**Dimitri “Capybara Stocks” Semenikhin: The New Face of the Beyond Meat Meme Stock Movement**
Dimitri Semenikhin, known online as “Capybara Stocks,” has emerged as a leading figure in the Beyond Meat (BYND) meme stock movement, drawing comparisons to Keith “Roaring Kitty” Gill during the 2021 GameStop craze. At 28 years old, Semenikhin is a Russian-born entrepreneur living in Dubai, where he works for his family’s real estate development company.
### From Reddit Trading Exercise to Meme Stock Leader
Semenikhin began posting on Reddit under the pseudonym Capybara Stocks as a personal exercise to better understand his trading methods. His goal was also to invite constructive criticism from other traders who might challenge his ideas. However, his bold $3 million investment in Beyond Meat quickly attracted attention, turning him into a viral figure and thought leader among retail investors.
Last week, after Semenikhin shared his substantial bet on Beyond Meat, the stock soared. Suddenly, a wider audience on the internet took notice, much like what happened during the GameStop frenzy. Despite the similarities, Semenikhin rejects direct comparisons to “Roaring Kitty,” calling it “ridiculous” since Gill is viewed as the godfather of the meme stock movement.
### Facing the Pressure of Sudden Fame
The sudden influx of attention proved overwhelming for Semenikhin. “I was attempting to reply to everyone. In the beginning, there were tens of messages, and it was possible to do that alongside my main job,” he told Decrypt. But when messages escalated to “100 messages an hour,” keeping up became impossible.
“It’s impossible to reply to everyone and do anything else,” he admitted. “You feel a sense of responsibility for those people because, for some reason, they decided to make investments based on what I say. It seems very weird to me.”
### A Closer Look at Dimitri Semenikhin
In real life, Capybara Stocks is Dimitri Semenikhin — the son of prominent Russian art collectors. Though born in Russia, he grew up in Monaco, where his father served as the Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan. Before joining the family real estate business in Dubai, Semenikhin worked as a science fiction writer and founded several startups, which he eventually sold.
Ironically, despite his bullishness on Beyond Meat, Semenikhin is not vegan. He first tried Beyond Meat products during the COVID-19 pandemic out of curiosity, describing it as “an interesting thing to try” with a taste he found “quite good.” However, as a meat-eater, he still prefers traditional meat.
### Investing Journey and Notable Trades
Semenikhin has been investing in individual stocks for over five years. Interestingly, he revealed that Beyond Meat isn’t even his best-performing trade. He claims his most profitable investment was in Ethereum treasury company SharpLink Gaming, where he bought shares at $8 and sold them near $35—netting a 335% return.
“All of those positions, I did exactly the same thing as I did with BYND: I took the position and made publications on Reddit outlining my thesis,” Semenikhin explained. “It’s surprising that, in this case, instead of being told I was wrong, this happened.”
### Beyond Meat Investment: $3 Million to $10 Million
Semenikhin told Decrypt that his initial $3 million investment in Beyond Meat has grown to $10 million. This represents a 233% return, even though BYND’s price surged by over 1,000%. He attributed the difference to the fact that he has been gradually selling his shares throughout the rally.
Reflecting on the gains he missed out on, Semenikhin admitted feeling “pretty bad about himself.” To date, he has realized $9 million in profits and left $1 million invested.
Part of his decision to hold onto some shares stems from his sense of responsibility to the online community that followed his bets. “The plan is really to keep the $1 million invested for the long term, because I think I would feel guilty selling my Beyond Meat stock,” he said.
“Maybe it’ll die down and everyone will get out, and then I’ll kind of feel liberated from this—because I feel a bit taken hostage by the newfound responsibility to answer to all those people about their Beyond Meat investments.”
When asked for proof of his holdings and returns, Semenikhin declined to provide verification.
### Looking Ahead: New Ventures and Investments
Eager to move beyond the Beyond Meat spotlight, Semenikhin recently announced a new investment in Ethereum treasury firm ETHZilla. To share his thesis, he uploaded a detailed 20-minute video on YouTube explaining the opportunity.
Following the video’s publication, ETHZilla’s stock experienced a notable jump on Friday, signaling positive investor response.
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Dimitri “Capybara Stocks” Semenikhin’s story highlights the growing influence of individual retail investors who blend social media engagement with significant market moves. As the Beyond Meat saga continues to unfold, all eyes remain on this emerging meme stock leader and his next moves.
https://decrypt.co/345895/meet-roaring-kitty-beyond-meat-would-feel-guilty-selling