The Cat Worth $3 Million: Aiko’s Binance Coin Origin Story

The Cat Worth $3 Million: Aiko’s Binance Coin Origin Story

Back in 2017, few could have predicted that Binance Coin (BNB) would grow into one of the largest cryptocurrencies in the world. At the time, it was just another exchange token—trading for less than a dollar, used mostly for discounted fees on the newly launched Binance platform. But for one cat owner in China, those humble beginnings became the start of one of the most surreal stories in crypto culture: the purchase of a pet cat named Aiko with BNB that would later be worth $3 million USD.

A Cat Bought with Crypto

According to early community posts on crypto forums, Aiko, a sleek silver tabby kitten with green eyes, was “adopted” by a Binance early user who paid roughly 30,000 BNB—at the time, worth a few thousand dollars. In 2017, the trade seemed quirky but hardly historic. Paying for real-world goods and services with exchange tokens was rare, and pets were certainly not the usual “utility” envisioned by Binance’s whitepaper.

Still, the novelty of buying a cat with BNB quickly became an inside joke in the community. Screenshots of the alleged transaction circulated, showing BNB being sent wallet-to-wallet in exchange for Aiko’s ownership papers. No one thought much of it—BNB was speculative at best, and the cat’s value lay more in companionship than in coins.

Fast-Forward: BNB’s Meteoric Rise

Today, that same BNB—if held—would be valued at around $3 million USD. The cat once acquired for “just some tokens” has become a living reminder of how drastically fortunes in crypto can change.

The legend of Aiko has since become lore among Binance loyalists. Some call her “the $3 million cat,” others “the true first NFT”—a living, breathing non-fungible asset exchanged for tokens long before NFTs went mainstream.

Community Reaction

On social media, the story resurfaces every bull market. Crypto Twitter shares memes of Aiko sitting on piles of gold coins, lounging atop Binance’s iconic logo, or staring judgmentally at charts. One meme shows her pawing at a laptop with the caption: “Should’ve hodled.”

Reddit threads often revisit the tale, half in awe and half in regret. “Imagine explaining to your grandkids you spent generational wealth on a cat,” wrote one user. Another chimed in: “Best investment ever—she gives returns in cuddles and purrs.”

More Than a Meme

Beyond the jokes, Aiko’s story captures the essence of early crypto culture: experimentation, risk-taking, and the unpredictability of token value. No one buying or selling with BNB in 2017 could have envisioned its future as a multibillion-dollar asset. In a way, Aiko embodies both the optimism and absurdity of those early days.

“Aiko is like a living time capsule,” said blockchain analyst Elena Kim. “She represents a moment when people didn’t know if BNB would succeed. Now she’s proof of how fast this industry can evolve.”

The Legacy of the $3 Million Cat

Now a full-grown cat, Aiko lives a comfortable life with her original owner, who has declined most media requests but occasionally shares photos of her on private Telegram groups. She has become a quiet symbol of what it means to live with—and sometimes spend—crypto before it matures.

In an industry where fortunes can shift overnight, Aiko stands out as a reminder: sometimes the most expensive “investments” aren’t stocks or tokens, but pets, memories, and stories that last far longer than a market cycle.

From playful kitten to crypto legend, Aiko the $3 Million Cat has secured her place in blockchain folklore.