"Dogecoin" parody cryptocurrency market value tops $1 billion

A cryptocurrency created as a joke has skyrocketed to a market value of more than $1 billion

USA Today reports “dogecoin” as of January 4, the virtual currency had a market value of $1.17 billion after a 400% rise next month.

Dogecoin is just one of many examples of an “altcoin,” or a digital token that evolved from bitcoin. Another popular coin is etherium, which saw a 35,000% rise in value last year.

The founder of dogecoin intended it as a joke, drawing on a popular internet meme featuring a Shiba Inu dog. On the dogecoin website, the currency is described as “an open source peer-to-peer digital currency, favored by Shiba Inus worldwide.”

If you’re looking to ride the dogecoin train, you can buy them online or mine them.