Memecoins Are Essential and Awesome

In the wild world of Web3, there's constant chatter about memecoins—are they distracting us from “serious” projects, or are they the heart and soul of this decentralized revolution? Well, buckle up because I’ve got some thoughts. Spoiler alert: this isn’t going to be your average TED Talk—it’s going to be a ride, a long one. So grab your moon boots because we’re diving into the world of memecoins.

What is a Coin or Token, Anyway?

Before we get to the spicy stuff, let’s clear up some jargon. Back in the day (and by "day," I mean 2013, which in crypto years feels like a century), a “coin” referred to the native currency of a blockchain. You know, like ETH for Ethereum or SOL for Solana. Tokens, on the other hand, were created on top of blockchains—like $UNI on Ethereum. But in today’s multi-chain, cross-chain, and just-about-every-chain world, that line between coins and tokens has gotten a little blurry. Native coins can moonwalk as tokens on other chains, so the technical difference isn’t what it used to be.

Coins or tokens, at the end of the day, are digital assets. And whether you’re talking about a coin or a token, both represent value in their respective projects. The magic really happens when they start getting traded.

In crypto, much like the stock market, value often boils down to how much people believe in it

Aping into Digital Assets

From a trading perspective, digital assets are like the new baseball cards—except with more charts, volatility, and late-night price checks. When you buy a coin or token, you're not just investing in some tech—you’re buying into a project’s story, its vision, and sometimes, let’s be real, pure hype.

It’s like owning a little slice of whatever the project promises to be. Whether it’s solving world-changing problems with decentralized finance or just giving your portfolio a pump, coins and tokens both represent potential value. Now, here's where it gets fun: in the chaotic world of trading, the tech behind an asset often matters less than the market's mood. Is everyone buzzing on Crypto Twitter? Did an influencer mention it in a livestream? Boom—your asset might just moon today.

In crypto, much like the stock market, value often boils down to how much people believe in it. Memecoins take this principle and turn it into pure, glorious chaos.

2011: The Start of Crypto Culture

When Satoshi Nakamoto dropped the Bitcoin white paper in 2011, it was more than a new digital currency—it was the start of a revolution. The internet needed its own money: decentralized, censorship-resistant, and designed to bypass traditional systems like banks. And just like that, the decentralized world was born, powered by cryptography and offering real ownership for the first time.

Back in those early days, crypto was all about counterculture. Meetups weren’t held in shiny tech offices—they were in back alleys and obscure forums, where anarchists, geeks, and visionaries came together. This was the beginning of crypto culture, where community and decentralization took center stage. And let’s face it, that spirit of rebellion still runs deep today.

The real issue is that big money often swoops in, distorts things, and leaves retail holding the bag

Crypto Trading and Cycles

As the crypto space grew, trading cycles emerged—booms and busts driven by innovation and the hunt for profit. But here’s the best part: in crypto, retail traders finally have the power. Unlike traditional markets, where Wall Street calls the shots, in crypto anyone can participate. No middlemen, no gatekeepers, just you and your wallet. Retail investors aren’t just adding fuel to the fire—they’re seizing the opportunity.

Cycles are a given in any market. Prices rise, prices fall. But the real issue is that big money often swoops in, distorts things, and leaves retail holding the bag. In crypto, though, retail has a fighting chance. They’re not just chasing profits—they’re taking control of their financial future. And every cycle, new projects gain momentum—just look at Bitcoin, Solana, and the rise of L2 ecosystems.

Bitcoin: The Mother of All Memecoins

Here’s a fun fact: Bitcoin is the OG memecoin. That’s right, before Shiba Inu or Doge, Bitcoin was just a narrative. It wasn’t backed by anything except belief, community, and a wild dream of decentralized money. People experimented with it (remember the legendary Pizza Day?), and eventually, Bitcoin became something much bigger. But it all started with a narrative and a community, and that’s the essence of a memecoin.

The Rise and Rise of Memecoins

Let’s face it—crypto thrives on counterculture, and nothing embodies that better than memecoins. We love to make fun of ourselves, our projects, and the entire space through memes. Memecoins take that spirit and crank it up to eleven.

Dogecoin started as a joke and “a fork of a fork of a fork” in 2013, but guess what? The joke became real. With a strong, fun-loving community behind it, Dogecoin grew into a legitimate force in the crypto world. It’s proof that community and narrative matter just as much—if not more—than technology.

Now, memecoins are having their biggest moment yet. While big money has wormed its way into the rest of crypto, memecoins have remained refreshingly honest (at least the gud ones 😉). They’re driven by community, not corporate greed. They offer retail traders the chance to take control, to claim a piece of the upside. Memecoins bring back that wild, unfiltered trading spirit.

Memecoins represent a chance for retail to reclaim control, for community to shine, and for crypto to stay weird—in the best way possible

Memecoins and the Cycle That’s Brewing

The days of simply slapping a meme on a token and watching it moon are fading. A new breed of memecoins is emerging—coins like Watercoin, SPX6900, and HarryPotterObamaSonic10Inu—built on transparency, fairness, impact, movement, and with goals. These tokens are powered by culture and community. They’re about more than a quick pump—they’re about building something real.

From my own journey as co-initiator of Lambo Llama, I can tell you how liberating and fun it is to start such a movement. We are building cross-chain community tokens and L2, built on the memecoin DNA but designed to be more. It’s about inclusivity, learning, and connecting communities in our fragmented and tribalized space. And yes, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, fun is a door-opener for learning, connecting and experimenting. Our community has set the goals and is growing.

Memecoins bring back the fun, the chaos, and, most importantly, the community that makes crypto great. They’re reclaiming the space from big money, reminding us what crypto was always meant to be about: empowerment, transparency, and people-driven movements.

As we enter a new cycle, memecoins are set to play a huge role. They’re not just surviving—they’re thriving. Memecoins are here to stay because they represent something much deeper than memes. They represent a chance for retail to reclaim control, for the community to shine, and for crypto to stay weird—in the best way possible.

So, buckle up because the next ride is going to be wild—and memecoins are leading the charge.

Disclaimer: I am a co-initiator of Lambo Llama, so I have my bias 😆