Short Squeezes and Meme Tokens: Is the Wild Ride of 2021 Making a Comeback or Falling Apart?

Once again, retail traders and hype fueled by social media are causing turbulence in the markets,

(BYND) soaring by 146% in a single session due to a short squeeze reminiscent of GME, as reported by . Currently, more than 63% of BYND’s available shares are being shorted, drawing parallels to the (GME) mania of 2021, according to the same PA NewsLab report. The surge in BYND’s price is largely attributed to FOMO and coordinated buying by individual investors, but the plant-based meat company’s financials remain weak, having posted losses for five consecutive years. A new collaboration with Walmart and the use of leveraged derivatives on platforms such as Vest have intensified price swings, though experts emphasize that the scale is still much smaller than the episode.

Meanwhile, in the world of cryptocurrencies,

coins and speculative tokens are experiencing similar trends. (GME), a decentralized token inspired by the stock, has experienced dramatic price swings, climbing from $0.000003067 to $0.010 within days before pulling back, according to an . Axolotl Token (AXOME), a meme project on Ethereum/Base, skyrocketed to 37 times its original price but has since moved sideways in a volatile fashion, the Outlook India article continues. Beers (BEER), linked to a UEFA Euro 2024-themed initiative, followed BYND’s pattern, peaking at $0.01891 before declining, while Snorter (SNORT), a Solana-based token for a trading bot, has raised $5.45 million, with early investors anticipating its October 24 launch.

The Base Protocol ecosystem is also seeing heightened activity. PING, a token from the x402 protocol, posted a 970% gain in just 24 hours, pushing its market cap above $36 million, according to a

. CLANKER, which integrates with Farcaster to encourage on-chain community participation, jumped 119% after burning 3.1 million old tokens and locking up 7% of its supply, as reported by . VIRTUAL, another Base ecosystem token, increased by 10.2% to reach $0.846, the Lookonchain report adds. Analysts attribute CLANKER’s rally to improved tokenomics and new partnerships, reflecting a trend toward greater professionalism in crypto launchpads, as noted by CoinGabbar.

There are clear links across markets. BYND’s rally has influenced crypto, with traders comparing it to meme coins such as

(DOGE) and (SHIB), according to a Blockchain.News analysis. (BTC) is trading near $107,500, struggling to surpass the $110,000 resistance, while altcoins like AXOME and BEER are benefiting from retail enthusiasm. Still, risks remain: BYND’s short squeeze is smaller than GME’s, and many meme tokens lack real-world use, the Lookonchain report warns.

With the speculative frenzy ongoing, prudence is advised. “This isn’t 2021,” cautioned a Reddit user, pointing out that WallStreetBets and similar forums are limiting

discussions, as detailed by the PA NewsLab report. Market participants are encouraged to keep an eye on short interest, options activity, and on-chain liquidity, according to Blockchain.News, while crypto traders should be prepared for sharp price swings. As one analyst summarized: “The internet loves a compelling narrative, but speculation doesn’t always pay off in the markets.”