Key Takeaways:
- Pump.fun's GO marketplace has paid out over $370,000 since June 4
- Tasks include forehead tattoos, job quitting and risky stunts for crypto rewards
- Critics warn the feature pressures vulnerable users into unsafe public behavior
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Pump.fun GO bounty feature draws backlash over $370,000 in risky crypto tasks
Pump.fun's GO bounty marketplace has paid out more than $370,000 since June 4, drawing backlash over user-created tasks that critics say encourage public humiliation and risky stunts for crypto rewards.
"This is a dystopian nightmare," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on X, adding she would support the first bill introduced to ban the platform.
The Solana-based memecoin launchpad introduced GO in early June as a marketplace where users lock crypto rewards in escrow and pay participants who submit approved proof of completion. About 270 open bounties still offer more than $200,000 in rewards, according to the New York Post. Reported tasks include a man in the Philippines receiving $15,000 after tattooing "bounty.fun" on his forehead, putting a face in a toilet and quitting a job on camera.
The controversy revives moderation concerns that previously forced Pump.fun to pause its livestreaming feature after users performed extreme acts to promote tokens. The platform now faces a choice between tighter oversight that could weaken GO's viral appeal and continued backlash that risks regulatory scrutiny of bounty-based crypto incentive models.
The GO feature lets users connect an X account and crypto wallet, then post or complete tasks for payouts starting at $5. Pump.fun promoted the feature with the phrase "Pay ANYONE to do ANYTHING." Rewards sit in escrow until Pump.fun reviews a submission, with the platform holding final authority over approval, rejection or cancellation, Bankless reported.
Some tasks have been harmless or charitable, including feeding stray cats and donating clothes. Others have drawn criticism for encouraging degrading, unsafe or legally questionable behavior. X head of product Nikita Bier also criticized the feature, saying it showed people using money to push others into shameful acts.
The backlash follows earlier concerns around Pump.fun's livestreaming tools, which the platform shut down after users escalated extreme behavior to attract attention. The feature later returned with stricter moderation. GO is now being criticized as a new version of the same problem: financial rewards attached to viral spectacle.
Pump.fun warns users that participation is at their own risk, according to the New York Post. The company did not immediately comment to the outlet.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
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