The world of cryptocurrencies has transcended finance to infiltrate popular culture, including series and movies that not only mention them, but in some cases have created fictitious currencies that, surprisingly, have impacted the real market. These appearances have generated curiosity, inspired investments and, sometimes, even led to the creation of cryptoassets based on them. Below, we explore some notable examples of fictitious or real cryptocurrencies that, thanks to the screen, have made their mark.
Frinkcoin in The Simpsons
In the episode "Frinkcoin" (season 31, 2020) of The Simpsons, Professor Frink creates an eponymous cryptocurrency that makes him the richest man in Springfield, sparking a rivalry with Mr. Burns, who launches his own “Burns Coin.” Although fictional, the mention of Frinkcoin in such an iconic series caught the attention of crypto enthusiasts. Soon after, real projects emerged on platforms like Binance Smart Chain attempting to replicate the name, albeit without much sustained success. The episode also included an educational segment with Jim Parsons explaining blockchain, which reinforced the cultural impact of this reference.
GenCoin in StartUp
The series StartUp (2016-2018), available on Crackle, revolves around GenCoin, a fictional cryptocurrency created by a tech genius who seeks to revolutionize finance, but ends up attracting corrupt investors and the FBI. Inspired by the ideals of Satoshi Nakamoto, GenCoin mirrored the ICO (initial coin offering) boom of the time. Its realistic narrative led some fans to speculate about its potential as a real project, and while it didn’t materialize, the series coincided with the rise of altcoins like Ethereum, amplifying interest in emerging cryptocurrencies.
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Burns Coin and the echo of Dogecoin
Returning The Simpsons, the mention of “Burns Coin” in the same Frinkcoin episode resonated with the Dogecoin phenomenon, an actual cryptocurrency that started as a meme in 2013 and, following an endorsement from Elon Musk, exploded in value in 2021. Although Burns Coin does not exist, Dogecoin’s popularity (which reached a market cap of over $80 billion at its peak) showed how a seemingly absurd idea from the screen could be reflected in real-life trends, surprising investors and analysts.
Pied Piper Coin in Silicon Valley
In the series Silicon Valley (HBO), the Pied Piper team launches an ICO to fund their startup in Season 5 (2018), raising a fictional $30 million with “Pied Piper Coin.” This satire of the ICO frenzy of 2017, when projects like EOS raised billions, captured the speculative fever of the time. Though it never went beyond fiction, the concept reflected how real cryptocurrencies could emerge from ambitious ideas, influencing market perception and attracting new investors.
The real case of Silk Road in the cinema
The film Silk Road (2021) dramatizes the true story of Ross Ulbricht and his dark web black market, which operated in Bitcoin. Although he did not create a fictional cryptocurrency, his focus on Bitcoin’s early use as an anonymous currency for illicit transactions highlighted its disruptive potential. The shutdown of Silk Road in 2013 and the FBI’s seizure of 144,000 BTC coincided with a surge in Bitcoin’s price and visibility, surprising the market by showing its resilience and utility.
