Soothsayer Predicted Hantavirus 4 Years Ago, Are 'Prophets' in the Market Hidden Among the People?
A purported "soothsayer" account on X, @soothsayer, posted a cryptic tweet in June 2022 predicting the end of COVID-19 in 2023 and the later emergence of the Hantavirus. This old post resurfaced and went viral following recent Hantavirus cases linked to a cruise ship, the "Hondius," which has resulted in 3 deaths and 8 infections. While the WHO has clarified there is no large-scale outbreak and the specific Andeans virus strain has limited human-to-human transmission, the incident has fueled public anxiety and online speculation.
The crypto market quickly absorbed this narrative. A Meme token named HANTA, created a year prior, saw its market cap rise to around $12 million. Prediction markets on Polymarket and Predict.fun also launched betting pools on whether the Hantavirus would be declared a pandemic by the end of 2026, with millions of dollars in wagers reflecting public sentiment. The event highlights how cryptocurrency markets rapidly convert public attention, fear, and speculation into tradable assets. The mysterious @soothsayer account, which posted only 5 times, has since gone inactive, adding an aura of urban legend to the episode and underscoring the internet's power to blend coincidence, emotion, and narrative.
Odaily星球日报05/08 12:45
