How South Park influences crypto shows
“South Park” has recently extended its run on cryptocurrency, drawing attention to prediction markets, trading apps, US regulators and politicians tied to the industry.
Now in its 27th season, the animated series has built its reputation on no holds barred international events. Crypto has taken some hits over and over.
Not everyone is happy to be plastered on TV shows — the White House recently condemned President Donald Trump's portrayal of Satan — but references to crypto have been widely acknowledged in the industry in the past.
Here are five moments when digital assets crossed over into pop culture.
We met Kalshi in South Park before GTA 6 pic.twitter.com/659PZHoAqb
— Kalshi (@kalshi) September 25, 2025
Prediction market apps Kalshi and Polymarket make it to “South Park.” Source: Kalshi/Paramount+
Bitcoin is the future because NFT will be diseases in “South Park”.
“South Park” Season 27 Episode 5 focuses on the prediction markets. Fox News reports on Kalshi and Polymarket betting: Will President Trump and Satan's child be a boy or a girl?
Previous episodes featuring Bitcoin (BTC) as the main currency of the 2021 post-Covid special released on November 25th – but also included a Ponzi scheme.
In December 2021, “South Park” mocked non-perishable tokens (NFTs) as a get-rich-quick craze. The special featured an adult Butters – a friend and classmate of the four main characters on the show – losing his mind over NFTs, infecting anyone he listens to, and talking about monkeys and overnight riches.
“The Simpsons” and “Big Bang Theory's” Sheldon explains blockchain.
In the year
Bit is narrated by Jim Parsons – best known for playing Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory” – who breaks down the basics of how cryptocurrencies work. He made waves in the crypto community because he skipped the hype and took an educational approach.
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A year later, Bitcoin appeared again in “The Simpsons”. At this time, the show predicted that BTC will increase to infinity.
Fortune didn't like Matt Damon's Crypto.com ad.
Hollywood actor Matt Damon starred in Crypto.com's October 2021 announcement at the height of the bitcoin bull run, weeks before the asset hit a then-record high.
“It's almost full of history,” Damon said. “With those who had an adventure, with those who were about to make it, but in the end, for them, it became too much.
He then pointed to researchers and inventors as an example of human progress, saying, “Since Roman times, four simple words whispered by brave men calm their minds and steel their nerves. Wealth benefits the brave.”
The camera moves away from Damon to a cosmic background with the Crypto.com logo. Business end.
Within weeks, Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $69,000. But the next year brought terrible misfortune: Terra's collapse, bankruptcy, and a brutal bear market.
In the year In February 2022, crypto returned to South Park Crossroads in a post-Covid hour special. “What does Matt Damon say in that Bitcoin ad?” asks Eric Cartman, the show's selfish instigator. “Wealth favors the brave!”
“My dad said he heard Matt Damon and he lost all his money,” another boy replied.
“Yeah, everyone did. But they were brave when they did it,” Cartman said.
Control of Crypto's Super Bowl
In the year In 2022, the Super Bowl attracted the attention of the entire crypto world, as several digital asset companies spent millions on high-profile advertisements.
Crypto.com has doubled down with basketball legend LeBron James on its “Wealth for Talent” campaign. Trading platform eToro has introduced itself with both trading and half-time bingo card minigames.
But Coinbase stole the show with its QR code around the screen. Viewers who tuned into it enjoyed a $15 Bitcoin giveaway and sign-up promotion — a simple marketing campaign so popular that it briefly crashed the app.
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FTX commercial starring comedian Larry David, Age Worse. In the ad, David dismisses revolutionary inventions in history such as the wheel and fork. The last genius was FTX, which again rejected him.
“It's a safe and easy way to get into crypto,” someone told him.
“Uh, I don't think so,” replied Larry. “And I've never been wrong about that.” “no way!”
Then the words “Don't be like Larry” were everywhere.
In the year In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy after it was revealed that it had merged user assets. Founder Sam Bankman-Fried has now been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
In an interview in February 2024, David admitted that he regretted his involvement in the business. He said he lost money after receiving part of his salary in crypto.
Elon Musk's Dogecoin “Noise” on “SNL”
In the year In 2021, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted frequently about Dogecoin, with each post raising Mame tokens.
Earlier that year, Tesla announced a $1.5 billion purchase of bitcoin, giving the industry a major endorsement from one of the world's richest executives.
The frenzy peaked with Musk's “Saturday Night Live” appearance in May 2021, sending Dogecoin (DOGE) to an all-time high of $0.76 ahead of the broadcast.
But the show fell short for investors as Musk called Dogecoin a “bump” during the skit, and by September 2022 the token had lost nearly 75 percent of its value against Bitcoin.
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