What is Popcat (POPCAT)? Why has it become popular?

Introduction

Popcat has undergone an astonishing evolution from a meme in 2020 to a cryptocurrency phenomenon in 2025. Today, the Popcat gameplay, meme creation, and social media challenges remain popular worldwide.

Popcat: From Internet Meme to Cryptocurrency Phenomenon

Popcat, as an internet meme, quickly became popular due to its simple and interesting concept. It originated from a cat photo shared on Discord in October 2020, showcasing a house cat named "Oatmeal" in two states: with its mouth closed and open. This simple image was edited into a repeating "pop" animation effect, which rapidly spread across social media. The popularity of Popcat is not only reflected in internet culture but has also extended into the cryptocurrency realm, becoming a unique digital asset.

The gameplay of the Popcat game is simple and straightforward. Users just need to click on the cat image to hear the "pop" sound effect, while also contributing to the click count for their country. This simple interactive method has attracted users from all over the world to participate, forming a unique social media challenge. Users compete to increase the click counts for their countries, and this competitive atmosphere further promotes the spread of Popcat. To increase the clicking speed, some users have even developed auto-click scripts.

On social media, the Popcat challenge has quickly become a popular trend. Users share their Popcat click scores on various platforms, showcasing their contribution to their country's total clicks. This challenge not only increases interaction among users but also promotes healthy 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 the cat in two different mouth states: one with its mouth closed and the other with its mouth open in an "O" shape. This simple image quickly caught the interest of netizens and was turned into a repeated "pop" animation.

Over time, Popcat has gradually evolved from a simple internet meme into 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 image of the cat to hear a "pop" sound, while increasing the click count for their country. This simple and fun interactive method quickly attracted participation from users around the world.

The global leaderboard feature of the Popcat game has further promoted its spread. Users have begun to click the cat image in large numbers to improve their country's ranking. This competitive atmosphere has made Popcat a unique social media challenge. In Asia, particularly in Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia, the popularity of the Popcat game has reached its peak.

The influence of Popcat is not limited to the entertainment sector; it has also played an unexpected role in social movements in certain countries. For example, during the protests in Thailand from 2020 to 2021, Popcat became a symbolic means of expression.

The Technical and Economic Model of Popcat Token

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

In terms of economic model, POPCAT adopts a unique allocation strategy. 93.1% of the tokens are allocated to the liquidity pool, a large proportion aimed at ensuring market liquidity and facilitating user transactions. The remaining 6.9% is held in a multi-signature wallet for future strategic developments, such as exchange listings and liquidity enhancement.

The value of the POPCAT token is primarily driven by market demand and community engagement. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, the value of POPCAT relies more on its status in internet culture and the support of the community, rather than on actual technological 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 into a global phenomenon, showcasing the powerful influence of internet culture. It has not only become a hotspot on social media but has also crossed over into the cryptocurrency space, sparking an investment frenzy. The success of Popcat highlights the potential for the fusion of internet culture and financial innovation, providing new ideas for the development of digital assets in the future.

Risk Warning: The price of the Popcat token is highly volatile, and its value primarily depends on community support and network popularity. Investors should carefully assess the associated risks.

Author: Gate.io Researcher JJ M. *This article only represents the author's views and does not constitute any trading advice. Investment involves risks, and decisions should be made with caution. *This content is original and owned by Gate.io. If you need to reprint it, please indicate the author and source; otherwise, legal responsibility will be pursued.