Crypto users with stagnant portfolios are turning to so-called “dopamine shopping,” a form of fake online spending built around the thrill of buying expensive items without actually paying for them.
The trend emerged in South Korea earlier this year. Users browse high-ticket goods such as luxury watches, designer clothes, and fancy meals, move through the checkout flow, and get the sensation of a major purchase without any real financial cost. The point is the rush, not the item.
Crypto joins a broader “dopamine shopping” trend
Protos said budgets for genuine luxury goods remain tight after crypto’s total market capitalization fell 30% from its all-time high a year ago.
A Singapore-based lawyer and crypto influencer joked about the idea by proposing a startup that would add real giveaways to fake shopping apps as a way to introduce variable rewards. He said, jokingly, that a company able to combine a dopamine purchase with a lottery entry for a real item and convert users into paying customers could be worth “multi billions.”
Fake storefronts are already live
One example is Dopamine Shop, which features a fake jewelry section including a $10,950 Rolex Submariner and a $56,000 Audemars Piguet. Its slogan reads: “Shop freely. Buy nothing.”
The BBC recently counted more than 2.7 million visitors to FoodNeverComes since June 2026. The site is described as a “dopamine kitchen” that recreates the experience of ordering through UberEats.
Crypto commentators picked it up this week
The idea spread into crypto circles this week after a commentator posted screenshots of fake storefronts and drew nearly two million views. In a reply, he gave a nod to his own audience, writing, “Degens would love it.”
Commenters kept the joke going. One wrote, “I love checking TripNeverLeaves right after a 45-minute session with FoodNeverComes.” A fintech worker added, “Why do we keep coming up with new and creative ways to gamble?”