Key takeaways:
CZ’s mention transformed the meme token “4” into a tradable asset; one early investor turned $3,000 into $2 million.
The catalyst was the hacking of BNB Chain’s X account, which led to the creation of “4.”
The price spike was driven by trading volume in a low-liquidity environment rather than underlying fundamentals.
Several wallets had already made purchases moments before CZ’s reference.
On October 1, 2025, BNB Chain’s official X account was compromised and utilized to disseminate phishing links. Shortly thereafter, a humorous token named “4” emerged on BNB Chain, cheekily referencing reports that the hacker only made off with approximately $4,000.
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, Binance’s co-founder and former CEO, commented on the event.
This single tweet elevated a niche joke to a legitimate market signal, attracting significant attention to a newly launched asset with minimal liquidity.
In the ensuing rush, one early investor put about $3,000 worth of BNB (BNB) into “4” and saw it balloon to nearly $2 million on-screen within hours.
Did you know? When CZ tweets “4,” he’s alluding to point #4 from his 2023 “Do’s & Don’ts” list: Ignore FUD, false news, and attacks. This became community shorthand long before the “4” meme coin surfaced.
How a meme turned into a move
1. BNB Chain account compromised (Oct. 1, 2025)
BNB Chain’s official X account was hacked and misused to post phishing links to approximately 4 million followers. The team regained control and issued alerts. From the chaos emerged a running joke that the hacker had only stolen “$4k.”
2. A joke creates a token
Within hours, a new token named 4 was introduced on BNB Chain — a nod to the “$4k” joke. Early investors began eyeing a brand-new liquidity pool that was barely capitalized.
3. CZ amplifies interest
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao mentioned the event to his 10.3 million followers, highlighting the hacker’s small gain and how the community “rushed to buy the memecoin.” What started as humor quickly developed into an active trade signal. Both human traders and bots had a ticker to follow.
4. Initial wave of orders begins
Scanners identified the contract, copy traders queued purchases, and retail investors flowed through aggregators into the same shallow pool. With minimal depth, each filled order elevated the next quote. Slippage widened, momentum grew, and the price chart ascended steeply.
5. The primary wallet is in early
An address labeled “0x872” purchased early on with approximately $3,000 worth of BNB. As attention grew and liquidity decreased, that small investment ballooned to about $2 million within hours.
Inside the successful wallet
The wallet that garnered attention (“0x872”) didn’t seem like an expert. It invested about $3,000 worth of BNB into a freshly created token and, as interest surged, witnessed its mark-to-market value soar.
What transformed a modest position into a substantial paper gain was entering early in a low liquidity scenario. When liquidity is sparse, each new buyer pushes up the price of the next quote you would sell into — whether or not you actually sell.
Then came the moment every speculator both desires and fears: life-altering figures on display with almost no support underneath.
On-chain analysis indicates only minor profit-taking. The address retained over 98% of its holding in 4, still around $1.88 million after the initial spike, maximizing potential gains if momentum persisted, but exposing the position if a significant market sell occurred.
The visual data revealed a similar narrative: roughly $1.8 million in unrealized profit over the week.
“Unrealized” is the key term. Until an order is executed, profit and loss (PnL) is merely a proposal. In arenas where a single sale can shift the price dramatically, even making a small sale requires intention and strategy. Many traders learn this the hard way; this wallet chose to hold.
Flow around the wallet created a feedback loop. “Smart money” addresses monitored by Lookonchain began acquiring 4, elevating it among the most accumulated BNB Chain tokens within the following 24 hours.
This feedback mechanism intensified reflexivity. As more screens lit up and copy trades executed, the early investor’s unrealized value continued to increase — until a larger seller eventually tested the pool’s capacity.
0x872’s result depended on two decisions: entering ridiculously early and resisting the temptation to cash out quickly.
Did you know? 0x872 wasn’t the only one. Another wallet reportedly acquired tokens just minutes before CZ’s tweet and was up seven figures within hours — illustrating that timely alerts and monitoring can offer a genuine edge in meme-driven surges.
When excitement surpasses liquidity
So, what does the future hold for the highlighted wallet? Maximum upside if momentum sustains and maximum downside if a sizable sell order hits a shallow pool.
However, we must remember the initiating factor: a compromised official account. Price spikes like these lure phishers and imitation contracts. The lesson is procedural. Always verify the contract and pool size, pre-plan an exit strategy, and treat screenshots as tentative until a transaction is completed.
Posts generate flow, not intrinsic value, and the exit pathway may be narrower than anticipated.
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.