WHITEWHALE Meme Coin Dips Over 55% After CTO Leader Steps Away from Crypto Twitter

The White Whale (WHITEWHALE), the Solana meme coin that once reached a market cap exceeding $181 million, has declined by more than 55%.

The drop came after the pseudonymous trader who led its community takeover announced that he is “stepping away from Crypto Twitter (CT).”

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The token fell to roughly $0.012, pushing its market cap below $15 million. CoinGecko data showed that the daily trading volume surged over 1,000% as holders reacted to the news.

It’s worth noting that The White Whale, a well-known trader, didn’t actually create the meme coin himself. The token first appeared in October 2025.

He got involved in December, purchasing tokens, injecting liquidity, and steering a community takeover after becoming concerned that fraudulent projects trading under his name could hurt his credibility. 

“The token that bears my name, I take ultimate responsibility for. DAOs and other structures often give this space the illusion of a democracy that rarely ever exists. You’re trusting Jeff to be a good steward of HyperLiquid. You’re trusting The White Whale to be a good steward of his namesake,” The White Whale mentioned to BeInCrypto last month.

At the time, he also said, “It’s impossible to even think about stepping away.”

In his departure post, he cited a family crisis involving his children, declining mental health, and daily community pressure. He also stated that he is losing some of his passion for crypto.

Furthermore, the White Whale revealed that he had executed a single transaction, permanently locking 500 million WHITEWHALE tokens. The move removes half of the token’s total 1 billion fixed supply from circulation forever.

“Permanently locking $13 million worth of supply should be the greatest parting gift I could give you,” he wrote.

He also added that a continuity plan is in place. Social media operations will be transferred to an associate, Vincenzo Maiett.

“DEX LP operations will also continue under one of the sharpest LP minds I know, with my ongoing oversight behind the scenes,” the post read.

The trader emphasized that his departure from Crypto Twitter isn’t driven by hatred or self-pity. 

“Pump.fun is a cancer on this space. You know it, I know it, and yet you keep engaging with it,” he added. “I am choosing to step back before this space takes any more from me than I’m willing to give. For long ago in life I learned that you’re no good to anyone if you’re not okay. And right now, I’m not ok. And it’s okay to admit that.”

Whether the community can adapt to this change remains the key question facing WHITEWHALE holders going forward.