The Vibe: Selling a huge amount of crypto all at once, crashing the price hard and fast.
The Details: A dump happens when someone (often a whale or insider) sells thousands or millions worth of a coin quickly, flooding the market with supply. The price drops sharply as buy orders get eaten up, which can trigger panic selling from others and make it fall even more. Dumps often come after heavy hype (pump and dump) or when big holders cash out profits. Small coins with low liquidity get hit hardest—one big sell can tank them 50%+ in minutes.
Pro Tip: Don’t panic and paper-hand your coins during a dump—strong projects usually recover over time. Watch volume spikes on charts or whale alerts to spot potential dumps early. Good risk management (like taking some profits on the way up) protects you from getting caught in one.