Elon Musk's Response Triggers ASTEROID Memecoin Price Surge to $170M

SHIB-3,09%

Gate News message, April 19 — ASTEROID, a memecoin based on a Shiba Inu character, surged dramatically from a $50,000 market cap to $170 million following Elon Musk’s involvement with the project.

The character “Asteroid” was designed by Liv Perrotto, a 15-year-old who passed away this year after battling cancer. Perrotto created the design as a zero-G indicator for SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission. Before her death, she had hoped to meet Musk and ask him questions about his work and interests. After Liv’s passing, her mother, Rebecca Perrotto, shared her daughter’s list of questions publicly, hoping Musk would respond.

Musk answered Liv’s questions, providing brief responses on topics ranging from Tesla’s new projects and game updates to his visits to Japan and anime preferences. When asked whether the Asteroid character would become SpaceX’s mascot, Musk simply replied “Okay.” Following his response, the ASTEROID memecoin experienced a sharp price surge.

It is important to note that ASTEROID is not listed on any centralized cryptocurrency exchange and carries extremely high risk. Memecoins are highly speculative assets, and the vast majority of investors have lost nearly all of their funds in such projects.

Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to Disclaimer.

Related Articles

ETH drops 0.69% in 15 minutes: large on-chain transfer outflows trigger a rebound of spot sell pressure

During the period from 2026-04-19 22:00 to 2026-04-19 22:15(UTC), the ETH price fell from 2275.98 USDT to 2252.72 USDT. The return over 15 minutes was -0.69%, and the amplitude reached 1.02%. During this round of unusual price movement, short-term market volatility increased, attention on major coins rose, trading activity improved, and volatility was clearly tilted bearish. The main driver behind this unusual move is the frequent occurrence of on-chain ETH large transfers with both high frequency and notable volume concentrated in a short period. Using a certain well-known hot wallet as a hub, more than 20,000 ETH were transferred out in a short time, and some of it has been traced on-chain and confirmed to have flowed to other exchanges’ receiving addresses. After funds briefly flowed into trading platforms, the number of sell orders in the spot market increased significantly, bringing about a phase of liquidity pressure and further intensifying the downward move in price. In addition, the futures market is linked to spot volatility; during the decline, highly leveraged long positions were liquidated passively, pushing short-term prices to release more downside pressure. At the same time, the pace of ETF capital inflows has slowed since mid-April. Within the latest range, continuous net inflows have been trending steadily, and coupled with some funds making small redemptions, this weakens the market’s institutional support. Global risk sentiment is also facing synchronized pressure—repeated swings in macro-level expectations for the Federal Reserve’s policy and heightened geopolitical tensions have driven inflows into safe-haven assets. The U.S. Dollar Index strengthened in the short term, global equity markets came under pressure, and this further reinforced ETH’s ongoing downside pressure. In addition, the 24-hour trading volumes for spot and futures were 21.75 billion USD and 42.76 billion USD, respectively; futures open interest was 30.93 billion USD. The liquidation size showed no abnormality, indicating a structural adjustment under multi-dimensional market convergence. Going forward, it is necessary to stay alert to risks such as continued large outflows on-chain and ETF capital movements shifting from inflows to outflows. If the macro environment deteriorates further, ETH may further intensify volatility. For short-term support, watch the 2250 USDT area; resistance is at 2275 USDT. The ETF trend, the direction of on-chain transfers, and macro news remain the key indicators to monitor for the next stage. Please closely follow subsequent market developments and the flow of large on-chain funds, and promptly capture relevant trading information.

GateNews9m ago

BTC falls 0.44% in 15 minutes: ETF fund outflows and derivatives shorts add to the slide

From 21:45 to 22:00 (UTC) on April 19, 2026, the BTC price dropped by 0.44% within 15 minutes. The candlestick range was 74,366.1 to 74,789.3 USDT, with an amplitude of 0.57%. Short-term volatility was concentrated. During this period, the trading volume for large orders rose significantly, market attention increased, and volatility intensified. The main driving force behind this deviation was that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a large net outflow of $291 million over two days from April 18 to April 19. This reflected institutional funds pulling away in the short term, which led to a marked increase in sell pressure in the spot market. At the same time, BTC perpetual contract

GateNews23m ago

BTC falls below 74000 USDT

Gate News bot message, Gate market data shows that BTC has fallen below 74000 USDT, with a current price of 73979.6 USDT.

CryptoRadar25m ago

Dogecoin Holds $0.094 as X Cashtags Drive Market Attention

Key Insights Dogecoin holds above $0.094 despite market weakness as Bitcoin and Ethereum stabilize, reflecting resilience and sustained demand across major cryptocurrencies during the consolidation phase. X launches smart cashtags enabling real-time crypto and stock tracking, improving marke

CryptoNewsLand2h ago

XRP Price Clears $1.40 While Broader Downtrend Persists

XRP's recent rise above $1.40 indicates a shift in market behavior after a consolidation phase. While momentum indicators show improvement, the broader bearish trend persists, limiting upside potential. Sustained support is crucial for extending its recovery.

CryptoNewsLand3h ago

BTC dips slightly by 0.53% in 15 minutes: whale transfers increase sell pressure and amplified liquidity widen the short-term drop

From 17:45 to 18:00 (UTC) on 2026-04-19, within 15 minutes BTC’s spot price fell -0.53%, with a price range of 74648.4 to 75212.8 USDT and a swing of 0.75%. During this period, market attention increased, volatility clearly accelerated, and the magnitude of the abnormal move exceeded typical levels for the same timeframe. The main driver behind this abnormal move was that large-whale accounts concentrated transfers of BTC to a certain major exchange; the All Exchanges Whale Ratio (EMA14) rose to a near-ten-month high, and sell pressure increased significantly in a short time, becoming a direct cause of the spot price decline.

GateNews4h ago
Comment
0/400
No comments