Vlad Gorbunov, founder of the Choise.ai ecosystem, discusses the future of the meme coin space and explains how the team’s new Meme Bank can transform the sector by providing meme coins with utility-driven features such as token burns and staking rewards, along with real-world applications like payments via Visa/Mastercard bank cards with bespoke designs.

CN: Vlad, can you elaborate on the future of the meme coin sector? Do you think meme coins can transform from hype-driven assets to solid, long-term performers, especially in light of recent headlines about the meme coin hype cooling down?

VG: Meme coins are a quintessential reflection of the new investment culture. At first glance, they might seem like frivolous creations with no intrinsic value, purchased purely for entertainment or speculative purposes. However, it’s worth noting that Bitcoin was once in a similar position. In its early days, Bitcoin had no tangible value — its worth was built on a collective belief in its potential. This phenomenon mirrors broader financial markets, whether in stocks or other investment spaces, where community confidence helps companies achieve valuations 100 or 200 times their annual revenues or profits.

Similarly, meme coin communities, often million-strong, hold onto their tokens not because of inherent utility but because of a shared belief in the token’s future. For some, the appeal lies in the humor or ideology behind the memes; for others, it’s the perceived “uselessness” that makes these coins intriguing. Memes themselves have become intertwined with events and various ideas, embedding them firmly in modern cultural expressions.

So, meme coins have solidified their place as a phenomenon that isn’t likely to fade anytime soon. Their market capitalization continues to set records, with year-to-date price changes exceeding 10,000%. As one of the fastest-growing niches in the bull market, meme coins now rank fourth behind currencies, chains, and stablecoins. The world’s most influential people, like Elon Musk and Donald Trump, align themselves with the meme coin culture, demonstrating their understanding of the movement that resonates with large audiences.

Market researchers project the meme coin sector has the potential to surpass $1 trillion, signaling that we’re at the beginning of a new cycle that could drive mass adoption. Yet, can meme coins transform into sustainable, long-term investment vehicles? The answer is likely no. They are more apt to remain speculative instruments, prone to delivering astronomical returns. Take $POPCAT, which alone has surged over 6,400% in 2024. However, this dynamic isn’t entirely different from that of other cryptocurrencies. Ultimately, the driving force behind meme coins is the same as that for any digital asset: community sentiment. One thing that can improve meme coins’ position is utility. And this is where Meme Bank enters the picture.

CN: But how can Meme Bank ensure its utility-driven approach will resonate in a market that prioritizes excitement over real value? 

VG: The goal of Meme Bank isn’t to diminish the emotional value, excitement, or hype surrounding meme coins; in fact, it amplifies them by transforming this energy into a foundation for creating tailored products that empower specific meme coins with practical use cases. These products enhance the functionality of meme coins, offering features that integrate them into everyday activities. In doing so, Meme Bank not only strengthens and expands the utility of meme coins but also boosts its visibility and investment appeal.

CN: Can you elaborate on the utilities Meme Bank will provide to meme token holders and what the potential use cases for it are? 

VG: Utility refers to the ability of a coin to perform specific functions that provide tangible benefits or support a broader economy. Take Binance Coin, which creates consistent demand through clear functionality, including reduced transaction fees of 25–30% on Binance. Additionally, holders who stake BNB contribute to its ecosystem, as portions of the token are utilized, burned, or repurchased, ensuring its active integration within Binance’s operations.

In the meme coin world, communities like BONK occasionally distribute NFTs or rewards to top holders, but such initiatives fall short of offering true utility. Acting as a crypto bank for meme coins, Meme Bank will enable these tokens to serve as functional currencies for transactions, exchanges, and withdrawals. Users can even issue Visa and Mastercard cards featuring unique meme designs, deposit their meme coins onto these cards, and use them globally for shopping, bill payments, and more.

These practical applications will also generate revenue through transaction fees paid by users when they send meme coins to a card or make any other transactions. This revenue can be further reinvested into the ecosystem. For example, if a million transactions generate $10 million in fees, $5 million could be allocated to reducing meme token supply via buybacks and burns, increasing scarcity and value. Alternatively, users could stake their meme coins within the Meme Bank ecosystem and earn a share of the revenue as a reward. Through these mechanisms, Meme Bank will foster stronger, more engaged meme coin communities.

Initially, Meme Bank will focus on working with meme coin communities, developing tailored solutions to meet their specific needs. Over time, the platform will open up to broader participation, allowing any community to vote for a given meme coin to gain a dedicated meme bank platform. Governance will be community-driven through DAO mechanisms, enabling members to influence key decisions such as card designs, transaction fees, and other banking features.

CN: The CHO token will be integrated into every Meme Bank transaction — what advantages and benefits will this bring to the Choise.ai ecosystem?

VG: The resources for developing Meme Bank are provided by Choise.ai and Vault, a leading provider of white-label crypto banking solutions. They equip Meme Bank with the necessary infrastructure to launch meme banks swiftly and efficiently.

Vault already supports over 50 enterprises worldwide, typically generating revenue by charging clients for its services. However, with the Meme Bank platform, meme coin communities will be able to launch their own dedicated meme banks without the need for licenses or significant upfront investments. Instead, Vault will leverage the Meme Bank project to showcase its own solutions to vibrant, large-scale meme coin communities, driving millions of transactions.

Choise.ai and its extensive community of CHO token holders stand to benefit from each of these transactions. A portion of the revenue will be allocated to burning CHO tokens, increasing their scarcity and value. This process will take place seamlessly in the background, without affecting the meme coins themselves. To ensure transparency and foster engagement, real-time dashboards will display burning volumes.

Choise.ai and Vault strongly believe in the vast potential of meme coin communities. The top three meme coin ecosystems — DOGE, SHIB, and PEPE — already boast over 7 million token holders, many of whom are actively profiting from these assets or aspiring to do so. Meme Bank represents a groundbreaking initiative to unlock this potential further, propelling meme coin trading far beyond its current 11-digit volume.

CN: If you could sum up Meme Bank’s mission in a single word or phrase, what would it be?

VG: Meme Bank’s mission is to become the premier utility provider for meme coins, elevating their functionality while maintaining their hype and emotional allure.