YZY Money, the Solana-based token launched by rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West), surged 814% to $1.86 following its announcement in late January 2024. The project encompasses three integrated components: the YZY token, Ye Pay (a low-fee crypto payment processor), and the YZY Card for global spending of YZY and USDC. The token’s launch comes amid a broader cryptocurrency market recovery, with Bitcoin and Solana seeing notable price increases. Despite Ye’s initial rejection of celebrity meme coins, YZY Money aims to avoid typical celebrity token pitfalls through a structured vesting schedule using the Jupiter Lock protocol, which allocates 20% to public trading and 20% to liquidity, while the remaining supply is distributed among team and long-term vesting periods [1].
In contrast, YZY Money’s trajectory stands in sharp contrast to other celebrity tokens, such as those of Donald Trump and Melania Trump, which lost over 80% of their value since January 2024 peaks. This highlights the high volatility and speculative nature of celebrity-backed meme coins, which often struggle to maintain long-term value. Despite the initial enthusiasm for YZY Money, the project still faces the same skepticism and challenges as many celebrity-driven tokens, including concerns about market hype versus sustainable utility [1].
On the other hand, XYZVerse (XYZ), a sports-themed meme coin, has emerged as a more robust and potentially sustainable option in the meme coin space. The project has raised over $15 million through its presale, with token prices soaring from $0.0001 to $0.0054—a gain of over 5,300%. XYZVerse combines crypto culture with sports and gamified staking, offering real-world utility through integrations like the decentralized sportsbook and casino bookmaker.XYZ. The token’s strong tokenomics include a fixed supply of 100 billion tokens, a deflationary mechanism through token burns, and a transparent allocation of supply for marketing, liquidity, and community incentives [2].
XYZVerse’s presale model has also evolved to maintain momentum and urgency, with the token’s price increasing dynamically as $100,000 in fundraising milestones are reached. This structure has led to rapid participation and a growing community across platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram, with over 21,000 followers. The project’s strategic roadmap includes the development of dApps for staking, rewards, and community engagement, as well as collaborations with influencers and athletes to bridge Web3 and traditional sports audiences [2].
Analysts suggest that XYZVerse’s unique value proposition—its blend of sports culture and blockchain utility—positions it well for long-term success in the meme coin sector. Unlike many celebrity-backed tokens, XYZVerse has undergone a full smart contract audit by Pessimistic Audit and SolidProof, reinforcing its credibility in a space often plagued by scams and unverified projects. The team’s commitment to transparency and utility, rather than pure hype, makes XYZVerse a standout contender in the 2025 meme coin cycle [2].
While celebrity-backed tokens like YZY and MELANIA have struggled to deliver consistent returns, projects like XYZVerse demonstrate how meme coins can evolve beyond viral appeal and offer real-world use cases. The success of XYZVerse, with its structured tokenomics and growing community, highlights the importance of utility and long-term vision in meme coin projects. As the crypto market continues to mature, investors may increasingly favor tokens with tangible applications, such as gamified staking and sports betting integrations, over those driven solely by celebrity influence [2].
Source:
[1] YZY Money: The Solana-Based Token by Ye (Kanye West) (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/kanye-west-launches-solana-based-013104546.html)
[2] XYZVerse: A Sports-Themed Meme Coin with Strong Utility and Tokenomics (https://zycrypto.com/the-prime-meme-token-2025-inside-xyzverses-xyz-community-power-and-presale-acceleration/)
