$63,810.00
6.05%$2,481.36
7.08%$570.80
4.95%$143.55
10.10%$1.001
0.30%$0.592664
3.47%$2,479.41
6.99%$0.106739
4.94%$5.76
5.11%$0.151353
1.57%$0.356111
6.90%$26.58
14.21%$2,918.30
6.61%$63,695.00
5.71%$0.00001446
8.42%$2,479.24
6.75%$11.36
8.44%$343.82
9.76%$4.35
7.72%$5.69
0.47%$6.85
4.64%$4.49
9.70%$66.02
3.73%$0.175623
3.39%$2,596.12
6.96%$8.31
6.51%$1.54
12.63%$1.34
11.55%$0.00000826
14.08%$6.91
17.60%$176.04
2.65%$1.001
-0.12%$0.401627
5.73%$0.096874
3.52%$19.11
7.58%$373.87
18.94%$1.00
0.21%$1.73
12.89%$40.46
6.82%$1.52
11.15%$150.77
10.26%$0.083142
4.73%$3.75
8.91%$0.578459
12.98%$5.25
10.68%$20.92
11.12%$0.602056
5.86%$0.052769
6.92%$1.64
13.64%$0.02292637
7.38%$0.648951
10.11%$4.59
8.89%$1.76
15.41%$11.24
3.06%$4.56
15.40%$0.157784
13.97%$2,478.81
6.80%$1.43
9.61%$1,556.74
6.13%$2,768.19
6.45%$20.80
12.84%$63,689.00
6.27%$0.00013674
11.81%$0.940619
4.34%$6.13
19.93%$2,586.16
7.15%$0.0000181
10.88%$7.14
6.41%$0.401622
6.06%$0.33851
24.74%$0.320176
12.18%$0.821376
13.21%$0.133319
9.10%$75.07
5.05%$8.38
3.11%$1.15
22.85%$0.02118641
7.57%$49.43
6.78%$0.671171
11.86%$1.14
5.56%$1.069
8.65%$2,527.08
7.01%$0.914276
32.28%$2,479.62
6.73%$0.576719
8.66%$7.49
2.31%$0.0000009
4.67%$0.01704633
13.15%$0.085166
15.68%$2,471.90
6.53%$0.00792826
10.24%$0.01782583
2.43%$0.135807
5.46%$0.02011179
10.47%$0.513638
7.60%$27.81
7.41%$9.38
4.77%$2.29
-5.42%$4.98
8.29%$1.64
10.93%$0.01523363
6.84%$0.999851
0.56%$1.004
0.43%$174.79
9.57%$0.404266
8.02%$34.40
14.75%$9.82
6.13%$0.685419
8.85%$2.73
13.86%$0.15056
7.49%$0.00003299
7.66%$0.99965
0.61%$63,654.00
5.66%$2,593.85
0.89%$0.00000031
10.33%$0.269652
9.08%$2,538.01
6.82%$0.236153
18.22%$0.963141
14.82%$18.20
9.19%$1.025
5.06%$1.61
9.57%$3.49
8.42%$2,483.03
6.96%$0.294484
8.46%$0.470991
11.89%$0.796943
6.31%$0.851402
19.65%$0.00100386
9.45%$2,676.52
6.79%$0.056086
8.44%$1.88
9.18%$0.00008789
9.17%$1.001
-0.22%$2,592.36
0.10%$0.00716835
19.00%$4.40
10.42%$1.51
10.09%$0.437471
16.18%$32.25
7.92%$8.52
11.46%$0.00546688
27.16%$0.251447
9.64%$13.74
13.21%$0.06557
8.12%$0.133426
9.33%$0.124221
12.02%$0.577595
14.69%$2,478.64
6.08%$149.17
10.14%$2,473.43
7.04%$0.06566
10.98%$0.00644831
27.51%$0.0000012
28.29%$0.398962
24.94%$0.063366
5.90%$1.60
9.33%$0.02824609
0.86%$9.10
16.30%$0.919813
12.25%$160.74
9.37%$1.00
0.31%$0.00000042
2.46%$0.00097282
17.98%$1.001
-1.92%$23.23
5.74%$44.98
6.19%$1.94
18.84%$2,483.09
6.88%$4.00
3.42%$0.205998
10.03%$0.04029409
20.11%$0.908519
3.54%$2,476.55
6.69%$1.005
0.23%$0.756872
3.58%$3.11
15.06%$0.054632
1.87%$0.00
7.37%$0.700725
15.86%$0.524767
10.35%$0.742006
3.54%$0.355427
10.47%$2,715.19
6.59%$0.273797
13.58%$0.00669913
5.01%$0.827316
3.33%$63,630.00
5.50%$0.286239
7.43%$0.393109
8.49%$1.061
0.75%$64,025.00
5.47%$2,645.95
6.47%$0.064527
12.40%$0.179018
6.90%$21.12
5.24%$0.132718
8.11%$1.15
15.10%$0.00390785
7.16%$0.00173417
7.15%$25.30
5.56%$2,576.84
6.85%$0.300711
7.89%$0.29512
7.80%$0.771733
10.18%$2.29
8.11%$0.01091992
9.74%$81.73
5.40%$2.25
11.81%$0.02823656
11.48%$0.02840357
3.90%$0.00081428
8.11%$0.508428
13.62%$0.03838716
8.12%$1,279.37
6.24%$0.401899
10.32%$0.686917
11.56%$0.184073
7.84%$40.05
7.27%$0.01434554
7.21%$0.317421
12.54%$0.370379
4.49%$0.117464
47.92%$0.244388
11.43%$1.51
12.62%$6,500.54
-0.61%$0.1515
9.37%$1.80
-6.42%$0.146596
6.11%$63,627.00
5.58%$0.01801978
8.72%$0.0044478
5.51%$0.00257244
14.11%$2.41
7.48%$15.61
1.28%$6.16
6.44%$0.02518465
10.46%$0.060715
6.80%$25.12
10.69%$2.37
18.02%$0.00003569
5.32%$0.086153
6.70%$1.001
0.29%$0.02168169
7.25%$0.023246
9.68%$2.28
6.04%$108.04
0.01%$0.669392
13.64%
A top executive at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has compared meme coins to a “risky casino,” suggesting that they’re bad for the long-term outlook of cryptocurrencies.
"At best, it looks like a risky casino. Or a series of false promises masking a casino," Andreessen Horowitz CTO Eddy Lazzarin said on Twitter (aka X), adding that their popularity impacts adoption, regulation, laws, and builder behavior.
"I see the damage every day," he added. "You should too."
Lazzarin’s comments follow multiple waves of meme coin mania. Tokens like Dogwifhat (WIF), Bonk (BONK), and Book of Meme (BOME) have all seen staggering returns in recent months.
Memecoins alter how the public, regulators, and entrepreneurs see crypto.
At best, it looks like a risky casino. Or a series of false promises masking a casino.
This deeply affects adoption, regulation/laws, and builder behavior.
I see the damage every day. You should too.
— Eddy Lazzarin 🟠🔭 (@eddylazzarin) April 24, 2024
That’s resulted in some hedge funds looking to enter the world of meme coins—including Stratos, which counts among its limited partners a16z co-founder Marc Andreessen. The hedge fund launched a liquid fund holding Solana-based meme coin WIF, which tripled in value to deliver the fund a healthy 137% return.
Despite this mainstream attention, Lazzarin argued that meme coins distract from the real goal of cryptocurrencies, focusing on meme-based marketing to boost their value rather than technical innovation or real utility.
“Besides undermining the long-term vision of crypto that has kept so many of us in the space, meme coins aren't very technically interesting.” Lazzarin posted on Twitter. He added that, “I'm here to build new networks to power a fundamentally more powerful internet. It's just not the same size.”
He argued that meme coins alter how crypto is perceived. With most meme coins dying young, Lazzarin suggests these joke-y tokens may give regulators the last laugh, encouraging them to pass harsher rulings.
However, other VCs in the crypto space disagreed. Jesse Walden, founder of crypto-based VC firm Variant, suggested that as meme coins “do not promise anything but volatility and entertainment,” they aren’t doing as much damage as is being made out.
“There are people simultaneously calling them unsophisticated entertainment and also a go-to-market strategy, the future of work, and a fountain of freedom,” Lazzarin explained in response. “It’s not good.”
Despite his outburst, the a16z exec said that he is “optimistic that real products/protocols will develop in the end.” But this was his warning that the industry needs to wake up to the negative effects of meme coins.
“We shouldn't pretend that the casino doesn't set us back.” Lazzarin finished. “Deterring great founders and giving ammo to politicized regulators has a profound effect."
Edited by Andrew Hayward
