Pump.fun’s new “GO” bounty marketplace — which pays crypto for completing user-posted tasks — is drawing heated criticism after reports surfaced of dangerous, degrading and bizarre challenges being offered and fulfilled for cash.
What happened
- Pump.fun, a Solana-focused meme-coin launchpad, rolled out GO in early June as a marketplace where anyone can post paid tasks and lock rewards in escrow. The platform promoted the feature under the slogan “Pay ANYONE to do ANYTHING.”
- The New York Post reported GO has paid out more than $370,000 since June 4, and said roughly 270 open bounties still offered more than $200,000 in rewards. Tasks range from charitable acts such as feeding stray animals to stunts critics call unsafe or demeaning.
- Earlier coverage from crypto.news noted that right after launch GO had about 320 active tasks and roughly $144,000 in unclaimed rewards. Users connect an X account and a crypto wallet to post or complete tasks, with payouts starting as low as $5.
Examples fueling the backlash
- The Post highlighted several extreme listings and outcomes: a reportedly $15,000 payout to a man in the Philippines who tattooed “bounty.fun” on his forehead, challenges to put one’s face in a toilet, filmed public resignations, and a high-profile top bounty reportedly offering $57,200 to climb Mount Everest and place a bet.
- Some tasks were innocuous — donating clothes or feeding animals — but other bounties raised concerns about humiliation, safety and legal exposure. Wired reported that several listings encouraged embarrassing or risky behavior, and that some submissions appeared to use AI-generated images as proof of completion. Wired also noted that payouts can be split among multiple entries.
Platform mechanics and moderation
- Bankless reported that GO holds rewards in escrow until Pump.fun reviews submissions; the company retains final authority to approve, reject or cancel claims. But critics say the platform’s rules still leave many judgment calls to Pump.fun’s review process.
- GO also provoked an immediate internal backlash after an extreme listing surfaced within hours of launch, according to The Defiant.
Public and political response
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul called GO a “dystopian nightmare” on X and said she would back the first bill introduced to ban the platform. Nikita Bier, head of product at X, also criticized the feature, writing that it showcases people using money to pressure others into shameful acts.
- Critics warn the issue goes beyond strange internet entertainment: crypto payouts could disproportionately pressure financially vulnerable people into accepting tasks they would otherwise avoid. Pump.fun’s public-facing materials warn users participation is at their own risk. The company did not immediately comment to the New York Post.
Context and what’s next
- GO’s rollout follows earlier controversy around Pump.fun’s livestreaming tools; the platform briefly shut down livestreaming after users escalated stunts to attract attention, then restored it with tighter moderation.
- Pump.fun remains one of the most-watched meme-coin platforms on Solana, but GO has placed the company at the center of broader debates over crypto incentives, online attention markets, user safety and platform responsibility. How Pump.fun tightens moderation — and whether policymakers or consumer advocates step in — will likely determine the feature’s future visibility and viability.
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