Last time I caught up with Billy Markus — the Portland-area co-founder of the meme-based online cryptocurrency Dogecoin— he was hoping the community of Dogecoin users would continue to be a welcoming place for people interested in learning more about cryptocurrency.
It appears to be doing just that. After Sunday’s NASCAR race in Talladega a whole new set of people were exposed to the currency.
The Doge community rallied and raised $55,000 to sponsor driver Josh Wise. The Dogecoin car, complete with the adorable Shiba Inu mug on the hood, made its debut at May 4 at Talladega Superspeedway. It finished 20th and Markus was tuned in.
“I appreciate the community picking these ‘underdog’ type stories that are good natured but also have an element of absurdity and amusement,” Markus said, highlighting not only this effort but the community fundraising to send the Jamaican bobsled team to the Sochi Winter Olympics. “I think that fits a currency based on the doge meme.”
The NASCAR spotlight is a win for everyone, Markus said. The sport was exposed to a new audience, Wise and his team got more attention and Dogecoin and Reddit got national exposure.
“I think the community is full of very passionate folks who want the coin to be successful, and the more widespread the usage and acceptance the more successful it will be,” Markus said.