-screen within a few hours.
Did you know? When CZ tweets “4,” he alludes to point #4 from his 2023 “Do’s & Don’ts” list: Ignore FUD, fake news, attacks, etc. This became a community shorthand well before the emergence of the 4 memecoin.
The Evolution from Meme to Market Movement
1. BNB Chain Account Compromised (Oct. 1, 2025)
BNB Chain’s official X account was breached and utilized to distribute phishing links to approximately 4 million followers. The team later regained control and issued advisories. Amidst the chaos, a running joke emerged that the attacker made off with just “$4k.”
2. A Punchline Becomes a Token
Hours later, a new token named 4 was launched on BNB Chain — a playful nod to the “$4k” meme. Early investors began to circle a newly created liquidity pool that was poorly funded.
3. CZ Expands the Narrative
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao acknowledged the incident to his 10.3 million followers, highlighting the hacker’s minimal profit and how the community “pushed the memecoin higher.” What started as a joke swiftly transformed into a real trading signal. Human traders and bots now had a ticker to follow.
4. Initial Orders Flood In
Scanners detected the contract, copy traders queued purchases, and retail investment streamed through aggregators into the same shallow pool. With minimal depth, each filled order raised the next quote. Slippage increased, momentum built, and the chart escalated steeply.
5. The Lead Wallet Enters Early
An address known as “0x872” invested early with about $3,000 worth of BNB. As activity surged in the pool and liquidity diminished, that small investment ballooned to approximately $2 million in just hours.
Exploring the Notable Wallet
The wallet that drew attention (“0x872”) didn’t appear to be a mastermind. It invested about $3,000 worth of BNB into a newly created token and, as interest spiked, witnessed its mark-to-market soar.
What transformed a modest stake into a substantial fortune was getting in early on a thin pool. When liquidity is low, every new buyer elevates the next quote for selling — regardless of whether you decide to sell or not.
The moment arrived that every speculator both desires and fears: life-altering numbers displayed on-screen with negligible depth beneath.
On-chain analysis reveals minimal profit-taking. The address retained over 98% of its holdings in 4, still around $1.88 million after the first surge, maximizing the potential upside if momentum persisted, but also leaving the position vulnerable if a single considerable market sell impacted the pool.
The visuals reinforced the narrative: about $1.8 million in unrealized gains over the week.
“Unrealized” is the key term. Until an order executes, profit and loss (PnL) remains a concept. In markets where a single sale can shift the price significantly, even taking some profits requires strategy and intent. Many traders learn this by returning a gain back to par; this wallet, for a period, opted to ride the wave.
Activity surrounding the wallet sustained the momentum. “Smart money” addresses tracked by Lookonchain began acquiring 4, elevating it among the most accumulated BNB Chain tokens in the following 24 hours.
This feedback loop intensified the reflexivity. As more screens illuminated and copy trades triggered, the early holder’s unrealized value continued to rise — until a larger seller eventually tested the pool’s capacity.
The outcome for 0x872 hinged on two critical decisions: entering the fray absurdly early and resisting the temptation to cash out immediately.
Did you know? 0x872 wasn’t alone. Another wallet reportedly bought just minutes before CZ’s reference and saw profits soar into seven figures within hours — highlighting that rapid alerts and feed monitoring can provide a distinct advantage in meme-driven surges.
When Hype Surpasses Depth
So, what awaits the prominent wallet? Maximum upside if momentum sustains and maximum downside if a single substantial sell order strikes a shallow pool.
However, we must not overlook the trigger: a compromised official account. Such spikes attract phishers and counterfeit contracts. The lesson is procedural. Verify the contract and the pool size, plan an exit in advance, and treat screenshots as indications until a fill is confirmed.
Posts generate flow, not intrinsic value, and the exit pathway is narrower than it appears.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
