pump and dump
/pʌmp ænd dʌmp/
CommonArtificially inflating the price of an asset through coordinated hype, then selling before it crashes.
Illegal in traditional markets. Largely unregulated in crypto. Sometimes the participants know what they are doing; sometimes they think they found a genuine opportunity.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Classic pump and dump. Coin goes from 1 cent to 40 cents in 6 hours and is back to 2 cents now. | Identifying a price spike and crash as a coordinated scheme. | reddit, 2022 |
| 02 | These influencers get paid to promote coins and then dump on their own followers. It is a full-time pump and dump operation. | Accusing influencers of systematic market manipulation through paid promotions. | x, 2022 |
| 03 | Got caught holding the bag on a pump and dump. Bought in at the top like an idiot. | Admitting to buying at the peak and getting left with a worthless position. | reddit, 2021 |
| 04 | Every memecoin launched by a celebrity is just a pump and dump with extra steps. | Characterizing celebrity-backed tokens as inherently manipulative. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- A coin spikes suddenly on coordinated social media posts, then crashes.
- Warning others that a token is being artificially pumped.
- Describing the pattern of coordinated market manipulation.
Do not use it when
- A price went up naturally due to adoption or news.
- A project raised prices through genuine utility.
Pump and dump vs rug pull
pump and dump
Pump and dump is about manipulating price to profit at others' expense. The project may continue to exist.
VS
rug-pull
A rug pull involves the founders disappearing with all the funds, killing the project entirely.
Origin and context
Adapted from traditional stock market fraud terminology. Pump-and-dump schemes in penny stocks date back decades. The term spread into crypto communities around 2017 as altcoin manipulation became widespread.
- First seen
- pre-2010
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/pump-and-dumpUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0