'Chill Guy' Meme Dominates the Cryptocurrency Market, but the Owner of the Original Artwork May Be Putting a Stop to It

"Chill Guy" or "I'm just a chill guy" is a meme growing in popularity. The meme is a simply-drawn anamorphic dog, wearing casual clothes with a smirk on his face.

The owner of the original artwork for the "Chill Guy" meme is looking to copyright the character after it was used in social media marketing ads for brands like Sprite Europe, March Madness and NFL on CBS.

"Chill Guy" or "I'm just a chill guy" is a meme growing in popularity. The meme is a simply-drawn anamorphic dog, wearing casual clothes with a smirk on his face. The character has gained traction on social media as users relate to his cool, calm and collected demeanor.

More recently, the meme has been spotted in social media marketing ads for brands like Sprite Europe, March Madness and NFL on CBS. In addition, the meme has been rising in the ranks in the cryptocurrency market. As of Thursday afternoon, a crypto token called CHILLGUY, which bears the popular character, reached a market cap, or total value, of more than $405 million, per CoinMarketCap.

Phillip Banks, who appears to be the meme's original artist, is looking to copyright the character in response to the meme's viral nature.

Banks' X account is private but per screenshots shared by his followers, Banks announced on Thursday that he was seeking copyright for the character and would be issuing "takedowns" to for-profit institutions using the character without his permission. Banks shared a Reel to a public Instagram account expressing aversion to the use of the character in tandem with cryptocurrency.

"I do not, and will never, endorse or condone any crypto-related projects involving my work," Banks said via on-screen caption in the video. "I will never give permission to use my art for anything crypto-related. I have absolutely no interest in anything crypto-related."

Who is 'Chill Guy'?

The "Chill Guy" meme centers around an illustration of an anamorphic brown dog wearing a grey sweater, rolled up blue jeans and red sneakers. With a subtle smirk, the character's hands (or paws?) are tucked inside his jean pockets. With a long, round head, large snoot and simple features, "Chill Guy" appears similar to Brian Griffin, the dog character in the sitcom, "Family Guy."

Phillip Banks first posted the anamorphic dog to Instagram on Oct. 4, 2023. The on-screen caption on an Instagram Reel reads, "My new character. His whole deal is he's a chill guy that lowkey doesn't give a (expletive)."

Thousands of videos on social media feature the character or reference him, with − mostly − men using the character. Top TikTok videos featuring the character include captions like, "When she thinks (you're) nonchalant and don't care (about) her, but in reality (you're) just a chill guy that likes being quiet sometimes" and, "When she yells at you for forgetting what she told (you) earlier today, but you are just a chill guy enjoying your day."

"Every laid-back, easygoing man on this planet can see himself in this meme," Barstool Sports wrote in a blog post. "It’s not just a random image or a passing joke. No, it’s a reflection, a mirror held up to all of us who embody that calm, unbothered vibe."

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.