What Is the PUNCH Meme Coin and Why Is It Surging?

PUNCH, a Solana-based meme coin, has surged more than 80,000% since its launch earlier this month, capturing traders’ attention across the ecosystem.

As its market cap expands and accumulation intensifies, concerns are also mounting. Amid the token’s explosive rally, analysts are highlighting red flags surrounding this new market entrant.

What Is PUNCH Token?

PUNCH is a token inspired by the story of a baby Japanese macaque named Punch and his inseparable plush companion. The token positions itself as a community-driven cryptocurrency built around emotion, comfort, and companionship.

According to details provided on the website, the token has a fixed total supply of 1 billion. The project states that its liquidity has been locked and burned. 

It also claims that ownership has been renounced. In addition, the token operates with a 0% tax.

Solana Meme Coin PUNCH Skyrockets to $30 Million Market Cap 

Data from GeckoTerminal showed that the token began trading earlier this month. Momentum accelerated as the story of the baby macaque gained traction across media outlets and social platforms. Over the past week alone, the meme coin has surged 22,290.8%.

During early Asian trading hours today, PUNCH hit an all-time high, with its market cap climbing above $30 million. On CoinGecko, the token emerged as the top daily gainer, posting a 260% increase. It also ranks third among the platform’s top trending cryptocurrencies.

The rally has attracted substantial investor interest. Blockchain tracker Stalkchain highlighted one wallet that accumulated approximately $226,000 worth of PUNCH.

Data from Nansen also revealed that over the past seven days, public figure holdings in PUNCH surged 89.69%. However, smart money and whale holdings have declined.

Crypto Watchers Raise Red Flags Over PUNCH 

Several market watchers have raised concerns about the token. Crypto analyst StarPlatinum has alleged that the token shows “multiple signs of coordinated insider control.”

In a post on X, the analyst claimed that the creator wallet, identified as A8Z1ejQGk45EJibBPJviWnM3UvwKSuYun53nSCkWKM52, distributed approximately 100 billion PUNCH tokens, equivalent to 10% of the total supply, soon after the token went live. 

According to the analysis, the wallet (A8Z1e) sent 48.2 billion tokens directly to another wallet, CgR8tggfcM8Re5agDY5fsT4pKmqQTzF8vQ7jQknM6iBj. This entity allegedly acted as an intermediary between the creator and several large holders.

Blockchain traces shared in the thread suggest a flow pattern from the creator wallet to the intermediary address, then to large wallets. Among the top linked holders identified:

• Wallet Hbx5PturLVp9F7YYG18jZZSWFTNp9TTSXEJepq6pvSi3 reportedly holds 35 billion PUNCH, or 3.5% of the total supply, and was funded from the intermediary wallet.
• Wallet H8GLvJ89DwoeBTY3YhepLTf3VmKR44qVnskNdEZHQVDPK holds 25.1 billion tokens, representing 2.5% of supply, and was allegedly funded by the largest holder.
• Wallet DXU65912VjiPUhKR37TLiHCrbp4uNHVNNZiBdLv1uAx1 controls 17.5 billion tokens, or 1.75% of supply, and is said to be connected within the same funding cluster.

Combined, these three wallets account for approximately 7.75% of the total supply, with all allocations allegedly traceable back to the initial creator distribution, according to the claims.

Here, it’s worth noting that the website specifies that PUNCH’s total supply stands at 1 billion. Meanwhile, the White Whale also identified two “red flags” related to the PUNCH token. 

However, the White Whale clarified that he is not directly accusing the project team or developers of orchestrating the activity. He stated that the project itself “may or may not be good.”

Thus, while PUNCH’s rally has attracted significant interest, analysts’ concerns raise questions about the sustainability of its momentum. As with many sharply appreciating meme coins, heightened volatility and structural risks remain key factors for traders to monitor.