In one of the most unexpected moves in crypto history, Coinbase purchased an NFT from popular crypto personality Cobie (Jordan Fish) for $25 million USDC on October 20, 2025. This then prompted a reaction from Cobie.
A joke turned smart contract reality
The NFT in question wasn’t a piece of art or a collectible. It was part of a long-running joke. Earlier this year, Cobie had minted the token with a hidden clause: if anyone purchased or burned it, he and his co-host Ledger would be obligated to produce eight new episodes of their hit crypto podcast Up Only TV. Cobie even admitted that he “kept adding zeros until the number seemed too big for anyone to buy.” Coinbase, it seems, called his bluff.
The return of a crypto classic
Up Only TV was one of the most influential crypto podcasts during the 2021 bull run, known for its irreverent humor and unfiltered interviews with top figures in the industry. After the collapse of FTX — one of its main sponsors — the show went on hiatus in late 2022. Coinbase’s $25 million purchase doesn’t just bring the podcast back; it highlights how NFTs can encode real-world obligations and cultural moments into blockchain transactions.
Blurring the line between memes and media
Whether Coinbase plans to burn the NFT to trigger new episodes remains to be seen. But this unexpected buy has already reignited excitement across the crypto community. What started as a meme has evolved into a landmark moment for web3 media — where an on-chain joke can literally bring a show back to life.
