Who is the Real Heir to Doge? A New DAO Steps In
The long-running battle over which meme coin truly represents the "next Doge" may finally get resolved.
On Monday, Own the Doge, a group (DAO) focused on protecting the legacy of the original Doge meme, announced that Atsuko Sato—owner of the famous late Shiba Inu, Kabosu—has granted them rights to her new dog, Neiro.
Let’s break it down:
Kabosu, the dog behind the original Dogecoin meme, passed away in May. Soon after, Sato adopted a new Shiba Inu named Neiro. Given how Kabosu inspired Dogecoin (now valued at around $59 billion), it didn’t take long for meme coin enthusiasts to start creating tokens based on Neiro.
However, this led to chaos. Many Neiro-themed meme coins popped up, each claiming to be the “real one.” The problem? None of them had Atsuko Sato’s official approval.
Now, Own the Doge hopes to settle this dispute with Sato’s support and a vote by its DAO members.
“This is not wholesome,” Own the Doge said on social media about the fighting between meme coin creators. “But it doesn’t have to be this way.”
What’s Next?
In the coming weeks, the DAO will let its members vote on which Neiro meme coin—if any—deserves official recognition. Most voting will happen after the holidays.
Sato will act as the “guiding light” in this process and will have the power to veto any decision made by the DAO. In fact, she and the DAO might choose to support no meme coins at all.
Who Can Vote?
Holders of Own the Doge’s official token (DOG) will be allowed to vote. Note: This token is not the same as Dogecoin (DOGE), which was created back in 2013 without Sato’s involvement.
Why Does This Matter?
A lot of money is at stake. For example:
- One Neiro-themed meme coin on Ethereum has a market cap of almost $663 million.
- Another on Solana is worth around $5 million.
The DAO’s decision could have a big impact on these tokens—and the Doge community as a whole.
