Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, returned to the X platform with a post stating he is back. Following this announcement, the Ethereum-based token AssangeDAO (JUSTICE) experienced a 743% price increase within 24 hours. The token was originally launched in February 2022 to raise funds for Assange's legal defense, gathering 16,593 ETH, which was valued at approximately $53 million at the time.
Trading activity for the JUSTICE token surged alongside the price. Daily turnover, which averaged under $800 over the previous month, reached approximately $231,000 during the spike. Despite this movement, liquidity remains low, with most trading concentrated in a single Uniswap pool. The fully diluted valuation of the token is currently near $2.5 million, which is about 95% below its February 2022 record high.
Assange clarified that his last personal post on the platform occurred in 2018, correcting reports that suggested a two-year absence. Since his release following a 2024 plea deal, he has resided in Sydney. The AssangeDAO project previously used its funds to purchase an NFT from artist Pak, with proceeds subsequently directed to the Wau Holland Foundation for legal expenses.
The history of WikiLeaks and cryptocurrency dates back to 2010, when financial institutions including Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal ceased processing payments for the site. In June 2011, WikiLeaks began accepting Bitcoin donations. Assange has previously stated that these contributions were essential for the organization's funding, noting returns of nearly 50,000% on early donations.
