# Diamond Hands > Diamond Hands is a 2021 slang term from Reddit's r/WallStreetBets for investors refusing to sell stocks or crypto despite losses, popularized during the GameStop squeeze with ๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿ‘ emoji. Diamond Hands is internet slang from the stock and cryptocurrency trading community describing an investor who refuses to sell their position regardless of market drops, bad news, or pressure to bail. The term blew up on Reddit's r/WallStreetBets in January 2021 during the GameStop short squeeze and quickly became one of the defining memes of retail investing culture, often paired with the ๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿ‘ emoji combo[1]. Its opposite, "paper hands," describes investors who fold at the first sign of trouble[2]. ## Origin The slang is broadly attributed to Reddit's r/WallStreetBets subreddit, a forum known for popularizing trading slang like "stonks," "to the moon," and "tendies"[1]. The earliest documented use of "diamond hands" on the subreddit came from user u/freshwater21, who posted it on January 29th, 2021, alongside an image of Keith Gill, the trader at the center of the GameStop short squeeze[2]. That post pulled in over 130,000 upvotes and 2,500 comments within three years[2]. The companion term "paper hands" surfaced days later. On February 2nd, 2021, Redditor u/The-Good-Morty posted a screenshot of someone complaining about financial losses from a meme coin investment, mocking them as paper hands[2]. The post earned roughly 52,000 upvotes and 3,000 comments[2]. Both terms existed in scattered financial slang before 2021. Seeking Alpha notes that "diamond hands" and its opposite "weak hands" had roots in traditional market terminology, where "weak hands" described investors likely to exit under pressure[1]. But the r/WallStreetBets community weaponized the metaphor, turning it into a meme identity. - **Platform:** Reddit (r/WallStreetBets) - **Creator:** u/freshwater21 (earliest known usage post), r/WallStreetBets community (coined the term) - **Date:** 2021 ## Overview Diamond Hands refers to the mindset of holding an investment through extreme volatility without selling. The metaphor draws on the physical properties of diamonds: they're formed under intense heat and pressure, so a "diamond hands" investor can withstand extreme market pressure without cracking[1]. The term works both as a compliment and an insult depending on context. Used positively, it praises conviction and research-backed confidence in a position. Used negatively, it mocks stubbornness, pointing out investors who ride a failing stock all the way to zero because they refused to cut losses[1]. The concept has a built-in rival: "paper hands," describing someone who sells at the first dip[2]. Together, the two terms form a binary that the trading meme community uses to sort investors into heroes and cowards. The emoji shorthand ๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿ‘ (diamond + open hands) became the standard way to signal diamond hands status in posts, while ๐Ÿงป (toilet paper) represents paper hands[2]. ## How It Spread The GameStop short squeeze of late January 2021 was the rocket fuel. As retail investors piled into GME stock to squeeze institutional short sellers, "diamond hands" became the rallying cry for holding the line. The slang jumped from Reddit to Twitter, YouTube, Discord servers, and crypto Telegram groups within days[2]. On February 4th, 2021, Redditor u/flixoto posted a SpongeBob SquarePants meme captioned "A message for the paper hands," picking up over 3,400 upvotes[2]. This kind of meme-format adoption helped diamond hands spread beyond pure financial discussion into general internet humor. The crypto community adopted the term heavily throughout 2021 and beyond, using it during Bitcoin dips, altcoin crashes, and meme coin pumps[1]. Urban Dictionary entries from the period capture the range of usage, from heroic ("I'm not selling because I have diamond hands") to self-deprecating ("I diamond-handed these options all the way down")[4]. By November 2023, retrospective content was still engaging audiences. A YouTube video titled "Diamond Hands Trader Escapes the Meme Stock Cult | Dank Trades" about the 2021 GME squeeze pulled over 77,000 views and 2,600 likes[2]. The term also crossed into the Trump $TRUMP meme coin ecosystem in 2025. After a dinner event for top coin holders, organizers promised a non-fungible token called "Trump Diamond Hand" to investors who kept their coins rather than selling, directly borrowing the WSB terminology[3]. ## How to Use Diamond hands works as both a noun and an adjective in trading contexts. Common uses: - **Self-identification:** "I've got diamond hands, not selling until $100" or simply posting ๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿ‘ in a trading thread - **Encouraging others:** Replying to someone panicking about a dip with "diamond hands, bro" or the emoji combo - **Mocking paper hands:** Posting memes that contrast diamond hands holders with paper hands sellers, usually showing the paper hands person regretting their sell - **As a meme template:** Inserting diamond hands into existing formats (SpongeBob, Drake, Galaxy Brain) to create trading-specific jokes The emoji shorthand ๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿ‘ is the quickest deployment. Drop it in any crypto or stock thread to signal you're holding. The toilet paper emoji ๐Ÿงป signals the opposite[2]. ## Cultural Impact Diamond hands moved well beyond Reddit shitposting. During the 2021 meme stock saga, mainstream financial media had to explain the term to general audiences. Seeking Alpha published a full explainer breaking down diamond hands vs. paper hands for traditional investors[1]. The concept influenced real trading behavior. Institutional traders recognized that "weak hands" (paper hands) investors could be exploited. Market participants sometimes push prices toward rumored stop-loss levels specifically to shake out paper hands and create price distortions they can profit from[1]. The $TRUMP meme coin dinner event in 2025 showed how deeply the term had penetrated crypto culture. Organizers used "Trump Diamond Hand" as the name for an NFT reward given to holders who didn't sell during a promotional period, betting that the WSB slang would resonate with their investor base[3]. Top holders at that event had collectively spent $394 million on the coin[3]. ## Fun Facts - The earliest known diamond hands post on r/WallStreetBets featured an image of Keith Gill (aka "Roaring Kitty" / "DeepFuckingValue"), who became the face of the GameStop saga[2]. - Seeking Alpha notes that diamonds are literally created under high temperature and high pressure, making the metaphor surprisingly apt for volatile market conditions[1]. - Some traders at the $TRUMP meme coin dinner managed to qualify for the event by shorting the coin rather than holding it, gaming the system while spending only trading fees[3]. - The paper hands post by u/The-Good-Morty drew more comments (3,000) than the original diamond hands post (2,500), suggesting the insult was even more engaging than the compliment[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Diamond Hands? Diamond Hands is trading slang for an investor who holds their position through market drops and volatility without selling. The term compares the holder's resolve to the hardness of a diamond[1]. ### Where did Diamond Hands come from? The term originated on Reddit's r/WallStreetBets subreddit, with the earliest documented use posted by u/freshwater21 on January 29th, 2021, during the GameStop short squeeze[2]. ### What does Diamond Hands mean? It means refusing to sell an investment no matter how bad things look. It can be a compliment (conviction based on deep research) or criticism (stubbornly holding a losing position to zero)[1]. ### How do you use Diamond Hands? Post ๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿ‘ in a trading thread to signal you're holding. Use it as an adjective ("I'm diamond-handing this position") or to encourage others not to panic sell during dips[2]. ### Is Diamond Hands still popular? The term peaked during the 2021 meme stock and crypto booms. As of 2023, retrospective content about diamond hands was still drawing significant engagement on YouTube[2]. It was referenced in the $TRUMP meme coin ecosystem as late as 2025[3]. ### What is the opposite of Diamond Hands? Paper Hands (๐Ÿงป), meaning an investor who sells too quickly out of fear. The term was coined on r/WallStreetBets around February 2021[2]. ### Who is Keith Gill and how is he connected to Diamond Hands? Keith Gill, known online as "Roaring Kitty" and "DeepFuckingValue," was the key figure behind the GameStop short squeeze. The earliest diamond hands post on r/WallStreetBets featured his image[2]. ### What are the emoji for Diamond Hands? The standard shorthand is ๐Ÿ’Ž๐Ÿ‘ (diamond emoji + open hands emoji). For paper hands, the toilet paper emoji ๐Ÿงป is used[2]. ### Can Diamond Hands be a bad thing? Yes. While it signals conviction, diamond hands investors may stubbornly hold a declining investment all the way to $0, refusing to reassess when the original thesis breaks down[1]. ### How did the $TRUMP coin use Diamond Hands terminology? In May 2025, the $TRUMP meme coin project offered holders a "Trump Diamond Hand" NFT as a reward for not selling during a promotional dinner event for top coin purchasers[3]. ## References 1. [Diamond Hands: Meaning And Origin | Seeking Alpha]() 2. [Diamond Hands - Know Your Meme]() 3. [$Trump]() 4. [Diamond Hands - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/diamond-hands Published by meme.com โ€” The Internet Meme Library