If you've been keeping tabs on the crypto scene, you've probably noticed how quickly things evolve—especially when it comes to how everyday apps are dipping their toes into blockchain waters. In the latest episode of the Bits + Bips podcast, episode 905 to be exact, Max Gokhman, the First Knight of Franklin Templeton Investments, drops some eye-opening thoughts on why every major app might soon be racing to copy Coinbase's playbook. And trust me, if you're into meme tokens or just blockchain in general, this could shake things up big time.

Picture this: Gokhman, looking sharp in a suit against a cozy backdrop, leans into the mic and lays it out plain. "Banks don't want to be the other social medias," he says, flipping the script on how traditional finance views the wild world of web3. But here's the kicker—social media giants? They're about to flip it right back. Drawing parallels to how Netflix missed the boat on buying Blockbuster back in the day (talk about a blockbuster blunder), Gokhman argues that streaming exploded because someone saw the future. Fast-forward to today, and he's betting the same will happen with onchain tech.

Onchain, for the uninitiated, just means running stuff directly on the blockchain—think transparent, decentralized transactions without middlemen gumming up the works. Coinbase has been nailing this with seamless wallet integrations and user-friendly tools that make crypto feel less like rocket science and more like checking your bank app. Gokhman predicts that once Coinbase ramps up even more, the dominoes will fall fast. Platforms won't sit idle; they'll either build their own onchain features or snap up promising projects left and right.

Take TON, the blockchain tied to Telegram that's already buzzing with meme coin action, or Base, Coinbase's own layer-2 network that's become a hotbed for low-cost, high-speed dApps. Gokhman sees these as early waves in a bigger flood. "From TON to Base to WhatsApp?" the tweet teases, and yeah, it's not far-fetched. Imagine WhatsApp rolling out native crypto wallets or tokenized payments—acquisitions of quirky meme token projects could be the shortcut to making it happen overnight.

What's got Gokhman really excited? The "bad names and bad tokens" out there. You know the ones—those meme coins with goofy branding that fly under the radar but pack real utility or community hype. Big companies, desperate not to be left in the dust, will gobble them up. It's like the gold rush, but for blockchain real estate. "If five years from now every major social app doesn't have an onchain way of doing things," he muses, "that's the catalyst I'm really looking at."

This isn't just hype; it's a peek into a future where meme tokens aren't just jokes—they're acquisition bait. Projects on Base or TON could see their values skyrocket if a Meta or ByteDance comes knocking. For blockchain practitioners, it's a call to action: build now, because the playbook is about to get copied, and fast.

If you're hungry for more, head over to the full Bits + Bips episode or catch the clip here on X. What's your take—will WhatsApp be the next to go full crypto? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and let's meme this out.