Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, has taken an unexpected philanthropic turn by adopting a baby pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo.

Alongside this heartwarming gesture, he donated 10 million Thai baht (approximately €265,000) to the zoo’s Wildlife Sponsorship Program. The donation, made in two installments, will support Moo Deng’s care, aid her family, and fund the construction of a 1,600-square-meter educational center focused on pygmy hippos.

“I am delighted to accept your invitation to become Moo Deng’s adoptive father and to contribute no less than 10,000,000 THB to the zoo,” Buterin wrote in a letter shared by the zoo.

Thank you Vitalik Buterin @VitalikButerin for joining the Wildlife Sponsorship Program and adopting Moo Deng with a generous gift of 10,000,000 THB for her family! We look forward to working with you over the next 2 years for the benefit of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo community & all… pic.twitter.com/Ykrr53Y2tZ
— สวนสัตว์เปิดเขาเขียว Khao Kheow Open Zoo (@KhaokheowZoo) December 26, 2024

MOODENG Token Soars 95%
Within an hour of the announcement, the MOODENG memetoken — inspired by Moo Deng — surged 95%, reaching €0.000227 from a low of €0.000116 earlier that day. Trading volumes skyrocketed by 525%, while major exchanges like Coinbase quickly listed the token, further boosting its popularity.

Buterin’s bond with Thailand deepened earlier this year during his trip to Devcon in Bangkok. A visit to the zoo introduced him to Moo Deng, leading to this sponsorship. This adoption aligns with Buterin’s history of charitable actions, such as converting €1.5 million worth of memecoins into ETH for donation.