Gorilla: A New Meme Force in Solana from Meme Culture to Ecosystem Implementation
Gorilla (GORILLA) is a community-driven meme coin project within the Solana ecosystem, launched in March 2024. Featuring a gorilla character as its core IP, it combines NFTs, gaming, and DeFi scenarios to build a decentralized ecosystem. As of June 2025, its token market cap has surpassed $230 million with over 280,000 holding addresses, making it the third-largest meme coin on Solana after BONK and WIF.
Unlike early meme coins that served purely as cultural symbols, Gorilla adopted a dual-engine strategy of “culture + utility” from the beginning: on one hand, it promoted virally through memes and community events; on the other, it introduced NFT staking, on-chain game points, and cross-chain payment tools, gradually converting traffic into ecosystem value. In May 2025, Gorilla was listed on Binance Alpha with the GORILLA/USDT pair, hitting $120 million in single-day trading volume and a 74% weekly price increase.
Tokenomics and Community Governance Model
GORILLA has a total supply of 100 billion tokens, with an initial circulating supply of 12 billion (12%). The allocation structure includes 30% for community airdrops, 25% for the ecosystem fund, 20% for the liquidity pool, 15% for the team, and 10% reserved for marketing. Core mechanisms focus on long-term holding incentives and decentralized governance:
NFT Staking Boost
Users holding Gorilla NFTs (e.g., “Golden Gorilla” or “Space Gorilla”) can earn 50%-200% higher annual yields by staking GORILLA tokens. The staking pool’s total value locked (TVL) has exceeded $40 million.
Burn-and-Deflation Mechanism
A 2% fee is charged on each on-chain transaction, with 1% burned and 1% distributed to stakers, continuously reducing token circulation. According to Dune Analytics, 2.3 billion tokens were burned in Q1 2025, accounting for 19% of the circulating supply.
DAO Governance
Users holding more than 1 million GORILLA tokens can submit proposals and vote on decisions regarding ecosystem funds (e.g., game development, IP collaborations).
Users can buy GORILLA through JuCoin’s multi-chain trading portal and stake on Solana to earn rewards.
Ecosystem Expansion: Building a Closed Loop from NFTs to Blockchain Games
Gorilla’s ecosystem revolves around three core scenarios:
NFT Digital Collectibles
In October 2024, it launched its first series “Gorilla Gang”—10,000 pixel-style NFTs sold out on Magic Eden within 5 minutes, with a peak floor price of 35 SOL. Holders unlock exclusive game items and offline event perks.
Play-to-Earn Game
Launched in January 2025, the game Gorilla Arena allows players to earn tokens through PVP battles and spend GORILLA on equipment. Its peak DAU (daily active users) exceeded 80,000, contributing 35% of the ecosystem’s token volume.
Payments and Cross-Chain Bridge
Partnering with Solana’s Saga phone, Gorilla Pay allows users to pay phone bills and online purchases using GORILLA. The “Jungle Bridge,” launched in April 2025, supports asset swaps with Ethereum and Avalanche.
Latest Developments: Binance Alpha Launch and Compliance Attempts
In May 2025, Gorilla achieved two key milestones:
- Binance Alpha Launch: As one of the first projects in Binance’s Innovation Zone, GORILLA trading saw a liquidity surge, with $80 million in market maker orders and a 24-hour turnover rate of 137%.
- US Compliance Strategy: Registered with FinCEN via a third-party institution and plans to launch a KYC staking pool allowing U.S. users to participate legally. The team is also in talks with a Hollywood animation studio to develop IP-based film content, aiming to expand the “Apeverse” brand into mainstream media.
Risks and Future Challenges
Despite its rapid growth, Gorilla faces several challenges:
- Meme Dependence: Price is highly correlated with community hype; waning interest could trigger strong sell pressure.
- Game Sustainability: Gorilla Arena has only a 22% user retention rate; continuous gameplay updates are needed to retain players.
- Regulatory Uncertainty: The U.S. SEC is beginning to review meme coins under securities law, which could affect global operations.
Looking forward, the team plans to launch AI-generated NFT tools allowing users to customize gorilla avatars and mint them on-chain. They also aim to expand Gorilla Pay’s offline use in Southeast Asia. Users can track Gorilla updates and manage assets via JuCoin’s Solana ecosystem section.
Neason Oliver
