In the ever-evolving crypto space, where real-world economics meets blockchain innovation, fresh ideas can quickly capture the imagination of traders and builders alike. A recent tweet from Xen, Head of Global Growth at Base, has sparked discussions about a novel DeFi application: perpetual futures (perps) that track the GDP growth of entire countries.

The conversation started with a quote tweet of a post by Kunal Gandhi, CMO at HeyElsaAI, who shared a striking chart highlighting India's impressive 2024 real GDP growth of 7.3% – towering over other major economies like the US at 2.0% and Japan at 1.3%. Gandhi's caption? "Bullish on India. Bullish on Indians." Xen chimed in with a direct app request: "Perps that directly track the GDP growth of countries. Would love to just 'go long' India (in a different manner to a standard stock market tracker)."

For those new to the term, perpetual futures, or perps, are a type of derivative contract popular in crypto trading. Unlike traditional futures with expiration dates, perps let you hold positions indefinitely, betting on price movements up or down. They're often used for leverage trading on exchanges like Binance or decentralized platforms on chains like Base.

This idea isn't just a random brainstorm – it taps into a growing trend where on-chain data meets macroeconomic indicators. Just this year, the US started posting GDP data directly on the blockchain, as announced by the Department of Commerce USA, GDP and economic statistics on blockchain. With reliable, tamper-proof data feeds, building perps tied to GDP becomes feasible through oracles like Chainlink or custom smart contracts.

Why India specifically? The chart speaks for itself, but there's more. According to the Chainalysis 2025 Global Adoption Index, India leads the world in crypto adoption, driven by a tech-savvy population and increasing blockchain integration. Going "long" on India's GDP via perps could offer a hedge against traditional markets, appealing to global investors eyeing emerging economies.

While this concept is rooted in DeFi, it has serious memetic potential. Imagine a $INDIA perp token launching on Base, rallying a community around national pride and economic optimism. Meme tokens thrive on hype and cultural relevance – think Dogecoin or Shiba Inu, which turned jokes into billion-dollar markets. A GDP-tracked perp could blend utility with virality, especially if it incorporates meme elements like community governance or themed NFTs.

Replies to the tweet echo the enthusiasm: One user simply said, "I support this," while another noted it "would fly like a hot cake." Even Gandhi himself replied affirmatively. As Base continues to grow as a hub for on-chain apps, this could inspire developers to build it out.

At Meme Insider, we're all about spotting trends that bridge memes and meaningful tech. If GDP perps take off, they could redefine how we invest in global growth – starting with powerhouses like India. Keep an eye on this space; who knows, the next big meme might be backed by actual economic data.

For the full thread, check it out here.