The Stocks Meme Guy Who Made Investing Mainstream

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Man Looking at the Stock Charts on the Phone and Tablet
Credit: pexels.com, Man Looking at the Stock Charts on the Phone and Tablet

Meet the Stocks Meme Guy, a phenomenon that's taken the investing world by storm. He's a social media personality who's made investing mainstream, especially among younger generations.

He started his journey on Reddit's WallStreetBets forum, where he shared his investment strategies and insights with a community of like-minded individuals. His unorthodox approach to investing and entertaining commentary resonated with many.

The Stocks Meme Guy's rise to fame can be attributed to his ability to break down complex financial concepts into easily digestible content. He made investing relatable and fun, which helped to demystify the process for many people.

His influence can be seen in the growing number of people who are now interested in investing and taking control of their financial futures.

What Is a Stock Meme?

A stock meme is a type of stock that becomes popular on online forums like Reddit's r/wallstreetbets. These forums are known for their unconventional tone and users work together to identify and promote target stocks.

Credit: youtube.com, What Are Meme Stocks? Definition & Examples

Meme stocks didn't truly emerge until 2020 on these types of forums. Unlike other investing message boards, WallStreetBets became infamous for its irreverent tone and users' ability to drive up stock prices through collective buying and holding.

In these communities, users use specific lingo to communicate with each other. Some common terms include "Apes" (๐Ÿฆ) referring to members of the meme stock community, and "BTFD" (An acronym for "buy the f***ing dip") meaning to go long on a stock after its price has declined in the near term.

The meme stock community also uses terms like "Diamond hands" (๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿคฒ) to describe holding onto a stock despite losses, and "Paper hands" (๐Ÿงป๐Ÿคฒ) to refer to those who fail to maintain diamond hands and sell their shares too quickly.

Here's a quick rundown of some popular meme stock terms:

The meme stock community is all about buying and holding onto stocks, even when the price is low, with the hope that it will eventually increase. This is often referred to as "to the moon" (๐Ÿš€๐ŸŒ™) where the stock price rises extraordinarily high.

GameStop and the Meme Guy

Credit: youtube.com, GameStop Meme Stocks Are Back

GameStop shares surged wildly on Monday morning after Keith Gill, also known as Roaring Kitty, returned to social media.

The leader of the 2021 meme-stock mania sent a single tweet on Sunday night that shook the universe of meme stocks, signaling a second coming.

A Reddit guy named Roaring Kitty has the power to move markets, it's wild to think about how one person can have such an impact.

In August 2020, Roaring Kitty posted a video explaining why shares of GameStop Corp. could soar from $5 to $50 per share, citing high short interest among hedge funds.

The video went viral and helped spark a massive short squeeze in January 2021, with the price of GME shares exploding to nearly $500.

Roaring Kitty's real name is Keith Gill, and he was also active on Reddit as u/deepF...Value and on the subreddit r/wallstreetbets.

The main victims of the squeeze were a handful of hedge funds, some of which were forced to shut down due to heavy losses.

Credit: youtube.com, The Unhinged Meltdown of Reddit's Worst Meme Stock Influencer

GameStop shares drifted steadily lower after the initial meme stock craze, settling at just over $10 a share by the Spring of 2024.

However, in mid-May of that year, the stock experienced a sudden resurgence, fueled by the return of Keith Gill to social media.

Gill posted a cryptic image from his X account, which was viewed over 24 million times, followed by a series of movie-inspired video memes.

The renewed meme stock rally also extended to other companies, such as AMC Entertainment, which saw its stock price jump 120% in early trading on Tuesday.

The sudden resurgence of meme stocks in May 2024 served as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of markets and the power of social media to drive investor behavior.

The Robinhood app saw overwhelming trading volume in meme stocks at times, causing multiple trade delays, outages, and platform crashes.

The platform crashes and outages led to user outrage along with class action lawsuits, regulatory fines, and restitution of approximately $70 million.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who made the stonks guy?

Meme Man, the face of the "stonks" meme, was popularized by users of the subreddit r/wallstreetbets during the 2021 GameStop short squeeze. His origins can be traced back to the artist "Special meme fresh" in the mid-2010s.

Sheldon Kuphal

Writer

Sheldon Kuphal is a seasoned writer with a keen insight into the world of high net worth individuals and their financial endeavors. With a strong background in researching and analyzing complex financial topics, Sheldon has established himself as a trusted voice in the industry. His areas of expertise include Family Offices, Investment Management, and Private Wealth Management, where he has written extensively on the latest trends, strategies, and best practices.

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