Coinbase Reviving UpOnly Podcast with $25 Million on Unique NFT
Date: 2025-10-22 Author: Henry Casey Categories: BUSINESS
Coinbase acquired an NFT created by UpOnly host Jordan Fish, better known as Cobie. According to Arkham Intelligence, 25 million USDC was transferred to his wallet. The NFT included a special clause: burning the token would automatically activate a new season of the podcast. Thus, the deal symbolically marked the return of the popular show, once considered the voice of the crypto industry.
On the same day, Coinbase announced another major acquisition: Echo, a private investment platform also founded by Fish. The deal was valued at $375 million. Cobie himself admitted he didn't expect this outcome but confirmed that the project would continue under its current name. However, the related Sonar product will be integrated into the Coinbase ecosystem, which, he said, "will open up new opportunities for public token sales."
Fish noted that he had criticized Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong many times over the years, but always respected his willingness to listen to feedback. Now, he added, he will have the opportunity "to focus on improving the system from the inside instead of complaining."
Before the Coinbase acquisition, the maximum bid for an NFT on OpenSea was 4.7 ETH—approximately $18,500 at the current price. This makes the deal one of the largest NFT transactions in history.
The UpOnly podcast peaked in popularity in 2021 when it was hosted by FTX. Following the exchange's collapse in December 2022, the show was canceled. The project's return three years later symbolized a new round of market activity for the crypto community.
Cobie responded to the show's revival with humor, writing that he was "too old for a crypto podcast" and was planning to rename the project UncOnly, spending the $25 million he received "on plastic surgery."
News of the purchase sparked a furor in the community: users began launching meme coins on Coinbase's L2 Base network. One of them, UPONLY, rose more than 7,000% in 24 hours, reaching a market cap of $3.5 million. Another token, COBIE, rose 8,765%, reaching a market cap of over $361,000.
Thus, the podcast's revival not only revived interest in Fish but also demonstrated once again how deeply crypto culture is intertwined with media and the meme economy. Despite the host's satire and self-mockery, UpOnly's return became one of the most high-profile events of the fall for the crypto sector.
