What Is Popcat (POPCAT)? Why Is It Popular?

2025-03-30, 05:41

Introduction

From the internet meme of 2020 to the cryptocurrency phenomenon of 2025, Popcat has undergone an amazing evolution. Today, Popcat’s gameplay, meme production, and social media challenges are still popular worldwide.

Popcat: From Internet meme to cryptocurrency phenomenon

As an Internet meme, Popcat quickly became popular with its simple and interesting concept. It originated from a cat photo shared on Discord in October 2020, showing a domestic cat named ‘Oatmeal’ in two states, with its mouth closed and open. This simple image was edited into an animated effect of repeatedly ‘popping,’ quickly spreading across social media. The popularity of Popcat is not only reflected in online culture but also extends to the cryptocurrency field, becoming a unique digital asset.

The gameplay of the Popcat game is simple and direct. Users only need to click on the cat image to hear the “pop” sound effect and contribute to the click count of their country. This simple interactive method has attracted participation from users globally, creating a unique social media challenge. Users compete to increase the click count for their country, further driving the spread of Popcat. To increase the clicking speed, some users have even developed automatic clicking s.

On social media, the Popcat challenge quickly became a popular trend. Users share their Popcat click scores on major platforms, showcasing the number of clicks they contribute to the country. This challenge not only increases interaction among users but also promotes benign competition among users from different countries and regions to some extent. The viral spread of the Popcat challenge has turned this simple game into a global internet phenomenon.

The Origin and Evolution of Popcat

Popcat originated in October 2020 when a Twitter user shared a photo of his cat ‘Oatmeal’ on a Discord server. The photo showed two different mouth states of the cat: one with a closed mouth, the other with an open mouth in the shape of an ‘O’. This simple image quickly caught the interest of netizens and was turned into a repetitive ‘pop’ animation effect.

Over time, Popcat has evolved from a simple internet meme to a global internet phenomenon. On December 11, 2020, three students from the University of Sheffield developed a web game called ‘popcat.click.’ The gameplay is very simple: users just need to click on the cat image to hear the sound ‘pop’ and increase the click count for their country. This simple and fun interactive method quickly attracted participation from users worldwide.

The global leaderboard feature of the Popcat game further promotes its spread. Users start clicking on cat images in large numbers to improve their country’s ranking. This competitive atmosphere has made Popcat a unique social media challenge. In the Asian region, especially in Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia, the popularity of the Popcat game has reached its peak.

Popcat’s influence is not limited to the entertainment industry, it has also played an unexpected role in social movements in some countries. For example, in the 2020-2021 protests in Thailand, Popcat became a symbolic form of expression.

The technology and economic model of the Popcat token

With the popularity of Popcat in internet culture, it has also entered the cryptocurrency field. Popcat token (POPCAT) is a cryptocurrency based on the Solana blockchain, with a total supply of 979,978,669. As of March 30, 2025, the price of POPCAT is $0.1857, with a market capitalization of $181,948,729.

In terms of the economic model, POPCAT adopts a unique allocation strategy. 93.1% of the tokens are allocated to the liquidity pool, and this large proportion of allocation aims to ensure market liquidity, making trading easier for users. The remaining 6.9% is kept in a multi-signature wallet for future strategic development, such as exchange listings and liquidity enhancement.

The value of the POPCAT token is mainly driven by market demand and community participation. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, the value of POPCAT depends more on its status in online culture and community support, rather than actual technical applications. This value model based on community and cultural phenomena makes POPCAT a unique category of crypto asset.

Conclusion

Popcat has evolved from a simple internet meme to a global phenomenon, demonstrating the powerful influence of internet culture. It has not only become a hot topic on social media, but has also crossed over into the cryptocurrency field, triggering an investment frenzy. The success of Popcat highlights the potential integration of internet culture and financial innovation, providing new ideas for the development of future digital assets.

Risk warning: The price of Popcat token fluctuates sharply, and its value mainly depends on community support and online popularity. Investors need to carefully assess the related risks.


Author: Gate.io Researcher JJ M.
This article represents only the author's point of view and does not constitute any trading advice. Investment involves risks, so decisions should be made cautiously.
This article is original and the copyright belongs to Gate.io. For reprint, please indicate the author and source, otherwise legal responsibilities will be pursued.


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