The crypto space thrives on innovation, speculation, and community-driven movements. However, not everyone in leadership shares the same enthusiasm—especially when it comes to meme coins and NFTs. That’s exactly what stirred controversy recently when Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko publicly criticized meme coins and NFTs, calling them “digital slop.” His comment didn’t sit well with many, especially considering Solana’s own ecosystem owes much of its recent popularity and growth to these very digital assets.
Let’s break down what happened, how the community responded, and what this says about the future of meme coins on Solana.
What Did Yakovenko Say?
In a now-viral post on X (formerly Twitter), Anatoly Yakovenko described meme coins and NFTs as “digital slop”—a term that clearly didn’t resonate well with the crypto community. He likened their value to loot boxes in mobile games, pointing out that people spend over $150 billion annually on such in-game items. His message was clear: he doesn’t see intrinsic value in these assets.
While he was trying to draw a comparison about speculative behavior, many interpreted it as a swipe against two major sectors that have played a key role in Solana’s rapid rise—meme coins and NFTs.
The Crypto Community Reacts
Unsurprisingly, Yakovenko’s comments triggered swift and widespread backlash. Many in the crypto space pointed out the irony of his remarks, considering that Solana hosts some of the top-performing meme coins by market cap.
One of the loudest voices came from Anastasiia Bobeshko, a well-known crypto marketer, who responded with sarcasm, saying it’s funny how Yakovenko dismisses memes after Solana made $1.6 billion in the first half of 2025, largely thanks to meme coins. She emphasized that these tokens have driven adoption, engagement, and revenue for the Solana blockchain.
Even Ethereum developer Hanniabu chimed in, suggesting that Solana wouldn’t be what it is today without meme coins. This sentiment was echoed by a member of the BONK community, who stated flatly: “Solana would never have grown this fast without memes.”
Yakovenko responded with his usual wit and sarcasm, saying, “Absolutely. Without lootboxes, iOS would have negligible revenues for Apple.” While he seemed to be defending his analogy, it didn’t help calm the waters.
Art Chick Calls Out the Double Standard
Another prominent community voice, Art Chick, posed a thought-provoking question: “Do you have a problem with people spending $150 billion a year on your chain if they’re trading meme coins instead of buying mobile game loot boxes?”
Yakovenko’s response focused on market architecture, not morality. He stated that what’s essential is ensuring trading mechanisms are safe and efficient. He also emphasized the need for data monitoring, solving technical issues, and building “sandwich-resistant” market structures (i.e., markets resistant to front-running and exploitative strategies).
While technically valid, the response still felt like a sidestep to many community members who were hoping for a more direct acknowledgment of the cultural and economic value meme coins bring to Solana.
Solana vs Base Meme Coin Debate
Interestingly, this controversy didn’t come out of nowhere. It actually began when Yakovenko clapped back at Jesse Pollak, the lead developer of Base, Coinbase’s Layer-2 network. Pollak had made a bold claim that Zora meme coins on Base were more valuable than Solana’s Pump.fun coins.
Yakovenko replied by questioning whether Zora tokens provide any future value or claims on creator revenues—something Pump.fun offers. The debate quickly turned into a broader conversation about what makes a meme coin valuable.
Pollak responded diplomatically, suggesting that each meme coin’s value depends on its fundamentals, community, and utility. Yakovenko, however, stood firm, implying that meme coins lack real-world utility or cash flow, regardless of where they live.
Meme Coins Still Power Solana’s Growth
Despite Yakovenko’s criticism, the Solana blockchain continues to thrive thanks to meme coins. Tokens like BONK, Fartcoin, PENGU, and TRUMP regularly account for massive daily trading volumes. Some even argue that the memecoin hype helped drive SOL’s price to an all-time high of $294 in January 2025, around the same time the TRUMP meme coin launched.
During that time, demand for SOL surged, not because of DeFi or gaming, but because investors needed SOL to buy meme coins. That real-world utility, albeit speculative, has made SOL one of the most used and traded cryptocurrencies in 2025.
Now, with SOL trading at around $183, down more than 5% in the past 24 hours (according to CoinMarketCap), the meme coin wave seems to have cooled—but not disappeared. The tokens are still actively traded, and new ones pop up weekly.
What This Means for the Future
This incident highlights a growing divide between blockchain founders focused on utility and community members who find value in culture, fun, and speculation. While Yakovenko may prefer to focus on scalable infrastructure and real-world use cases, the fact remains: meme coins and NFTs bring adoption, attention, and revenue.
His “digital slop” comment may have been a bit too harsh and dismissive, especially for a chain that has directly benefited from the trends he criticizes. At the same time, it opens the door to an important conversation: Should meme coins aim for more utility, governance, or real-world impact? Or is community-driven fun valuable enough?
For Solana, this is a branding challenge. On one hand, it’s a high-performance blockchain with serious developers. On the other, it’s home to some of the most viral meme coins in crypto. Yakovenko’s stance suggests he wants the former identity to lead, but the numbers and community seem to favor the latter.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t the first time a crypto leader has stirred controversy, and it won’t be the last. But Anatoly Yakovenko’s comments about meme coins and NFTs have hit a nerve. For better or worse, meme culture is deeply intertwined with crypto, and Solana’s success has undeniably been influenced by it.
The debate around meme coin value will continue, but the data is clear: Meme coins have helped shape Solana’s 2025 success story. Whether or not Yakovenko appreciates that may matter less than whether developers, creators, and users continue to build and trade on his network.
In crypto, perception is often as important as protocol—and right now, the community wants recognition, not ridicule.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q1. What did Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko say about meme coins?
A: He referred to meme coins and NFTs as “digital slop” and compared them to loot boxes in mobile games, implying they have no intrinsic value.
Q2. Why is the crypto community angry about his comments?
A: Many believe Yakovenko is being hypocritical since Solana has greatly benefited from the meme coin boom, generating over $1.6 billion in 2025.
Q3. What are some top meme coins on Solana?
A: BONK, PENGU, TRUMP, and Fartcoin are among the top meme coins actively traded on the Solana blockchain.
Q4. How did Solana’s price react to meme coin activity?
A: Solana hit an all-time high of $294 in January 2025 when meme coin activity was at its peak, showing a direct correlation between the two.
Q5. Is there tension between Solana and other Layer-2 networks like Base?
A: Yes, a debate between Solana’s Yakovenko and Base’s Jesse Pollak sparked this discussion, with both sides defending the value of their meme coin ecosystems.
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