Meme coins have emerged as a trend in 2024 within the crypto industry, with the segment’s capitalization exceeding $107 billion, and numerous celebrities have launched their own assets. Against this backdrop, Cointelegraph identified the year’s “most absurd” tokens.
Fartcoin: Not About Blockchain Gas
The “absolutely useless” joke token Fartcoin (FART) appeared in October and became a vivid example of how easily absurdity sells in the crypto space.
Inflation? Deflation? Fartcoin specializes in flatulation! ?
— Fartcoin? (@FartCoinOfSOL) December 24, 2024
“Inflation? Deflation? We specialize in flatulation,” stated the coin’s developers on X.
By the end of December, Fartcoin’s capitalization approached $1.25 billion. The figure adjusted to around $850 million, yet the asset remains the largest on the Pump.fun platform.
An additional boost to the coin’s value came from a mention by TV host Stephen Colbert on his CBS evening show.
Woman Yelling at Cat
The token Woman Yelling At Cat (WYAC) was launched by reality TV star Taylor Armstrong from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
The coin’s name “Woman Yelling at Cat” derives from a well-known internet meme based on a frame featuring the actress.
According to CoinGecko, WYAC’s total market value peaked at ~$51 million on October 21. At the time of writing, the value had plummeted to $3.9 million, with the token losing 18% in the last 24 hours.
In Memory of Peanut the Squirrel
The token Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT) is dedicated to the eponymous squirrel, Peanut, euthanized by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation workers. During a rabies check, the animal bit one of the department’s employees.
The story gained widespread attention on the internet. Supporters of Donald Trump used it to criticize the Democratic administration ahead of the U.S. presidential elections.
This is Peanut…
This is the Squirrel that they murdered… He looks so terrifying, doesn’t he..
Democrats ARE Monsters.. and they hate America and YOU! pic.twitter.com/1dQWRZUOOF
— Matt Couch (@RealMattCouch) November 4, 2024
PNUT’s capitalization reached $2.27 billion within just two weeks by November 14. Following a subsequent crash, the figure fell to $650 million (CoinGecko).
The squirrel’s owner, Mark Longo, accused the crypto community of profiting from his trauma. Authorities also seized and euthanized another of his pets—a raccoon named Fred.
He even launched his own meme coin Justice for Pnut and Fred (JUSTICE). The asset’s total market value collapsed from nearly $145 million to ~$150,000.
As reported by NBC News, the surge in meme token popularity following Trump’s election was dubbed a return to the “carnival-casino” era.