Kanye West Is Launching a Cryptocurrency Called $YZY. Will It Defy the Odds or Follow the Familiar Pattern of Hype and Disappointment?

The move comes despite his earlier criticisms of such ventures and follows a rocky period for celebrity-backed tokens, raising questions about whether Ye's foray into the crypto space will defy the odds or follow the familiar pattern of hype and disappointment.

Musician and fashion mogul Kanye West, legally known as Ye, has sparked a whirlwind of speculation with his recent social media posts hinting at the launch of a $YZY token.

The move comes despite his earlier criticisms of such ventures and follows a rocky period for celebrity-backed tokens, raising questions about whether Ye’s foray into the crypto space will defy the odds or follow the familiar pattern of hype and disappointment.

A Whirlwind of Controversy

In recent weeks, Ye’s activity on X has been a whirlwind of controversy and intrigue. Among his posts, several stand out as potential breadcrumbs leading to a $YZY token launch.

On February 22, he tweeted, “I’m launching next week, all current ones are fake,” a statement that has fueled speculation about his plans to introduce an official cryptocurrency tied to his Yeezy brand.

All current coins are fake, said Ye on X

Earlier posts from February 7 and 8 show him wrestling with the concept of meme coins—questioning, “WHEN PEOPLE MAKE ALL THAT MONEY WITH A COIN IS THAT CASH OR CONCEPT?”—and revealing a $2 million offer he rejected to promote a scam token.

These tweets suggest Ye has been mulling over crypto for some time, possibly testing the waters before committing.

CoinDesk reported that sources close to the project indicate that $YZY is designed to serve as the official currency for Ye’s website, allowing fans to purchase Yeezy products directly with the token. That’s needed as Ye was thrown off Spotify for some highly questionable behavior. IYKYK.

The distribution plan is striking: Ye is set to retain 70% of the supply, with 20% allocated to investors and just 10% for liquidity. This heavily centralized structure mirrors other high-profile celebrity tokens, like Donald Trump’s $TRUMP, which reserved 80% for insiders.

Ye's pivot to crypto follows his earlier disdain for such ventures. On February 9, he declared, “I’m not doing a coin. I only do things I’m passionate and knowledgeable about. Coins prey on the fans with hype,” a stance he seems to have reversed in just two weeks.

The timing of Ye’s apparent shift couldn’t be more precarious. The celebrity meme coin craze has hit a rough patch, with recent launches failing to sustain their initial buzz.

Take $LIBRA, endorsed by Argentina’s President Javier Milei, which collapsed in a pump-and-dump scandal earlier this month, sparking political backlash and an impeachment push.

Similarly, rapper DaBaby’s $BABY coin soared to a $27 million trading volume in January before crashing 33% in minutes, leaving investors burned. Even Trump’s $TRUMP, while still afloat, has faced criticism for its insider-heavy allocation and lack of utility beyond hype.

Ye’s $YZY launch, originally slated for Thursday, February 20, was delayed. The postponements, coupled with his history of unpredictable behavior, have sparked skepticism.

Industry watchers point to his earlier comments likening coins to “hyped up sneakers culture”—a phenomenon he helped pioneer—as evidence of a potential disconnect.

Despite the red flags, Ye’s star power could still ignite a frenzy. In fact, he could launch an entire blockchain ecosystem. That would be a typical Kanye move. It seems he is now considering exactly that. An advisor to Kanye has suggested that a fork of Solana or Dogecoin would be an effective way to spin up a Kanye blockchain.

Kanye’s most recent tweet hints at a Ye blockchain, Source: X

However, the crypto market’s recent memory of celebrity misfires looms large. Analysts warn that $YZY’s skewed ownership could lead to a quick pump followed by a devastating dump, a fate that has befallen many predecessors.

As Ye prepares to step into this volatile arena, the question remains: will $YZY be a revolutionary move or just another footnote in the growing list of celebrity crypto cautionary tales? For now, the world watches—and waits—as Ye’s tweets keep the speculation frothy.