What Makes Coins Pump or Dump and How It Really Happens

📅 Published: 28-01-2026 ✍️ By: Emilia Novak
What Makes Coins Pump or Dump and How It Really Happens

How News, Hype, and Whales Can Make a Coin Pump or Dump Very Fast

The crypto market can feel wild. One day a coin goes up fast. The next day it falls just as fast. Many people ask the same question: What makes coins pump or dump?
This pump or dump topic may sound hard, but it is not. Once you see the simple steps behind these moves, the whole picture becomes clear.

In this blog, we will walk through the main reasons why coins pump or dump. We will keep the words easy and the ideas simple. This helps you understand the crypto world in a calm and clear way.

What Is a Pump or Dump?

A pump means the price of a coin goes up fast. A dump means the price drops fast. These moves can come from many things. Some are normal. Some are risky. Some are planned. Some happen by chance.

You do not need to be an expert to understand pump or dump. You just need to know the forces that push a price up or down. 

1. Big News or Big Events

The first big reason for a pump or dump is news. News can change how people feel about a coin. And in crypto, feelings can move the whole market.

Good news can cause a pump

  • A new update

  • A big partnership

  • The coin gets listed on a large exchange

  • A strong report from the project team

When people see good news, they feel hopeful. They buy more. More buying means more demand. When demand rises fast, the price pumps.

Bad news can cause a dump

  • A hack

  • A lawsuit

  • Team members leaving

  • Delays or broken promises

Bad news scares people. They sell. When many sell at the same time, the price falls fast. This is a dump.

2. Market Mood (Sentiment)

Crypto is driven by mood. If people feel happy or hopeful, they buy more. If they feel scared, they avoid buying or they sell.

This mood is also shaped by:

  • social media posts

  • trending topics

  • fear of missing out (FOMO)

  • fear of losing money (FUD: fear, uncertainty, doubt)

When the mood changes fast, the price also changes fast and cause pump or dump

 A strong happy mood can start a rise.
 A strong fearful mood can start a fall.

3. Whales (Big Buyers and Big Sellers)

In crypto, some wallets hold a lot of coins. These big players are called whales.

When whales buy a lot of a coin at the same time, the price can pump. When they sell large amounts, the price can dump.

Whales do not always buy or sell for simple reasons.
 They may:

  • take profit

  • move funds to other projects

  • shift money during market stress

  • respond to global news

A single whale move can sometimes shift the whole chart.

5. Low Liquidity

Liquidity means how easy it is to buy or sell a coin without changing its price too much.

When a coin has low liquidity, even a small trade can move the price a lot.

Low liquidity = wild price moves

In such coins:

  • small buying → big rise

  • small selling → big fall

This is why new or small tokens often move like a roller coaster. The water (liquidity) in the pool is low, so even one jump creates a huge splash.

5. Hype and Social Media Buzz

Many pumps start because of hype.
 Hype can come from:

  • YouTube videos

  • X (Twitter) posts

  • Telegram groups

  • Trending hashtags

  • Influencer shoutouts

When many people talk about a coin pump or dump at once, more people check it. If they start buying, the price pumps. But hype is a double edge. When the buzz fades, the coin may fall again.

6. Large Exchange Listings

Getting listed on a big exchange is a huge moment for any project.

A listing can cause:

  • more traders

  • more volume

  • more trust

  • more attention

This is why many coins rise right before or right after listings. But sometimes, after the hype slows down, the coin dumps again. This pattern is common.

8. Market Makers and Trading Bots

Some coins use market makers or bots to keep the market active.
 These tools help with

  • buying

  • selling

  • keeping spreads tight

  • creating stable moves

But these tools can also cause fast swings when they hit large orders.
Bots act fast. Sometimes too fast.

This leads to quick pump or dump that look sudden on charts.

9. Low Trust or High Trust in the Project

A coin with strong trust:

  • clear team

  • active updates

  • real users

  • real partners

has a more stable price. Strong trust makes pumps and dumps slower. A coin with low trust or unknown team members may see wild moves. People lose trust fast. That leads to falls. People gain trust fast too. That leads to pumps.

10. Global Market Conditions

Crypto pump or jump does not move alone. The world around it also matters.

The whole crypto market can rise when:

  • stock markets rise

  • interest rates drop

  • countries allow crypto

  • investor mood is positive

The whole crypto market can fall when:

These outside forces push all coins at once.

11. Supply and Demand

This is the root of everything.

Price pumps when:

  • more people want to buy than sell

  • demand is higher than supply

Price dumps when:

  • more people want to sell than buy

  • supply is higher than demand

Every pump or dump can be traced back to these two simple words: supply and demand.

12. Rumors and Guesswork

Sometimes coins move because of rumors.
People may think something big is coming. Even if it does not come true, the rumor itself can start a rise.

Later, when the rumor stops or proves false, the coin may fall.

Rumors move fast because they spread like fire in crypto groups.

13. New Project Launches and Token Unlocks

Some projects unlock new tokens after a set time. When these tokens enter the market, more supply appears. This may cause a dump because more tokens are now available to sell. A new project launch can also pull money away from older coins. This can cause dumps in older coins and pumps in new ones.

Best Ways to Avoid Pump or Dump

  • Don’t chase sudden pumps- If a coin shoots up fast, it can fall even faster. Wait and watch.

  • Verify whether there is actual news -If there isn't a listing that led to the move, it might be fake hype. 

  • Avoid low-liquidity coins -Coins with low liquidity are easy targets for pump or dump groups.

  • Stay away from signal groups- Any group telling you to “buy now” is likely trying to use you.

  • Consider wallet distribution: if a few wallets control the majority of the supply, the price can crash at any time. 

  • Keep your emotions calm-  Pump or dump traps work because people act fast. Slow decisions help you stay safe. 

Final Thoughts

A pump or dump does not come from one single thing. It stems from a combination of news, mood, trust, whales, hype, demand, and global events. These forces function like gears in a machine. When they turn in the same direction, the price moves quickly. Understanding these forces allows you to read the market calmly.  It shows that crypto moves are not magic. They follow simple laws. 

This guide is for learning only. Crypto prices can change fast, and it helps to stay aware, read real updates, and think with care.

Daria Kozlov
Emilia Novak

Crypto Journalist at icoannouncement.io

Emilia Novak delivers top-notch coverage of blockchain breakthroughs, decentralized technologies, and major token updates, making crypto simple and clear

Frequently Asked Questions

Crowdwisdom360 Need Help? We've Got Answers!

Check out our most asked questions and get instant answers. Whether you're new or experienced, this section is here to guide you.

Leave a comment