Mixed-martial arts star Conor McGregor launches meme coin via sealed-bid auction

Irish mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor has released a new meme coin in a sealed bid auction. The new token, ‘REAL,’  was only launched through an auction to prevent snipers and bots from taking over the launch. 

The asset was also developed closely by Real World Gaming decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) and will provide staking incentives and governance rights for its holders.

McGregor assures users that his new token will change the crypto ecosystem

McGregor defended the token’s release, claiming this isn’t your ordinary celebrity-backed meme-coin. He tried to assure users that assets will bring real change to the crypto industry and the world.

In an X post on April 5, he commented, ‘I changed the FIGHT game. I changed the WHISKEY game. I changed the STOUT game. Now it’s time to change the CRYPTO game. This is just the beginning.”

Speaking in an interview, the MMA champion also insisted that the REAL token is centered on transparency and that they are demonstrating how it’s done with integrity to the world.

According to the project’s tokenomics, the DAO treasury will get 31.5% of the token supply while the community will receive almost 17%. Meanwhile, the developer team and advisors will each get 10% and 1%, respectively.

Moreover, the token’s whitepaper reveals that holders who pour in large investments and participate regularly in staking will earn higher status and possibly more revenue shares. 

Additionally, the token aims to redefine the gambling industry by aligning it more closely with real-life experiences and mainstream consumers — indicating that McGregor and his team intend to channel the funds into launching ventures tied to sports and gaming.

Nicolai Sondergaard believes meme coin traders could easily leave their positions for quick gains

The perception around meme coins has not changed much, despite Donald Trump and his family introducing new tokens to the market. According to Nansen research analyst Nicolai Sondergaard, “smart money” traders are still seeking meme coin trades but are just as likely to sell their assets for quick profits.

Sondergaard believes the rise in meme coin activity at the moment is due to traders trying out the market as they wait for the overall macroeconomic environment to settle.

Trump’s new reciprocal tariffs have made it even more challenging for stock markets to thrive, forcing investors to look into other projects like meme coins. US stocks have already lost more than $5 trillion in value just two days after Trump announced his tariffs.