The Popcat meme began as a simple online joke in 2020 and has since evolved into a global phenomenon, spawning a popular game and even its own cryptocurrency. 

This article explores the journey of Popcat, from its humble beginnings as an internet meme to its current status as a leading player in the crypto market. We'll also unpack the utility of the POPCAT token, its tokenomics, and its market performance.

The History of Popcat Meme 

Origins 

Popcat started as an internet meme in October 2020 featuring a domestic short-haired cat named Oatmeal. The meme's origin can be traced back to a Discord post by @XavierBFB showcasing two images of Oatmeal: one with its mouth closed and the other with its mouth open in an 'O' shape. 

When toggled rapidly between the two images, it created a comical illusion of the cat's mouth popping open and closed, accompanied by a popping sound. This simple yet amusing meme was shared on Reddit and Twitter, where it garnered significant attention (over a million views on Twitter). The meme's virality was further amplified by its use in lip-sync videos on Instagram.

The meme's popularity extended beyond social media platforms. In December 2020, three students from the University of Sheffield created a game called pp.cat.click that capitalized on the meme. The game featured an image of Oatmeal, and users clicking on the image would make its mouth pop open and contribute to their nation's ranking on a leaderboard. 

The Popcat meme has also been integrated into other games and platforms, and there are even variations where Oatmeal is replaced with images of local figures, such as popyut.click in Thailand and popdin in Malaysia.

POPCAT Token Launch 

The influence of Popcat reached the crypto sector as well, with a meme coin launched on the Solana blockchain in December 2022, capitalizing on the enduring popularity of the meme and the game. 

The identity of Popcat's founder or the team behind it remains a mystery. However, in 2024, Jpeggler, the founder of the ENIGMA art collection, acquired the update and social rights to Popcat. This coincided with a huge rise in the token's market cap, from $200,000 to over $230 million.

What Is the POPCAT Token?

As a meme coin, POPCAT’s main role is to provide speculative opportunities and drive community engagement. However, the project team may introduce some new applications along the way, like in the case of SHIB, for example.

On Popcat’s website, you can click on Oatmeal’s image to make a popping sound. Each click counts, and you can see on the leaderboard which country has the most active clickers. However, these clicks don’t bring any value other than fun and don’t convert into rewards. 

As a Solana-based token, POPCAT offers low-cost, high-speed transactions. Popcat can only be bought and sold on platforms that support Solana-based assets and exchanged for other Solana-based tokens. 

POPCAT Tokenomics 

The total supply of POPCAT is 979,974,293 tokens. All these tokens are now in circulation. A significant portion, 93.1%, is allocated to the liquidity pool. This ensures ample liquidity for traders, facilitating easy buying and selling of the token on the market. 

The remaining 6.9% is held in a multi-signature wallet and could go toward future developments, such as exchange listings or liquidity enhancements. 

POPCAT Market Performance 

POPCAT currently ranks #9 among Solana meme coins and #26 among all meme coins, but it once ranked higher before newcomers like PENGU and TRUMP dethroned it. 

POPCAT’s market cap is $366 million and the 24-hour trading volume is $53 million at the time of writing. The token hit its all-time high of $2.07 in November 2024.

Conclusion 

The initial rise of the Popcat meme was entirely organic. It wasn't a carefully orchestrated marketing campaign; it simply resonated with people and spread quickly through social media. This unpredictability underscores how quickly and unexpectedly internet trends can emerge, gain traction, and evolve beyond their origins. 

Trade POPCAT on Tothemoon and join the active community of Oatmeal fans, all while enjoying competitive fees and high liquidity of our platform. 

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