From Bitcoin to NFTs: How South Park turns crypto into comedy

The animated series South Park has once again tackled the topic of cryptocurrencies in its latest episode, continuing its long-running parody of digital finance. The episode from season 27 focuses on prediction markets and trading apps, featuring direct references to platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, as well as U.S. regulators and politicians linked to the industry.

Bitcoin and other digital assets have frequently appeared in pop culture. In 2021, South Park portrayed cryptocurrencies as both a mainstream payment method and a potential Ponzi scheme. Other shows, such as The Simpsons, approached the topic from an educational perspective, explaining blockchain and cryptocurrency concepts in a special episode aired in February 2020.

Also in 2021, actor Matt Damon starred in a Crypto.com commercial that became symbolic of the crypto market’s peak period. Despite the temporary surge, the following year brought major declines, marked by the collapse of the Terra ecosystem and a wave of bankruptcies across the crypto industry.