Livestream Chaos 2.0? Pump.Fun Under Fire Over New Bounty Feature

Pump.fun has launched a new feature that allows users to pay “anyone” to do “anything”, which has triggered a wave of concern across the crypto community, with critics warning it could revive the same dangerous behavior that fueled the platform’s 2024 livestream scandal. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price In ’Vulnerable Position’ As 2022 Playbook Repeats – Is $54,000 Next? Pump.Fun Launches Bounty Feature For ‘ANY’ Task On Thursday, Solana’s memecoin launchpad, Pump.fun, introduced a new feature that allows users to create and complete bounties “for ANY task and leverage the power of humans & money across the globe.” Under the premise of “Pay ANYONE to do ANYTHING,” Pump.fun GO is set to combine humans and money, which they deemed “the most powerful tools on Earth” in the X announcement. “We’re combining both of them with GO: an all encompassing bounty platform where ANYONE can create or complete bounties for ANY task for UNLIMITED rewards,” the platform stated. According to the post, users must complete a bounty’s deliverables and submit proof within the allotted time. Pump.fun will review all submissions and hold funds in escrow until a winner is selected or the bounty expires. Just hours after the announcement, the platform saw hundreds of bounties and submissions. For instance, one user offered a bounty of approximately $50,000 for someone to skydive into a World Cup match dressed as a MEMECOIN mascot. Nonetheless, it is no longer available, with the site stating that it may have “been closed, removed by a moderator, or never published.” Another listing offered 325 SOL, roughly $23,186, for “the first person to conduct and film a real, on camera interview with either a family member of the individual responsible for Henry Nowak’s death, or the main police officer involved in the incident.” The bounty, which already has five submissions, noted that “The more viral the interview the better!” Other four-figure bounties also include hosting a “best butt contest IRL,” quitting your job on camera, getting a memecoin’s name tattooed on the forehead or other body parts, and setting a car on fire dressed as a memecoin’s mascot. IRL Black Mirror Episode? While some users expressed excitement about the latest feature, many criticized Pump.fun, raising concerns that it could be abused the same way the Livestream feature was when it first launched. In 2024, several users livestreamed harmful and violent content using the platform, creating memecoins with controversial prompts to become viral and pump their tokens. At the time, creators threatened to harm themselves, people nearby, or animals if their memecoins didn’t reach a specific market capitalization. One user threatened to shoot a goldfish, while another user livestreamed himself shooting out his window whenever his memecoin went up. Following heavy backlash, Pump.fun shut down the feature and eventually relaunched in 2025 with new moderation. Now, X users have called the bounty feature a “Black Mirror episode dropping in real time,” while others have compared it to the 2016 movie Nerve. “Pump fun GO sounds fun until people realize money can incentivize the worst parts of human behavior,” one community member stated, noting that bounty platforms should not become a “marketplace for harassment, violence, stalking, humiliation, or dangerous acts.” Related Reading: Zcash Fixes Critical Orchard Vulnerability As ZEC Holds $600 Support “Nobody wants to wake up and see people livestreaming harm just because a reward pool exists. Innovation without guardrails becomes a liability. Regulation and active monitoring are not optional here,” he concluded. At the time of writing, there are 230 bounties live on Pump.fun GO, with 828 submissions and an unclaimed pool of $111,000. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com