Who is Roaring Kitty and What’s Next for Meme Coins?

full version at beincrypto

In the financial world, few stories are captivated, like that of Keith Gill, also known as Roaring Kitty. This former financial analyst turned stock influencer sparked the 2021 GameStop (GME) short squeeze.

His actions shook Wall Street, capturing the global attention. After a significant hiatus, Gill has recently returned to social media, sparking renewed interest in both traditional and crypto markets.

Who is Roaring Kitty?

Known under the alias “DeepFuckingValue,” Gill became a hero on platforms like Reddit and YouTube. He was a vocal advocate for GameStop, a company that was largely considered faltering at the time. Many institutional investors and hedge funds had shorted GME, expecting its value to decline further.

However, the narrative took a sharp turn when GME shares, initially valued at around $5.16, surged to exceed $490 in 2021. This price inflation was primarily driven by users from the r/WallStreetBets subreddit.

Gill’s posts there had inspired a collective action to trigger a short squeeze. This market maneuver occurs when rising stock prices compel short sellers to purchase shares at increasing rates, thereby escalating the stock price even further.

From an initial investment of $53,000, Gill’s stakes in GME soared to an impressive $48 million at the peak of the market upheaval. His significant role in this market anomaly brought him before Congress for testimony and was later depicted in the film “Dumb Money.”

GameStop (GME) Price Performance in 2021. Source: TradingView

Will Cat-Theme Meme Coins Pump?

Upon his return to the public eye with an X (Twitter) post in mid-2021, Gill once again stirred the investment world. The post featured an image of a man intently using a video game controller. It quickly sparked discussions in stock investment circles and in the crypto domain.

Influencers like Andrew Tate announced shifts in their investment strategies, from Bitcoin to GameStop stocks and various meme coins. Tate said he would sell $500,000 in Bitcoin to invest in the latest GameStop short squeeze. Moreover, he put the ticker symbol of GME on his X bio.

The resurgence of interest following Gill’s tweet extended to meme coins, a sector known for its high volatility and speculative nature. These digital assets, often inspired by internet memes, experienced a noticeable boost.

For instance, the Roaring Kitty (KITTY) meme coin saw remarkable trading activity, with one trader turning a $3,000 investment into $94,000 almost overnight due to a sudden price surge.

Now, investors and spectators alike are pondering the future of meme coins in this revived market environment. Several of Gill’s videos hint at a potential preference for cat-themed meme coins, possibly heralding the next big rally in this quirky asset class.

On-chain analysis firm – Lookonchain indicates that smart investors are already positioning themselves in cat-related meme coins like POPCAT, MANEKI, and KITTY.

“Maybe the next Dogecoin (DOGE) will be among the cat-themed meme coins,” Lookonchain said.

As the market adapts, the influence of internet personalities like Roaring Kitty is undeniable. His ability to mobilize public opinion and challenge traditional investment strategies reshapes financial landscapes.

It also highlights the growing intersection between social media and financial markets.