An artist behind the well-known “Just a Chill Guy” meme has expressed strong disapproval of its use in cryptocurrency, threatening legal action against those capitalizing on his work without consent.
The “Just a Chill Guy” (CHILLGUY) token was introduced on Solana
$248.98
’s blockchain on November 15. Its market capitalization peaked at $580 million before stabilizing at $400 million, with the token valued at $0.40.
Despite its success, the meme’s creator, operating under the name PhillipBankss on X, denounced the commercialization of his art.
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The artist publicly announced that he holds copyright over the character. He plans to target unauthorized commercial use of the image. He posted, “Just putting it out there, chill guy has been copyrighted. Like, legally. I’ll be issuing takedowns on for-profit-related things over the next few days”.
Furthermore, the artist explicitly distanced himself from any endorsement of crypto-related projects involving his creation.
However, community responses were split. An X user argued that legal efforts might be futile due to the decentralized and anonymous nature of blockchain-based projects. Another one highlighted the permanence of the blockchain, suggesting that the token’s existence is irreversible regardless of the artist’s stance.
Conversely, others proposed that PhillipBankss turn the situation to his advantage. Suggestions ranged from launching his non-fungible token (NFT) collection to monetizing his work in ways that align with the blockchain’s ethos. One X user under the name “comet” said:
He could’ve had ten million dollars in donations if he just posted a wallet address
On the other hand, some sided with the artist’s principled stance, defending his right to maintain control over his creation.
Overall, the world of digital assets never runs short of surprises and controversies. Recently, a livestream by a Gen Z kid caused a stir, sending QUANT tokens soaring by $35 million. What did the kid do? Read the full story.
Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.
