Got Digital Assets? The Weird, the Wild and the Whatever Coins

Everyone seems to have their own digital asset these days — from Elon Musk’s favorite meme token, Dogecoin, to the newly “minted” Trump Coin. If there’s an inside joke or an influencer obsession in play, odds are someone’s slapping a blockchain on it en route to an exchange near you.

It represents a remarkable turnaround for the “asset” class. Not long ago, crypto went from HODL to holding on for dear life. Sam Bankman-Fried was running Super Bowl ads, FTX was seen as a pillar of the financial future and even serious institutions were dipping their toes into digital assets. Then, just as fast as it rose, FTX collapsed in a blaze of fraud and financial ruin.

But the next big thing is always waiting in the wings, whether it’s a meme coin, a celebrity-backed token, or a financial product so ridiculous it just has to work.

It’s Not All a Lark

While some cryptocurrency coins started as jokes — looking at you, Doge — their market impact is anything but funny. That means someone, somewhere, is making investment decisions based on a tweet about Banano or a Reddit thread hyping Garlicoin.

PYMNTS Intelligence recently revealed another interesting avenue in digital asset development. The “loyalty market” in things like credit card points and perks is projected to exceed $24 billion in revenue over the next five years. Brands are racing to tap into blockchain’s potential to create more flexible, appealing and profitable reward structures. Tokenization, converting assets into digital tokens, elevates customer engagement by creating secondary markets where customers can trade, sell or rent their rewards, incentivizing participation and opening new revenue streams. For example, country singer Eric Church has given loyal fans no fewer than 100,000 blockchain-supported digital collectibles.

Digital assets, no matter how bizarre or banal, are finding ways to thrive. In this way, they illustrate a fundamental truth about the internet: if you can meme it, you can monetize it.

Now, 7 of the More Absurd Coins Vying for Virality

1. Dogecoin (DOGE): The Meme That Won’t Die

Created as a joke in 2013, Dogecoin features the iconic Shiba Inu meme. Elon Musk’s tweets helped turn it into crypto’s most famous punchline — with a market cap in the billions. Whether that’s staying power or just proof that the internet rewards nonsense remains unclear.

2. Garlicoin: Crypto for Garlic Bread Fans

Born from Reddit, Garlicoin is a parody coin designed to “combat crypto-vampires.” It even teases a garlic-themed game. If nothing else, it’s a flavor-forward reminder that you can put anything on the blockchain.

3. Banano: A Crypto Banana Republic

Banano is a Nano spinoff that gamifies earning coins by controlling a virtual monkey. The “4th generation fungible cryptocurrency” has a very important message for investors: “Don’t let your memes be dreams.”

4. Useless Ethereum Token (UET): The Most Honest Coin Ever

At least UET admits it. Its website informs investors they’re giving their money away for completely useless tokens. Might this admission make it crypto’s most trustworthy asset in a sea of speculation?

5. SOCKS Token: NFT-Powered Footwear

An NFT-backed cryptocurrency that lets holders redeem a limited-edition pair of socks. Initially $12, prices skyrocketed into the thousands, proving anything — even socks — can be a tradable asset.

6. CHADS Coin: Peak Bro Crypto

Based on the “Virgin vs. Chad” meme, CHADS Coin brands itself as the currency for “true chads.” Naturally, it has a STACY Coin counterpart, ensuring meme economy gender balance.

7. CageCoin: The Internet’s Gonna Internet

Several cryptocurrencies have been created in homage to Nicolas Cage. Because why not? CageCoin and other Cage-themed tokens exist purely for the meme economy, Like the actor, it exists in a space between irony and sincerity — making it one of the most internet things ever.

The post Got Digital Assets? The Weird, the Wild and the Whatever Coins appeared first on PYMNTS.com.