Crypto made important strides into the mainstream in 2024, whether it was the launch of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs that made Wall Street swoon, or the rise of Polymarket amid November’s U.S. election.
Decrypt’s project of the year was arguably most used by crypto natives and die-hard degen traders, but Solana meme coin launchpad Pump.fun similarly helped bridge the gap with normies, letting anyone create and launch a token with ease.
And launch tokens they did. Thanks in large part to Pump.fun, Solana became the go-to chain for new tokens and the meme coin meta went into overdrive. Things also got pretty crazy, with some users pushing coins tied to livestreams depicting an array of lewd, violent, or legitimately illegal acts. (Yes, regulators have taken notice.)
“We really contributed to empowering [degen] culture,” pseudonymous co-founder Alon told Decrypt. “This is what the product is built for, to a certain extent. It’s to capture these crazy moments, and be a moment in history. We want to be a part of that.”
Decrypt’s 2024 Project of the Year: Solana Meme Machine Pump.fun
Few projects in crypto’s short history have done more to both capture and shape the culture—for better or worse.
Christmas Sale? Crypto Crash Sinks Bitcoin, XRP and Dogecoin
It's a bloodbath out there as Bitcoin leads a crypto crash, as assets like Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin show double-digit losses.
El Salvador May Accelerate Bitcoin Buys Following IMF Deal Concessions
El Salvador will keep buying Bitcoin despite a deal with the IMF to scale back some BTC policies, its National Bitcoin Office said.
'Talk Tuah Judge': Hawk Tuah Girl's Biz Partners Are Getting Sued Over Meme Coin Disaster
The creators of the Hawk Tuah meme coin, fronted by influencer Haliey Welch, face legal troubles following a freshly filed federal lawsuit.
💬 Quote of the Day
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“I don’t see any reason to think this bull market has run its course just yet. This looks much more like a dip worth buying.”
Walrus revolutionizes decentralized data storage with a secure, scalable, & cost-efficient solution for Web3 applications on any chain. Builders and users benefit from high-speed, reliable data access, with Decrypt and One Championship already joining the herd. Join the Quest and get to know Walrus!
🎮️ GG: ‘MemeBattle’ Pixelverse Game on Base Features Brett and Other Meme Mascots
The MemeBattle deck-builder game from Pixelverse will feature notable meme coin mascots from Base and other chains.
🤖 EMERGE: Free AI for the Holidays? Google and Elon Musk's xAI Debut Latest Models
Google and Elon Musk's xAI are offering their AI platforms free or at discounts in a race for market share with OpenAI. Merry XmAIs!
🎭️ SCENE: Doge Meme Pup Owner's IP Move Could Decide 'Official' Neiro Coin
Members of the Own the Doge DAO will vote in the coming weeks to potentially bestow official IP status on one of many Neiro meme coins.
📚 Watch and Learn
📹️ WATCH: How Decrypt is 'Rethinking the Business Model of Media' With Web3 and Decentralized Storage
Ilan Hazan, Co-Founder & COO at DASTAN, and Ryan Servatus, Mysten Labs, discuss how innovations in decentralized storage will impact on data resilience, scalability, and media solutions.
🎓️ LEARN: What Is Abstract? The Consumer Crypto Blockchain From the Creators of Pudgy Penguins
Igloo Inc., the parent company of Pudgy Penguins, has launched Ethereum layer-2 chain Abstract with a consumer focus.
