Imagine sipping your morning coffee, scrolling through crypto updates, when suddenly the official BNB Chain X account begins blasting out phishing links like an old-school spam email. Within minutes, panic spreads, wallets get drained, and chaos unfolds. Yet instead of fading into another forgettable hack, this fiasco transformed into one of the most bizarre success stories of 2025: a memecoin millionaire born from a breach.
In a single week, one trader flipped $3,000 into nearly $2 million thanks to a hacked account, a cheeky memecoin, and the unstoppable power of community-driven hype. Let’s break down how this rollercoaster played out, why it matters for BNB Chain users, and what it tells us about the future of memecoins.
The Breach That Sparked a Frenzy
On October 1, 2025, the @BNBChain X account was hijacked in what appears to be a social engineering hack. Attackers posted around ten phishing links disguised as airdrops and wallet connection offers. Unfortunately, some users clicked, leading to losses of around $8,000 in total, with one unlucky trader losing $6,500 in a single click (BitcoinEthereumNews).
The attack bore the hallmarks of Inferno Drainer, a well-known “drainer-as-a-service” operation that rents out phishing kits to scammers (BitcoinEthereumNews). But instead of stopping at theft, the hackers minted a memecoin called “4” on the Four.Meme platform, mocking victims while trying to pocket quick profits.
Why “4”? The name referenced their estimated $4,000 gain after dumping liquidity. The token’s logo? A pixel-art image of CZ (Changpeng Zhao) flashing his signature hand gesture. It was part scam, part troll, and part chaos theater.
Soon after, CZ himself warned followers:
“ALERT: The @BNBChain X account is compromised. The hacker posted phishing websites. Do NOT connect your wallet.” — @cz_binance
The account was restored by evening, and the phishing links were taken down. But by then, something unexpected had begun: a community rebellion through memes.
From Scam to Symbol: The Community Takeover
Instead of letting “4” vanish, BNB degens executed a Community Takeover (CTO). This is when retail traders and whales pile into a token originally designed as a scam, flip the script, and pump it into legitimacy.
According to Bubblemaps, large wallets began clustering into “4,” creating viral momentum. Within hours, the market cap surged from under $100k to $70 million, with trading volume hitting $18.4 million (Gate).
Memes turned CZ into everything from Egyptian gods to anime heroes, and the narrative shifted. The community joked:
“The hacker got $4k. We got the bag.”
CZ even leaned into it:
“After the hacker dumped ALL tokens for $4k, the community bought the meme higher as a mock. Funniest comeback ever!” — @cz_binance
That single tweet exploded with over 2 million views and 5,900 likes, pushing “4” into mainstream crypto chatter. Soon after, Binance Alpha listed the token, stabilizing its price around $0.1775 with a market cap of $150 million (CryptoSlate).
The Trader Who Turned $3K into $2M
Every good crypto story needs a hero. This time, it was wallet 0x872a. Just hours after the hack, this trader swapped $3,060 worth of BNB for 16.86 million “4” tokens on PancakeSwap (Finbold).
By holding through the volatility, their tokens soared to $1.88 million unrealized value within a week. They sold a portion—5.12 million tokens—for around $118,700, locking in profits while still riding the wave. In total, the play delivered a jaw-dropping 652x return.
And they weren’t alone. Another trader reportedly flipped $68,700 into $9.4 million in just 48 hours (BitcoinEthereumNews).
This wasn’t random luck. It was fast reflexes, sharp risk appetite, and timing—classic degen traits that thrive in chaos.
CZ: The Meme King’s Midas Touch
The story of “4” wouldn’t exist without CZ’s influence. Even after stepping back from Binance leadership, his words still carry massive weight. His October 1 tweet didn’t just warn users—it ignited the meme-fueled pump.
CZ has a history of accidentally moving markets with memes. Remember TST, the “test token” he mentioned that skyrocketed to $500M before crashing? (The Block) Or when a casual mention of ASTER turned into a 30x rally overnight? (@StarPlatinumSOL on X).
Critics argue this borders on manipulation. Supporters call it community marketing. Either way, the lesson is clear: in crypto, narrative often outweighs fundamentals.
Memecoins in 2025: From Jokes to Juggernauts
The saga of “4” shows how far memecoins have come. No longer dismissed as jokes, they now command hundreds of millions in liquidity. Platforms like Four.Meme on BNB Chain have launched thousands of tokens, some even funneling money into causes like Giggle Academy, CZ’s educational charity (James Wynn).
Tokens like BROCCOLI and DUST have touched $200M caps based purely on community vibes (NFTandGameFi). Sure, the risks are massive—2025 has seen a 40% rise in crypto hacks (CoinTelegraph)—but the rewards? Potentially life-changing.
Lessons for Traders and Builders
So, what should we take away from this chaotic memecoin miracle?
- Security matters: Always use 2FA, verify links, and never connect wallets to unverified sites.
- Community drives survival: Even scams can flip into opportunities if the community decides to rally.
- Timing is everything: Early entry, strong conviction, and partial profit-taking can turn chaos into fortune.
- Memes aren’t just jokes: They’re cultural assets that move markets faster than whitepapers ever could.
As BNB Chain continues to thrive through “Uptober,” it’s safe to say we’ll see more hacks, more memes, and yes—more traders striking gold out of nowhere.
After all, in crypto, the punchline often belongs to the community, not the hacker.
Final Thoughts
The BNB Chain hack could have been a simple cautionary tale about phishing. Instead, it became a case study in how memecoins, memes, and community narratives can flip a loss into a multimillion-dollar win.
Will “4” be remembered as the start of a new era for memecoins—or just another chapter in crypto’s ongoing circus? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: in 2025, the line between scams and success has never been thinner.
Sources:
- BitcoinEthereumNews: Early BNB Buyer of “4” Memecoin
- BitcoinEthereumNews: Memecoin 4 Explodes
- CryptoSlate: Mystery Trader Bags $9.4M
- Finbold: Trader Turns $3k to $2M
- CoinGape: BNB Chain Hacked
- PANews: CZ on Community Pump
- GateNews: Meme Coin “4” Rises 500%
- The Block: TST Token Incident
- CoinTelegraph: Surge in Crypto Hacks 2025
- NFT & GameFi: Memecoins With $200M Caps
- James Wynn on Giggle Academy
- CZ’s X Posts on Hack and Community
