Coinbase CEO Says Memecoins Will Pave the Way for Art, Identity and Vote Tokenization — Here’s Why He’s Right
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has a bold vision for the future of crypto.
In a new interview with CNBC, Armstrong said that memecoins — often dismissed as speculative gambling — are actually a sign of something much bigger. He believes they foreshadow the tokenization of nearly everything, from identities to votes to music.
His argument? Memecoins show how easy it is to create digital assets, and in the long run, this ability will expand beyond jokes and speculation into meaningful use cases.
Armstrong didn’t mince words when discussing the role of memecoins in crypto’s evolution. While they are often seen as pure hype-driven assets, he sees them as an early indicator of a broader shift toward tokenizing the world.
“Memecoins in the broadest sense, I think we should find a way for artists to get paid. Anyone should be able to put artwork and get paid for it. I do think memecoins are a canary in the coal mine, that more and more of the world is going to get tokenized and put on-chain,” he said.
He envisions a world where everything — not just digital art or cryptocurrencies — exists on a blockchain. This includes identity verification, voting systems, ownership of creative work, and even social media posts.
“Every asset class, every vote, every identity, every song, every Instagram post, whatever — in the future I think more and more of these things are going to be tokenized,” Armstrong explained.
His point is that memecoins are proof that blockchain technology allows for the creation of digital assets at a massive scale. Today, that mostly means dog-themed tokens and celebrity-backed coins. Tomorrow, it could mean legally recognized digital identity, on-chain elections, and frictionless music licensing.
Why Tokenization Matters
Tokenization refers to the process of converting real-world or digital assets into blockchain-based tokens. This concept is already playing out in the financial world, where institutions like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton are tokenizing money market funds.
But Armstrong’s vision expands far beyond finance.
Imagine a world where your driver’s license, passport, or university degree exists as a secure, verifiable token on a blockchain. Instead of needing physical documents or government-controlled databases, you’d simply have a cryptographic key proving your credentials.
Voting could also be transformed. Election security and fraud are constant concerns worldwide, but blockchain-based voting could allow for fully transparent, tamper-proof elections.
The same principle applies to art and music. Today, artists struggle with piracy, unfair revenue splits, and middlemen who take a cut of their earnings. Tokenization could allow musicians to mint their songs as tokens, ensuring direct payments from listeners without intermediaries.
The core idea here is ownership, transparency, and accessibility. Whether it’s a rare piece of art, a stock, or a digital ID, tokenization allows people to have verifiable, transferrable ownership of their assets.
Memecoins Are Just the Beginning
Armstrong sees memecoins as part of the larger story of crypto adoption. While some critics see them as a joke, he sees them as a signal that people are ready to experiment with digital ownership on a massive scale.
“I do think we’re in the early stages of this industry so it’s the Wild West a little bit with memecoins right now. There’s good that comes with that which is a lot of innovation is happening,” Armstrong said.
His argument is that as crypto matures, the lessons learned from memecoins will apply to more serious applications. Today, speculation drives memecoin adoption. But tomorrow, similar mechanisms could power decentralized governance, AI-generated content monetization, or even new financial instruments.
The Future: Memecoins as a Cultural Signal
While the idea of tokenizing identity, voting, and social media posts might sound futuristic, the fundamental infrastructure is already in place. Memecoins show that token creation and distribution can happen fast and at scale.
Armstrong’s broader point is that crypto isn’t just about finance — it’s about culture.
If memecoins can turn memes into tradeable assets, what’s stopping artists, musicians, and content creators from tokenizing their work? If community-driven coins can raise millions overnight, what happens when that energy is applied to political movements or social causes?
For Armstrong, the rapid rise of memecoins isn’t a distraction — it’s a preview of what’s to come.
Why He’s Right
It’s easy to dismiss memecoins as hype-driven gambling. But history shows that early trends in crypto often foreshadow broader adoption.
In 2017, ICOs (initial coin offerings) were widely criticized for scams and speculation. But they laid the groundwork for modern token launches, including legitimate security token offerings.
In 2020, DeFi (decentralized finance) was dismissed as a niche experiment. Today, DeFi platforms manage tens of billions in assets.
NFTs started as cartoon jpegs but have evolved into on-chain membership passes, loyalty rewards, and even digital real estate.
Memecoins may follow the same trajectory. Right now, they are largely speculative. But as blockchain adoption grows, the ability to create and distribute tokens instantly and at scale will likely be applied to more meaningful use cases.
TokenFi’s RWA Tokenization Module
TokenFi is building a platform that will make tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs) seamless and accessible. With just a few simple clicks, users will be able to create blockchain-based versions of traditional assets, making them tradable, transparent, and secure within the decentralized ecosystem.
To ensure trust and efficiency, TokenFi leverages cutting-edge technology from Chainlink, including Proof of Reserves (PoR) and the Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP). Chainlink’s PoR validates off-chain collateral in real time, guaranteeing that tokenized assets are fully backed and secure. Meanwhile, CCIP enables users to move these assets effortlessly across multiple supported blockchain networks without relying on risky bridge solutions.
While the TokenFi RWA Tokenization Module is yet to go live, it will remain focused on non-security assets.
