London Cabbies Launch TaxiCoin For Fares

Meter running on-chain.

By David Karim – Heritage & Meme Markets Writer

From Meters to Mining

London’s black cabs are world famous. Tourists marvel at the Knowledge test, commuters praise the comfort, and drivers trade banter as iconic as the ride itself. But according to viral rumours, cabbies have abandoned cash and cards. Fares are now allegedly calculated in TaxiCoin, a blockchain currency mined every mile and confirmed when passengers hop out.

A TikTok clip that fuelled the frenzy showed a driver announcing, “Transaction confirmed, ride validated.” The caption read: “Proof of Journey.”

Passengers in Confusion

Clips spread across Instagram of puzzled riders. One American said, “I thought I was paying a tenner, not a token.” Another reel showed students cheering as their phones buzzed with “Balance updated: TaxiCoin deducted.”

Street comedians joined the satire. A parody skit featured a cabbie yelling, “Stake your seatbelt!” while passengers laughed.

Fake or Real?

Polls revealed 58 percent believed the rumour. “Feels real,” one commenter wrote. “Cabbies already charge like crypto pumps.” Another replied, “Fake, but believable. London loves cashless gimmicks.”

That balance of absurdity and plausibility helped hashtags like #TaxiCoin and #ProofOfRide go viral.

Meme Avalanche

Memes zipped across feeds like traffic at midnight. One viral edit showed black cabs glowing with Ethereum logos. Another depicted meters replaced with candlestick charts.

Parody slogans filled Twitter and TikTok:

• “Stake your seat.”
• “Liquidity in London.”
• “Proof of mile confirmed.”

Camden Market stalls quickly sold tote bags printed with “I mined my cab ride.”

Top Comments from the Internet

• “Finally, my fare is more volatile than Bitcoin.”
• “My ride rugged before Tower Bridge.”
• “Proof of seat validated.”

Cabbies Respond

Taxi associations denied the rumour, insisting cash and cards remain standard. But parody press releases spread anyway. One fake statement read: “Every journey logged on-chain.” Another joked: “Validators required at red lights.”

Even Parliament was pulled into memes. One edit showed MPs arguing in a cab with the caption: “Consensus failed, fare doubled.”

Why It Resonates

The rumour resonates because London cab culture already feels like tradition clashing with modernity. Uber disrupted the market, apps digitised fares, and cashless payments became common. TaxiCoin satirises that tension by exaggerating the shift to absurd extremes.

An LSE transport economist quipped, “TaxiCoin works as a parody because cab fares already feel unpredictable.” The line itself went viral under looping gifs of cabs honking.

Satirical Vision of the Future

Imagine all transport tokenised. Buses are priced in BusCoin. Tube rides confirmed in OysterChain. Even Boris Bikes are rented through PedalTokens.

A parody TikTok circulates: a cabbie shouting, “Consensus achieved!” as subtitles flash “Transaction failed: insufficient fare.” It reached 700,000 views.

Passenger Reactions

Londoners treated the rumour as part of the ride. One commuter tweeted, “I paid 0.01 TaxiCoin and still got stuck in traffic.” Another TikTok showed tourists chanting “Validate the journey!” as the cab rolled past landmarks.

By Sunday, parody posters decorated cab stands reading “Stake your mile, earn rewards.” Tourists queued for selfies beside them.

The Bigger Picture

Behind the humour lies a critique of modern payments. From contactless cards to crypto wallets, every transaction feels like a negotiation between convenience and confusion. TaxiCoin satirises that evolution, mocking the endless race to monetise daily life.

Cultural critics argue the rumour resonated because it symbolises London itself: a city caught between heritage and hype, where even black cabs are not safe from speculation.

Conclusion

Whether cabbies truly launched TaxiCoin doesn’t matter. The rumour has already driven through London’s meme economy, parking satire on every corner.

So the next time you flag down a black cab, don’t just carry cash. Bring your wallet app. Because in 2025, even fares come with gas fees.

By David Karim – Heritage & Meme Markets Writer
david.karim@londonews.com