Hayden Davis nets $12M from Kanye West's YZY token snipe

Hayden Davis, co-founder of the now-defunct LIBRA token project, has been linked to a $12 million profit from the launch of Kanye West’s YZY memecoin, according to analysis by blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps. The YZY token launched on August 21, 2025, and quickly drew scrutiny for its unusual tokenomics and the rapid gains made by certain wallets. Bubblemaps traced these transactions to wallets associated with Davis, noting that he began purchasing YZY tokens just one minute after the official launch, a move that netted him an estimated $12 million in profits [1].

Davis’s involvement in YZY has reignited concerns about his history in the crypto space, particularly with the LIBRA project, which was previously linked to allegations of mismanagement and over 20 reported hacks in August 2023. In late July 2025, a U.S. court unfroze 57.6 million USDC in funds held by Davis and fellow promoter Ben Chow, which some observers believe may have provided the capital for his YZY trade [2].

Bubblemaps’ analysis suggests that Davis’s wallets used a multi-exchange strategy to obscure the source of the funds, executing a coordinated "snipe" of the token’s initial distribution [3]. Although Bubblemaps cannot confirm that Davis was an insider, the timing and pattern of the transactions strongly suggest access to non-public information. Some in the community even speculate that Davis may have been involved in the token’s creation, though this has not been substantiated [4].

The YZY token, inspired by Kanye West’s Yeezy brand, began as a grassroots project but has since become a focal point for allegations of manipulation. The controversy surrounding Davis highlights a broader issue in the memecoin space: the potential for individuals with privileged access to exploit market dynamics and regulatory gaps for personal gain. The case adds to growing concerns about fairness and transparency in the fast-moving and often unregulated crypto market [5].

Source:

[1] Hayden Davis Earns $12M from Kanye West's YZY Coin (https://coinpaper.com/10723/libra-co-founder-hayden-davis-linked-to-12-m-in-kanye-west-s-yzy-token?utm_source=snapi)

[2] Hayden Davis Accused in YZY Token Sniping (https://blockonomi.com/57m-unfrozen-then-12m-gained-hayden-davis-accused-in-yzy-token-sniping/)

[3] Hayden Davis allegedly sniped Kanye West's YZY token to ... (https://cryptoslate.com/hayden-davis-allegedly-sniped-kanye-wests-yzy-token-to-make-12-million-in-profits/)

[4] Bubblemaps: Hayden Davis Netted $12M Sniping Kanye West's YZY Memecoin (https://cryptonews.com.au/news/bubblemaps-hayden-davis-netted-12m-sniping-kanye-wests-yzy-memecoin-130542/)

[5] Hayden Davis, the king of rug pulls, from $LIBRA to $YZY (https://decripto.org/en/hayden-davis-the-king-of-rug-pulls-from-libra-to-yzy-12-million-earned-in-24-hours-on-kanye-wests-meme-coin/)