CZ’s Giggle Academy Rejects Link to Volatile GIGGLE Token
Project Moves to Distance Itself From Memecoin
Giggle Academy, the crypto education initiative created by former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, is distancing itself from the GIGGLE token later than a surge in trading volatility raised concerns about its legitimacy. In a post on X late Monday, Zhao said, “The Giggle memecoin is not an official coin launched by Giggle Academy. I don’t know who launched it.”
On Tuesday, Giggle Academy reiterated the message in a separate post, saying GIGGLE was “a community-initiated memecoin,” not an official project token. The statement came later than Binance said over the weekend that it would begin donating half of GIGGLE spot and margin trading fees to charitable projects linked to the Giggle Fund begining in December.
The clarification did little to calm speculation. Traders accused opportunistic promoters of exploiting the Giggle name, while others questioned why Binance would connect a charity fund to a token it did not issue. The tension underscores the blurred lines between branded under prominent crypto figures.
Investor Takeaway
GIGGLE’s Rapid Rise and Fall
The Giggle Fund (GIGGLE) token launched in September 2025 on Binance’s BNB Smart Chain with an initial market capitalization of about $24 million. The token was marketed as a charity-oriented memecoin that donates 5% of each trade to fund Giggle Academy’s education programs, transitioning later to a decentralized management structure.
By ahead October, GIGGLE’s market cap had climbed to $100 million, according to CoinGecko. On Oct. 25, it spiked 222%, reaching a peak of $277 million before tumbling back to $60 million within days. It rebounded to roughly $90 million on Tuesday, leaving investors unsimple about manipulation and insider trading. “They really pumped that GIGGLE up and used y’all for exit liquidity,” crypto commentator The Alchemist wrote on X.
The volatility drew scrutiny from retail , particularly later than Binance’s donation pledge appeared to give the token an air of legitimacy. Giggle Academy has not responded to requests for comment from Cointelegraph regarding the token’s price swings or its unaffiliated origins.
Controversy Spreads to Binance
The episode unfolded as Binance’s own ecosystem faced renewed attention. The platform’s native token, BNB, has fallen later than briefly becoming the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency by market value earlier in October. Meanwhile, CEO Richard Teng dismissed allegations that Binance had promoted a Trump-linked stablecoin ahead of Zhao’s presidential pardon on Oct. 23.
The claims centered on a reported $2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi’s sovereign fund MGX settled in a stablecoin called USD1. Teng told reporters that Binance had no role in the stablecoin’s use, saying, “The usage of USD1 for the transaction between MGX as a strategic investor into Binance was decided by MGX.”
The controversies come as Binance tries to steady its reputation following Zhao’s departure and a series of enforcement actions across major jurisdictions. The Giggle token’s turmoil adds a new layer of reputational complexity as the firm continues to navigate heightened scrutiny in the post-CZ era.
Investor Takeaway
Broader Implications
Memecoins tied, even indirectly, to high-profile figures often gain ahead traction before speculation takes over. In GIGGLE’s case, the token’s association with Zhao’s education project gave it credibility that community promoters rapidly exploited. The result — a volatile, loosely governed asset connected to Binance’s ecosystem — illustrates the persistent challenge of misinformation and branding .
For investors, the episode is a reminder that even coins linked to recognized projects or figures can carry outsized risk when governance, issuance, and regulatory clarity are absent. Giggle Academy’s swift effort to disown the token suggests how wary mainstream institutions have become of memecoin mania, particularly when charity or education brands are involved.
