When meme? Top crypto memes and their meaning

The crypto market is highly volatile, and the prices of cryptocurrencies can fluctuate dramatically in a short period. Memes offer a way for people to express their emotions and cope with the ups and downs of the market in a lighthearted, humorous way.

Crypto culture is heavily centered around online communities and social media, and memes are a widely used form of communication. They allow people to quickly convey complex ideas or emotions in a way easily understood by others in the community.

Many of the concepts and terms in the crypto world can be challenging to understand for those new to the space, and memes are a way to simplify and explain them. Crypto is also filled with speculation and hype, and memes are an outlet to make fun of the more outlandish claims.

Here is a selection of the most popular cryptocurrency memes.

Hodl

“Hodl” originated from a misspelling of the word “hold” in a Bitcoin Forum post in 2013. The original poster, who was apparently frustrated with the volatility of the Bitcoin (BTC) market, accidentally wrote “I am hodling” instead of “I am holding.” The typo caught on, and soon, hodl became a popular term in the crypto community, used to express a long-term investment strategy of holding onto one’s cryptocurrency through short-term market fluctuations.

HODL doesn't actually stand for "Hold on to dear life" funny enough.

— Documenting ₿itcoin (@DocumentingBTC) February 7, 2021

The meme is often used in the context of the crypto market’s volatility to express the belief that the value of a particular cryptocurrency will increase in the long term. It’s found on social media, forums and chats as a way to express support for a specific coin and a long-term investment strategy.

It is also used as a backronym for “hold on for dear life,” referencing the crypto market’s volatility.

When moon?

Like “hodl,” “When moon?” is a phrase used by people online to indicate excitement or hope that a particular cryptocurrency will increase dramatically in value and offer a massive return on investment.

The “When moon?” meme is often accompanied by images or GIFs of characters or animals looking up at the moon, or people looking excited or hopeful.

When Lambo?

The “When Lambo?” meme is often used as a tongue-in-cheek way to express people’s hopes that they will make massive amounts of money from a crypto investment — enough to buy a Lamborghini, a brand of luxury sports cars known for their high performance and association with wealth and success.

If all that we accomplish is lambo memes and immature puns about "sharting", then I WILL leave.Though I still have a lot of hope that the community can steer in the right direction.

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) December 27, 2017

People asking “When Lambo?” often include GIFs and images of Lamborghinis or characters driving them.

When Binance?

“When Binance?” is another popular question asked within the cryptocurrency community by investors who hope their coin of interest will be listed on Binance, the leading cryptocurrency exchange by volume.

Q: When are you going to be listed on Binance? pic.twitter.com/1ljjzsVPon

— Phantasma (@PhantasmaChain) July 29, 2018

Every exchange has standards and requirements, and the listing of an asset on a major exchange is often seen as a sign of the asset’s value and supporting the project’s legitimacy. 

When institutional investors?

Institutional investors are typically large financial organizations such as banks, hedge funds and pension funds with significant financial resources and experience in investing. Their entry into the crypto market is seen as a sign of mainstream acceptance and validation of the technology.

Similar to the “When Binance?” meme, “When institutional investors?” expresses hope that institutional investors will enter the crypto market.

Doge

In the crypto world, “Doge” refers to the Dogecoin (DOGE) cryptocurrency, which was created as a joke in 2013 based on the popular “Doge” internet meme featuring a Shiba Inu dog. Despite its origins, Dogecoin has gained a solid following and has become a significant cryptocurrency, with a market capitalization of over $11 billion at the time of writing.

ur welcome pic.twitter.com/e2KF57KLxb

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 4, 2021

Images or GIFs of a Shiba Inu, the mascot of Dogecoin, often accompany the Doge meme. The memes often include phrases like “such wow” and “much moon” and are frequently used to express excitement about the potential for Dogecoin to increase in value or to mock other more serious projects.

When Satoshi?

“When Satoshi?” expresses hope or anticipation that the true identity of pseudonymous Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto will be revealed. Nakamoto’s identity remains unknown, and the mystery surrounding Bitcoin’s creator(s) has generated much speculation and curiosity.

The meme often features characters or people representing Nakamoto or images of the Nakamoto pseudonym.