Crypto is going through a crazy moment right now, and if you’re not watching, you might miss the next major change. On the U.S. Apple App Store, Phantom, a decentralized wallet based in Solana, has formally surpassed Coinbase. Among free apps, it is currently ranked #7, while Coinbase has fallen to #27.

Yep, you read that right. The on-chain memecoin trend is changing the way people trade, so it’s more than just a passing trend.

🧠 Why Phantom Is Soaring

The key to Phantom’s surge is access. Phantom provides traders with a front-row seat to the wild world of memecoins like $CHILLGUY and $WIF, which can go from zero to a $500M market cap in a matter of days, while centralized exchanges like Coinbase play it safe.

Yes, it is more difficult to use DEXs and decentralized wallets. However, people are more than willing to learn when the rewards appear to be 10x or 100x returns.

As Phantom CEO Brandon Millman puts it:

“Traditional centralized exchanges can’t keep up with all of the new on-chain paradigms fast enough.”

📱 TikTok Is Fueling the Frenzy

Unbelievably, TikTok is quietly helping to onboard the newest generation of cryptocurrency users. How to use Phantom, ape into new tokens, and chase the next big meme coin are all being explained in viral videos. It’s not just about education; it’s also about FOMO, community, and hype. And it’s functioning.

💼 Coinbase: Playing Catch-Up

Coinbase isn’t doing nothing. More memecoins, such as FLOKI, PEPE, and WIF, are now listed. Additionally, they are promoting Base, their layer-2 network, to speed up and lower the cost of trading.

However, the raw speed of Solana’s memecoin scene still surpasses it, let’s face it.

A Coinbase spokesperson had this to say:

“We’re thrilled to see more people engaging on-chain.”

Translation? They know what’s up—but they’re not leading this trend.

🤔 So Why Are Traders Going On-Chain?

Because the real action takes place in areas with lower barriers, higher risks, and explosive rewards. A mere five minutes after launch, you can purchase a coin on Phantom. It may never appear at all on Coinbase. Opportunity is being prioritized over simplicity.

The Bottom Line:
Phantom is riding the wave of the memecoin movement, which is ushering in a new era for cryptocurrency. Even though Coinbase is still a massive company, giants can make mistakes in the rapidly evolving field of decentralized finance.

📉 Will Coinbase adjust quickly enough? Or are we seeing the emergence of a new generation of cryptocurrency driven by the craze for memecoins, TikTok, and Phantom?