Investigative journalist Nick Shirley has launched a creator token, $thenickshirley, on the Base blockchain following the viral success of his exposé on fraud in Minnesota's childcare sector. The video, which garnered hundreds of millions of views, prompted reactions from prominent figures including U.S. Vice President Vance and Elon Musk. The $thenickshirley token, valued at $5.65 million, is part of a new wave of token listings. Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong confirmed the launch, highlighting Base's potential for content monetization. Shirley has also opened Venmo and crypto addresses for donations, exploring decentralized funding as a model for direct content support.