The crypto world reacted swiftly to the death of former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, with traders creating and speculating on several Kissinger-themed meme coins.

In the 24 hours following Kissinger's passing, these new tokens generated over $307,000 in trading volume. The most prominent, a wrapped Ethereum token, experienced a dramatic 5,700% surge in its initial hour on Uniswap, although it later settled to a 177% gain.

Trading at a minuscule value of $0.000000001649, this coin exemplifies the volatile nature of such speculative assets.

Variations of these Kissinger coins have also appeared on other blockchain networks, including Solana and BNB Chain, with creatively named versions like “Henry Kissinger Dr. Evil” and “Kissinger69ObamaBidenInu420”.

Extremely Volatile Tokens

These coins, however, are part of a broader trend in the crypto space where 'degen' traders capitalise on the deaths of notable individuals, creating extremely volatile tokens that often crash swiftly after an initial surge.

Such activities, characterised by quick profits and high risks, highlight the speculative and often unpredictable nature of certain segments of the cryptocurrency market.

Kissinger, a figure with no known direct links to the crypto world, became the subject of these meme coins posthumously, reflecting a modern phenomenon where the legacy of public figures is unexpectedly intertwined with digital asset trading.

This trend, while gaining momentum, raises questions about the ethical implications and long-term viability of meme coin culture within the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem.