Memecoins, NFTs Get Called Out By Their Own Architect: ‘Zero Intrinsic Value’

Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko stirred up heat this week by calling memecoins and NFTs “digital slop” with no real value. He made the remark on X as part of a back‑and‑forth with Base creator Jesse Pollak.

Yakovenko compared these tokens to loot boxes in free‑to‑play mobile games. His blunt take has drawn both praise and criticism from across the crypto world.

Memecoins Face Harsh Words

Yakovenko said he’s held this view since at least January 2024. He argued that the price people pay is all that gives these tokens any worth.

Pollak shot back, saying that the content itself—like a painting hanging in a museum—carries its own value, no matter what you charge to see it.

The debate has put a spotlight on how far Solana’s growth relies on the very things its leader dismisses.

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