Rapper and music producer Kanye West has stirred speculation in the crypto community with a series of cryptic posts on X (formerly Twitter). One of his messages, posted on Friday, questioned the nature of wealth created through cryptocurrencies:
“WHEN PEOPLE MAKE ALL THAT MONEY WITH A COIN IS THAT CASH OR CONCEPT.”
The tweet, which quickly gained traction, reaching over 2.1 million views within an hour, led to speculation about whether West intends to launch a cryptocurrency. Crypto enthusiasts and companies have urged the rapper to issue a token, including a direct prompt from Pump.fun, a platform specializing in meme coin launches.
Adding fuel to the speculation, West shared a screenshot of a message where an unnamed contact allegedly offered him $2 million to “scam his community.” He claimed to have rejected the offer and cut ties with the individual behind it. The post did not include verifiable details about the offer, but it has raised further debate within crypto circles.
West’s latest engagement with crypto follows years of unpredictable behavior on social media. His Friday tweet storm, which included praise for Adolf Hitler alongside other inflammatory remarks, has drawn criticism. Despite this, many in the crypto space remain eager to see whether he will formally enter the market.
Prediction market Polymarket reported that West’s likelihood of launching a token jumped to 46%, up from under 30% earlier in the day. The betting market tracking his potential memecoin saw over $52,000 in placed bets, reflecting rising interest in the possibility of a West-branded crypto asset.
West has also attempted to connect with Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong. He posted a screenshot indicating an effort to reach Armstrong for a discussion “concerning crypto.” The purpose of the outreach remains unclear, but it has fueled additional speculation within the industry.
West would not be the first high-profile celebrity to enter the space. Just today, Barstool Sports’ David Portnoy promoted a so-called “sh*tcoin” in his return to crypto marketing. Meanwhile, West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian faced regulatory action in 2022 for endorsing EthereumMax without proper disclosure. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has increased scrutiny of celebrity-backed tokens in recent years, making any potential West venture a legal gray area.
