Crypto Meme, Coins, and AI, Goodness.

You’ve likely at least heard about Meme Coins by now. The most well-known and highest-market-capped is Dodge Coin, popularized by Elon, among others. The idea of Dodge and the thousands of daily minted meme coins, in general, seems utterly stupid, worse than the worst NFT project. Meme coins, by definition, have no product and no utility. They derive value from the strength of the community behind the project.

The visual representation of a memecoin and its community is an image, like a dog, cat, Trump, or some other kooky graphic. It’s the community mascot. Most people, certainly those under 30, know what a meme is and have seen how viral the distribution of certain memes can be. But the idea of a meme originates many decades earlier than any of the images you’re familiar with.

The Evolution of Memes: From Cultural Origins to Internet Phenomenon

Memes, as we know them today, are a cornerstone of internet culture, but their origins stretch back far beyond the digital age. The term “meme” was first coined by biologist Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene.

Dawkins used the term to describe a unit of cultural transmission akin to a gene in biological evolution. Just as genes propagate biological traits, memes spread ideas and cultural phenomena through imitation and replication. This concept of memetics suggests that memes, like genes, undergo a process of variation and selection, with the most effective memes spreading virally while others fade away.

Memes in the Digital Age

With the advent of the Internet, memes transformed from cultural ideas into viral phenomena. Early internet memes, like the Dancing Baby in the 1990s, captivated audiences with their novelty and humor. As social media platforms emerged, memes evolved into diverse formats, including image macros, GIFs, and videos.

The viral nature of memes is driven by their relatability, humor, and timely relevance to current events. Some memes become cultural touchstones due to their widespread appeal or insider status within specific online communities.

The Rise of Crypto Memecoins

In recent years, the concept of memes has expanded into the realm of cryptocurrency with the creation of memecoins. These digital tokens derive value from community engagement rather than intrinsic utility. Murad Mahmudov’s “memecoin supercycle” presentation at the Token 2049 conference highlighted the potential for memecoins to achieve significant market caps by leveraging community-driven narratives.

This phenomenon underscores how memetic value can translate into financial speculation within the crypto space.

The $GOAT Memecoin and AI Influence

A recent example of memecoin success is $GOAT, driven by an AI Twitter bot known as @truth_terminal. Truth Terminal was created by digital innovator Andy Ayrey as an experiment in artificial intelligence and memetic engineering.

The bot gained prominence when Marc Andreessen donated $50,000 in Bitcoin to it as a research grant, which indirectly fueled interest in the GOAT memecoin. Great article on the history here. And great video on the convergence of AI and Crypto from Marc below:

Truth Terminal’s semi-autonomous operation allows it to interact with users and organically drive interest in the token. By engaging with users on social media and creating a narrative around its issuance, Truth Terminal played a pivotal role in promoting $GOAT, propelling its market cap from $5,000 to over $500 million in just weeks.

Sidebar on Memecoin Trading and Mainstream Adoption

Despite the explosive growth of memecoins and cryptocurrencies, trading in these digital assets remains largely confined to a small, niche audience. The broader public and traditional retail investors often remain skeptical or hesitant to dive into crypto. This skepticism is fueled by a combination of factors: a lack of understanding of how cryptocurrencies work, concerns over security and volatility, and the often complex user experience associated with trading these assets.

For many, the barrier to entry is simply too high, requiring knowledge of digital wallets, blockchain technology, and decentralized exchanges (DEXs). However, Bitcoin is beginning to break through these barriers, with increasing acceptance and institutional interest paving the way for broader adoption. The approval of Bitcoin ETFs has significantly made cryptocurrency more accessible to mainstream investors by offering a familiar investment vehicle.

This growing acceptance could also extend to memecoins, especially as they offer unique cultural connections and community-driven narratives that resonate with people seeking financial gain and social belonging.

One innovative platform aiming to bridge this gap is Moonshot, a mobile app that simplifies buying Solana-based memecoins. Moonshot lowers the entry barrier by allowing users to purchase memecoins directly with fiat currency through familiar payment methods like Apple Pay and credit cards. It eliminates the need for users to navigate complex blockchain processes or manage cryptocurrency wallets.

This ease of use could attract a wider audience, making memecoins more accessible to those intrigued by their cultural appeal but deterred by technical complexities. Moonshot’s user-friendly interface and seamless integration with Web2 technologies make it an attractive option for newcomers to the crypto space. By simplifying transactions and providing a secure environment for trading memecoins, Moonshot is positioned to expand the reach of these digital assets beyond their current niche market.

As more people become aware of the cultural phenomena surrounding memecoins and seek community connections alongside potential financial returns, platforms like Moonshot could be crucial in bringing memecoins into the mainstream financial landscape.

Dipping Your Feet in Memecoins

If anything, playing with memecoins is fun and interesting. Like the early NFT days, there is a lot of money to be made. I’d say, first and foremost, it’s gambling, and you should take a small bag to play with that you don’t care if you lose. Second, there is a distinct difference between memecoin trading and NFT trading.

NFTs generally had less than 3K people who owned 10K assets. By definition, NFTs are not fungible, making it impossible for new people to join a strong community without a ridiculous investment. Take Bored Apes. At the peak of the market, the cheapest Ape you could buy was $350K, and some sold for millions.

In the case of memecoins, they are inherently fungible, meaning each one is the same price, and you can buy any dollar amount no matter what the coin price is. That means joining the community and participating in potential upside is open to anyone, at any dollar commitment. So, instead of having 3K people owning 10K limited assets, a tokenized community could have millions of holders holding millions of coins.

I’d encourage you to just dip your feet into the space, if only for experience, knowledge, and memetic sharing of progressive information. And here’s my shameless plug; use my code to get Moonshot and $100 in free coins.

Buy moonshots with my link: https://moonshot.money?ref=Ouck8RRq93

I currently have a small bag of memecoins if you want to follow my lead or check out the communities and buy what speaks to you: $GOAT, $RETARDIO, $MOODENG, $SPX, $GIKO, $GIGA, $FWOG

Future Prospects for Memecoins and Meme Culture

The future of memecoins and meme culture is uncertain but promising. As AI continues to advance, there is speculation that technology could automate many tasks currently performed by humans. Murad suggests that traditional tech products may lose their competitive edge as AI becomes more capable of creating and iterating on ideas autonomously. In such a scenario, meme cultures and tokenized communities could become one of the last bastions of human connection, driven by shared ideologies and cultural resonance.

Memecoins and meme culture may have a lasting impact if they foster strong community bonds and adapt to technological advancements. While they might seem like a fad to some, their ability to capture collective imagination and drive engagement suggests they could remain relevant in an increasingly automated world.

Conclusion

In this rapidly evolving landscape where AI-driven narratives are reshaping digital assets, meme culture represents a unique intersection of technology and human creativity. As we continue to explore this frontier, it becomes increasingly clear that memes are not just fleeting jokes but powerful vehicles for cultural expression and innovation.

Whether memecoins will endure or fade remains to be seen, but their current trajectory suggests they are more than just a passing trend — they may be an integral part of our digital future.