5 times crypto appeared in pop culture in 2023

CointelegraphPublished on 2023-12-31Last updated on 2024-01-02

Abstract

Society is past when even mentioning Bitcoin or Ethereum on a streaming series would make the news. Still, it’s good to look back on all the times crypto stepped out of the ecosystem and appeared in mainstream media — whether on Netflix, a comedy show, or any viral sensation.
NFT balloon at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
2023 marked one of the first times in the 99-year history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that a design from the crypto and blockchain space was featured as either a balloon or float. In November, Viewers from around the country could see the blue cat and milk carton characters from Web3 firm Cool Cats Group’s nonfungible token (NFT) collection.
Just got back home after what was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a Character Designer.

Thank you everyone who came out to see the balloon and those who supported Cool Cats to make this moment happen. None of this would be possible without you.

WLTC pic.twitter.com/IwqCR1XvrT
— clon (@cloncast) November 26, 2023
Covering the Sam Bankman-Fried trial
Crypto’s so-called ‘Golden Boy’ Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried had already been arrested and charged by the time 2023 started, but the former FTX CEO’s luck took a turn for the worse as the year progressed. He was remanded to jail after intimidating his former girlfriend Caroline Ellison, called “the worst person I’ve ever seen do a cross-examination” by one of his defense lawyers, and convicted of seven felony counts in November.
SBF was the main subject of Michael Lewis’ Going Infinite book, released the same week his trial started. Compared to other enforcement cases in the crypto space, Bankman-Fried was seemingly the most high-profile figure, making him the target for mainstream media reports and late-night comedians:

Weekend Update Segment on Nov. 11, 2023 episode of Saturday Night Live. Source: YouTubeThe ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ endorses Bitcoin
Actor Jonathan Goldsmith, who appeared as “The Most Interesting Man in the World” in an advertising campaign for Dos Equis beer starting in 2006, revived the character to promote Bitcoin (BTC) for Bitwise Asset Management ahead of a potential exchange-traded fund approval. Goldsmith drew a broad audience from the commercials, which included humorous “facts” about his character.
A word to the wise, from a man of few words. #bitcoinisinteresting https://t.co/wantGiAIqJ pic.twitter.com/x5MPbElEev
— Bitwise (@BitwiseInvest) December 18, 2023
Last Week Tonight
In April, John Oliver, the host of Last Week Tonight, did his second deep dive into cryptocurrency after more than five years. The comedian broke down the crypto market downturn of 2022 and related events, including the downfalls of FTX, Terra, and Celsius.
Here’s last night’s story about cryptocurrency, the crypto companies that have recently collapsed and, of course, dabbing: https://t.co/FUXVWAytRj
— Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) April 24, 2023
Futurama takes aim at Bitcoin miners
The animated sci-fi series Futurama, which went through another reboot in 2023, featured parodied a distant future in which Bitcoin mining experiences a boom in popularity after the price of the cryptocurrency rebounds after a thousand years. Jokes in the episode included moving to the Old West town “Doge City” and miners “using such colossal amounts of power that it’s ionizing the atmosphere.”

In-Depth Report on the On-Chain Lending Market: When Off-Chain Credit Meets On-Chain Liquidation

The on-chain lending market has evolved from a peripheral DeFi niche into core financial infrastructure. As of early 2026, total value locked (TVL) in on-chain lending protocols has reached $64.3 billion, accounting for 53.54% of total DeFi TVL, making it the largest and most mature vertical within decentralized finance. Aave dominates the sector with approximately $32.9 billion in TVL, commanding nearly half of the market—a leadership position that is unlikely to be challenged in the foreseeable future. However, the path of on-chain lending forward is not without risk. Liquidation cascades, credit defaults, and cross-chain vulnerabilities remain systemic threats hanging over the industry. At the same time, a deeper structural transformation is underway: on-chain lending is shifting from a “leverage tool for crypto-native users” to a “compliant gateway for institutional capital”. The scale of RWA (Real World Asset) lending has surpassed $18.5 billion, with U.S. Treasuries and government securities increasingly serving as core collateral. Institutional capital inflows are reshaping both the user base and risk appetite of the sector. This report systematically analyzes the evolution of on-chain lending definitions, competitive dynamics, core risks, and future trends, providing a comprehensive industry outlook for investors and trade practitioners. Key findings suggest that the “one dominant player with several strong challengers” structure will persist in the short term, while fixed-rate lending, compliant collateral, and institutional credit underwriting will define the next phase of competition. For investors focused on DeFi infrastructure, three key opportunity tracks stand out, namely, the Aave ecosystem (Morpho, Spark), RWA lending protocols (Ondo, Maple) and fixed-rate innovation (Notional, Pendle).

HTX Learn48m ago

In-Depth Report on the On-Chain Lending Market: When Off-Chain Credit Meets On-Chain Liquidation

HTX Learn48m ago

Unicorn Report: Within an Hour's Drive of the Bay Area, 90% of the World's AI Market Value is Concentrated

The 2025 Unicorn Report by Elad Gil reveals a dramatic concentration of AI unicorn value in the San Francisco Bay Area, which now holds 91% of the global generative AI unicorn market capitalization within a one-hour drive radius. The U.S. dominates globally with 65% of all unicorn value, a significant increase from previous years. While the rate of new unicorn creation has slowed post-2022, the average valuation of existing unicorns has reached a six-year high, driven overwhelmingly by AI companies. Generative AI unicorns saw an average valuation increase of $2.2 billion, far outpacing non-AI unicorns. The data indicates a powerful clustering effect, with the Bay Area solidifying its position as the world's premier AI hub, while other U.S. cities like New York and Los Angeles specialize in fintech/crypto and aerospace/defense, respectively.

marsbit56m ago

Unicorn Report: Within an Hour's Drive of the Bay Area, 90% of the World's AI Market Value is Concentrated

marsbit56m ago

Fu Peng's First Public Speech in 2026: What Exactly Are Crypto Assets? Why Did I Join the Crypto Asset Industry?

Fu Peng, a renowned macroeconomist and now Chief Economist at New火 Group, delivered his first public speech of 2026 at the Hong Kong Web3 Festival. He explained his perspective on crypto assets and why he joined the industry, framing it within the context of macroeconomic trends and financial evolution. Fu emphasized that crypto assets are transitioning from an early, belief-driven phase to a mature, institutionally integrated asset class. He drew parallels to the 1970s-80s, when technological advances (like computing) revolutionized traditional finance, leading to the rise of FICC (Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities). Similarly, current advancements in AI, data, and blockchain are reshaping finance, with crypto assets becoming part of a new "FICC + C" (C for Crypto) framework. He noted that institutional capital, including traditional hedge funds, avoided early crypto due to its speculative nature but are now engaging as regulatory clarity emerges (e.g., stablecoin laws, CFTC classifying crypto as a commodity). Fu predicted that 2025-2026 marks a turning point where crypto becomes a standardized, financially viable asset for diversified portfolios, akin to commodities or derivatives in traditional finance. Fu defined Bitcoin not as "digital gold" in a simplistic sense but as a value-preserving, financially tradable asset. He highlighted that crypto's future lies in regulated, institutional adoption, moving away from retail-dominated trading. His entry into crypto signals this maturation, where traditional finance integrates crypto into mainstream asset management.

marsbit1h ago

Fu Peng's First Public Speech in 2026: What Exactly Are Crypto Assets? Why Did I Join the Crypto Asset Industry?

marsbit1h ago

Cardano Gets Filecoin-Backed Storage Upgrade

Cardano's ecosystem has integrated a significant storage upgrade through a collaboration between Blockfrost and Filecoin. This new premium storage tier offers Cardano builders a decentralized, verifiable backup solution without requiring any changes to their existing workflows. The integration, which was initially announced in late 2024, has now been productized, providing enhanced data resilience for applications on Cardano. Charles Hoskinson endorsed the move, welcoming Filecoin as "one of the OGs" to the ecosystem. The service leverages Filecoin's decentralized storage network to strengthen app reliability and underscores a commitment to decentralization by coordinating two major layer-1 blockchain ecosystems.

bitcoinist2h ago

Cardano Gets Filecoin-Backed Storage Upgrade

bitcoinist2h ago

Justin Sun Sues Trump Family: What $75 Million Bought Was Only a Blacklist

Justin Sun, founder of Tron, has filed a lawsuit in federal court against World Liberty Financial (WLF), alleging he was made the "primary target of a fraudulent scheme" after investing $75 million. Sun claims the investment secured him an advisor title and WLFI tokens, which were later frozen by WLF, causing "hundreds of millions in losses." The dispute began in late 2024 when Sun's investment helped revive WLF's struggling token sale, which ultimately raised $550 million. Shortly after, the SEC dropped its lawsuit against Sun following Donald Trump's inauguration. However, relations soured when Sun refused WLF's demands for additional funding. In August 2025, WLF added a "blacklist" function to its smart contract, allowing it to unilaterally freeze tokens. Sun's holdings, worth approximately $107 million, were frozen, and he was threatened with token destruction. The lawsuit highlights WLF's structure, which directs 75% of token sale profits to the Trump family, who had earned $1 billion by December 2025. WLF's CEO is Zach Witkoff, son of U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The project faces scrutiny for opaque operations, including a controversial loan arrangement on the Dolomite platform, co-founded by a WLF advisor. Despite Sun's history with the SEC, the case underscores centralization risks within DeFi, as WLF controls governance and holds powers to freeze assets arbitrarily. Sun's tokens remain frozen as legal proceedings begin.

marsbit2h ago

Justin Sun Sues Trump Family: What $75 Million Bought Was Only a Blacklist

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