Base Founder Jesse Pollak's Creator Coin Launch Sparks Heated Debate: Hypocrisy or the Future of On-Chain Creators

Jesse Pollak, founder of Base and Coinbase's flagship Ethereum Layer-2 network, has announced the official launch of his personal creator coin, envisioning a future where "every creator will have a coin" to power tokenized fan economies.

The revelation, captured in a 36-second clip from The Rollup podcast, has ignited fierce market debate.

Posted just 20 hours ago on X, the video has already amassed over 101,900 views and 114 replies, amid the fresh sting of Zora's abrupt delisting of the $Kazonomics creator coin that wiped out 4,200 holders last week, as well as echoes of Base's infamous April 2025 fake token "rug" that duped traders.

While Pollak hails creator coins as a game-changer for Base's "streaming economy," the move has branded him a hypocrite in community eyes, exposing raw ethical fractures in crypto's on-chain creator space.

Background on Jesse Pollak and the Base Ecosystem

Jesse Pollak, the architect behind Base, a Coinbase-incubated Ethereum Layer 2 boasting billions in total value locked, wields outsized influence in crypto.

His innovations, like seamless on-chain payments, have drawn creators and developers to Base's low-fee, high-speed environment.

The announcement dropped during a lively episode of The Rollup, hosted by Andy (@ayyyeandy) and Robbie (@robbie_rollup) from Korea Blockchain Week.

Pollak's chat delved into on-chain streaming innovations, positioning creator coins as the next frontier for monetizing content directly with fans.

He teased the imminent drop of his personal coin on Zora, a Base-integrated NFT and creator platform, framing it as digital merch that blends memecoins with fan tokens to deliver royalties, access perks, and community governance.

Community Criticism Overwhelms Supporters

A few supporters view Pollak's coin as rocket fuel for Base's ecosystem, potentially boosting TVL and rivaling Web2 platforms like Patreon and Twitch.

However, in the post's 114 replies, a deluge of outrage has overshadowed these voices, laced with sarcasm and demands for accountability.

Crypto influencer @beaniemaxi, whose pointed quip has garnered over 1,200 views, revived ghosts of past scandals, asking "Didn’t he do this already?" The comment alludes to Base's notorious April 2025 fake token rug that tricked traders into dumping funds.

Echoing the fury, @ShinraDeFi's viral takedown, racking up 1,800 views, blasted Pollak for "EVERY SINGLE FXCKING TIME you manage to pick the absolute worst choice when it comes to Base or your onchain behavior," spotlighting specifics like shilling his brother-in-law's Zora track that dumped 99% and ties to scammer Sahil amid the $Kazonomics rug devastating 4,200 holders.

Insider theft allegations cut deep too: "Launching using the funds u stole from kazonomics community?" sneered @andy_bean_stalk, directly invoking the delisted coin's fallout. This negativity has supercharged the post's virality, morphing Pollak's announcement into a brutal, meme-laden takedown.

Scant positives emerge, like bullish ecosystem nods, but negativity fuels the virality, turning Pollak's milestone into a meme-fueled roast.

Hypocrisy or the Future of On-Chain Creators?

Pollak's vision slams against a community raw from perceived rugs and opacity, morphing hype into a trust-eroding flashpoint for Base and Zora.

As "pump and dump" fears loom over on-chain creators, risking centralization, scams, and regulatory scrutiny, calls ring out for transparency: explain delistings, compensate holders, enforce ethical rules.

Community trust and loyalty are critical in crypto. Past missteps did not just impact investors financially, they eroded confidence. With the backing of Coinbase, Base and Zora still have the resources and expertise to deliver on their products.

In this competitive crypto market, the question remains: will $JESSE rally Base diehards or hasten an exodus? This is a story to watch closely.

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