Crypto traders turn to “dopamine shopping” as fake luxury checkouts gain traction

A niche online habit known as “dopamine shopping” is finding an audience among crypto users whose portfolios have stalled. The trend, which emerged in South Korea earlier this year, lets people browse and “buy” expensive items such as luxury watches, designer clothing, and upscale meals without spending real money. The appeal is the sensation of making a big purchase without taking the financial hit. Protos said the behavior is showing up in crypto circles after the sector’s total market capitalization fell 30% from its all-time high a year ago, leaving less room for actual luxury spending. A Singapore-based lawyer and crypto influencer mocked the idea by joking about a startup that would add real giveaways to fake shopping apps, saying a business that paired a dopamine purchase with a lottery entry for a real item could be worth “multi billions.” Examples already online include Dopamine Shop, which lists fake luxury jewelry and watches, and FoodNeverComes, a site that imitates the UberEats ordering flow. The BBC recently said FoodNeverComes has logged more than 2.7 million visitors since June 2026. This week, a commentator pushed the concept deeper into crypto culture after posting screenshots of fake storefronts that drew nearly two million views.