From Shiba Inu to Pot and Putin… the bizarre world of cryptocurrency names

Unlike Bitcoins, whose maximum possible number is fixed at 21 million (a figure that is estimated to be reached by 2040), Dogecoin numbers do not have an upper limit, and there are already more than 100 billion in existence.

When the crypto coin first took off, the online community that was backing it invited attention by supporting unconventional causes, such as sponsoring Jamaica’s bobsled team at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Also that year, the Dogecoin community gave $55,000 worth of the digital token to a Nascar driver in the US. “Doge” also has an ardent supporter in Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who frequently tweets have added to the digital token’s mania. Musk had once changed his Twitter bio to “Former CEO of Dogecoin.” Other celebrities, including rapper Snoop Dogg and rock musician Gene Simmons, have also promoted it on social media.

Potcoin

There are a number of cannabis-focused coins—including CannabisCoin, KushCoin, Bongger, Ganjacoinpro, and others. (Photo: Potcoin)

Potcoin, as the name suggests refers to a network that facilitates buying legal marijuana. It is a digital currency that allows consumers to buy and sell cannabis products anonymously.

The digital coin provides a banking solution that brings marijuana businesses and consumers together on a decentralized peer-to-peer platform, allowing participants all around the world to make secure transactions.

Interestingly, on June 12, 2017 the Potcoin community sponsored Dennis Rodman, an American former professional basketball player and an unofficial US Peace Ambassador to North Korea— to visit North Korea and negotiate peace between the United States and Kim Jong-un. While it is unclear if this endeavor effectively promoted the pacifist values of the community, but it proved to be highly profitable for the notoriety of the coin and the project as a whole. Ᵽotcoin’s community grew 600 per cent overnight.

There are a number of cannabis-focused coins—including CannabisCoin, KushCoin, Bongger, Ganjacoinpro, and others.

Kodakcoin

will work with Kodak One, a new platform that is supposed to help photographers license their images. (Photo: Twitter/ Kodak)

Kodak, is the latest company to step into the cryptocurrency bandwagon. The camera company announced Kodakcoin at an event in January to manage digital image rights and to pay photographers for image usage. The camera maker even announced a new Kodak KashMiner mining rig to go with it.

The digital coin will work with Kodak One, a new platform that is supposed to help photographers license their images.

Dentacoin

Founded in 2017, the Netherlands-based Dentacoin Foundation is the autonomous organization behind the Dentacoin blockchain-based solutions. (Photo: Dentacoin)

Dentacoin is a cryptocurrency for the global dental industry. The company in a blog post notes that it is on a mission to improve oral health globally using:
1. a preventive, smart contract-based dental assurance model
2. a set of dental apps, incentivising beneficial user behaviour
3. a functioning cryptocurrency, used for rewards and payments

Founded in 2017, the Netherlands-based Dentacoin Foundation is the autonomous organization behind the Dentacoin blockchain-based solutions and the same-named cryptocurrency. The legal structure of the Foundation ensures the proper execution of the mission and protects users’ interest as it functions solely.

Trumpcoin

200,000 of the six million available Trumpcoins have been set aside for donation to the Trump administration. (Photo: Trumpcoin)

Trumpcoin describes itself as a cryptocurrency supporting the Trump administration and its followers which it calls ‘Patriots’. The Trumpcoin in a blog post describes itself, as staunch “supporters of Trump who love Freedom, God, Family and feels a sense of pride in contributing to society, and stand firm against leftist groups and intimidation.”

The blockchain company notes that 200,000 of the six million available Trumpcoins have been set aside for donation to the Trump administration once the currency reaches ‘a substantial value’.

Putincoin

Putincoin, on its website highlighted that with Putincoin “a lot of possibilities will be provided for businesses, traders, private persons, social and economic projects. (Photo: Putincoin)

Trumpcoin’s counterpart: the Putincoin, is a cryptocurrency named after the Russian President Vladmir Putin. The decision to develop a cryptocurrency dedicated to Russia was made to support the fast growing Russian economy and market within the country and beyond its borders.

Putincoin, on its website highlighted that with the coin “a lot of possibilities will be provided for businesses, traders, private persons, social and economic projects. The present and future technology, services and apps are and will always be free to use.”

Whoppercoin

For 1,700 Whopper coins, you can receive a free Whopper. (Source: AP File)

Burger King, one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world has introduced the Whopper Coin. The  cryptocurrency was launched by the Russian branch of Burger King as a loyalty program in the summer of 2017.

This was an initiative of Burger King Russia, and the idea was that for every Russian rouble spent in a Burger King outlet, customers  were given a Whoppercoin.

This Whoppercoin can be used to buy, well, a Whopper. If the customers have 1700 Whoppercoins, the company allowed  customers to buy Burger King’s flagship sandwich.

Shiba Inu

SHIB is “primed and ready to overtake the value of Dogecoin.” (Photo: Twitter/Shiba Inu)

Shiba Inu (SHIB) is an Ethereum-based cryptocurrency that features—a Japanese breed of hunting dog—as its mascot. The cryptocurrency is widely considered to be an alternative to Dogecoin—in fact, proponents of Shiba Inu tout it as “the Dogecoin killer.

According to Shiba Inu founder Ryoshi, it earned the nickname “the Dogecoin killer” because the value of SHIB is “primed and ready to overtake the value of Dogecoin.” Ryoshi adds that even if SHIB never hits $0.01, SHIB’s publicity and utility mean that it will be worth proportionately more than Dogecoin.

Crypto enthusiasts and experts are still grappling to come to terms with the SHIB’s all-time high market capitalisation which has now surpassed some major Indian companies such as Adani Enterprises, Tata Steel, and Tech Mahindra. With a market capitalisation of more than $38 billion, Shiba Inu is now the 11th largest cryptocurrency.

Garlicoin

Garlicoin is created by mining, with a total supply of 69 millions. (Photo: Garlicoin)

Garlicoin is a memecoin started in 2018,, based on garlic bread memes. It used to be extremely popular but still retains a large community with some loyal followers who continue to support and try to expand it.

A community of Reddit users thought it would be funny to create a cryptocurrency inspired by garlic bread, and so they did. Garlicoin is created by mining, and has a total supply cap of 69 millions.

Mooncoin

Mooncoin has its own programming language called MoonWord for decentralized app. (Photo: Mooncoin)

Mooncoin was conceived primarily for frequent, global micro-transactions, hence its maximum supply of 384 billion coins. This number was derived from the calculation of one coin for every millimeter between Earth and the Moon. It’s also got its own programming language called MoonWord for decentralised app (DApp) coding and blockchain record-keeping.

Comparisons have often been made between Mooncoin and Dogecoin, and there are some similarities. Both were created at roughly the same time period, and both are meant for quick micro-transactions. Also, both are taken from a Litecoin concept, as all three use the Scrypt algorithm, which is faster and more complex than Bitcoin’s SHA-256 mining equipment protocol.

However, a noteworthy distinction exists in basic coin supply structure: Dogecoin has no maximum circulating coin supply (i.e., infinite supply), whilst Mooncoin has a maximum cap on the total possible number of coins, making it deflationary and attractive as a store of value.