Memecoins using the name and photo of Jesús de Miguel appeared after the death of the Spanish footballer on November 3, 2026. The CD Tenerife striker was 30 years old. On X, screenshots show traders posting gains of $84.99 and $90.29 from tokens linked to his death. These publications provoke a wave of criticism in the crypto community, particularly against the excesses of the Pump.fun platform.
In brief
- Memecoins using the name Jesús de Miguel are circulating after his death at age 30.
- Screenshots show posted profits of $84.99 and $90.29.
- Traders denounce this speculation and relaunch the debate on the moderation of Pump.fun.
Memecoins appear a few hours after the death of the footballer
The controversy broke out on November 3, while Spanish football mourned Jesús de Miguel. Users of X report several tokens using his identity, in a crypto sector where Pump.fun has largely facilitated the creation of memecoins.
The CD Tenerife player died on Tuesday morning at 8 a.m.after being hospitalized following a collision with the FC Andorra goalkeeper during the match played the day before. The club confirmed his death in an official statement. His family has asked that his privacy be respected.
Meanwhile, crypto accounts are posting screenshots of tokens called “MIGUEL” and “Miguel”. Some use photos of the player wearing the Tenerife jersey. Others accompany the images with messages evoking his disappearance.
A first capture, relayed by the Loshmi account, shows a position valued at $175.64 on the MIGUEL token, with a posted profit of $84.99. A second publication presents a crypto accompanied by the mention “RIP Jesús”. The position is worth $169.25 and the posted gain reaches $90.29.
These numbers come from screenshots. They do not constitute an independent verification of crypto transactions or the profits actually received. No reliable data on the total capitalization or traded volumes of these tokens was established in this investigation.
Crypto traders denounce speculation on death
The reactions quickly appear on X. The Loshmi account openly criticizes people who buy and resell memecoins created around deceased people. Other accounts, including Visionary of the Family and Meme Detective, also denounce this practice. Their criticism is aimed at crypto users who turn a disappearance into an opportunity to make quick profits.
This type of speculation is not new. In September 2025, after the assassination of American activist Charlie Kirk, several memecoins had already exploited his name. One of them had increased by more than 53,000% and briefly exceeded $5 million in capitalization.
Another token, JusticeforCharlie, had crossed $7 million. The mechanics are simple. Creators use highly commented news to draw attention to a crypto. The first buyers then hope to resell their positions to those who arrive later.
This activity does not necessarily require a technological project, product or particular utility. Specialized crypto platforms make it possible to quickly launch new tokens. Competition to attract buyers sometimes favors the use of sensitive subjects.
The Jesús de Miguel affair therefore poses a problem that goes beyond the amounts displayed on two screenshots: the commercial use of the identity of a deceased person, without authorization from their family having been established.
Pump.fun faces the limits of its moderation
Pump.fun is already familiar with criticism regarding content associated with memecoins. In November 2024, the platform suspended its live streaming functionality after several incidents involving content deemed dangerous or inappropriate.
Five months later, it gradually relaunched streaming with reinforced moderation rules. In its community press release, Pump.fun explained that it had removed certain token names, images, descriptions and problematic comments. The company also claimed to have doubled its human workforce responsible for moderation and invested in automated systems.
These measures do not mean that all offensive content can be detected immediately. Concerning the tokens linked to Jesús de Miguel, no public announcement of withdrawal or specific sanction by Pump.fun has been established in the sources consulted.
It also remains impossible to identify the creators of the tokens from screenshots alone. The platform must therefore deal with an already old question in crypto: to what extent should users freely create and trade assets associated with real events?
Memecoins can arise from a joke, a cultural phenomenon or political news. Their creation becomes much more controversial when it is based on a recent tragedy.
The death of Jesús de Miguel reminds us of the limits of a market where almost any event can give birth to a token. Tremplin.io had already mentioned the contested speculative practices surrounding memecoins. This time, the gains shown remain modest. However, their amount does not change the controversy, while the player’s family has just asked for respect for his privacy.
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