Bitcoin miner IREN has emerged as the most searched cashtag on X, formerly Twitter, surpassing perennial favorites like Tesla and Bitcoin itself, just days after the platform introduced a new feature. This ranking reflects search interest on X between December 1, 2025, and January 14, 2026, according to data released by X's product lead and Solana ecosystem advisor, Nikita Bier.
IREN's notable presence on social media and investor platforms appears to be linked to the current boom in the Bitcoin mining industry and the company's ongoing expansion of its technological infrastructure.
X Introduces "Smart Cashtags"
On Sunday, Nikita Bier, X's head of product, announced the rollout of "Smart Cashtags." This new feature is designed to enable more accurate tagging of assets and smart contracts within posts. Bier explained that these cashtags will function as shortcuts, providing access to real-time pricing information and a feed of posts associated with the specific asset.
Bier remarked, "X is the best source for financial news — and hundreds of billions of dollars are deployed based on things people read here. We are building Smart Cashtags that allow you to specify the exact asset (or smart contract) when posting a ticker."
The announcement of the Smart Cashtags feature followed closely after a post by Bier that drew criticism from the crypto community, with many reacting negatively to what they perceived as a hint at new restrictions on user participation in threads.
IREN and Tesla Lead Cashtag Searches
In a subsequent update, Bier shared data indicating that IREN ranked first in X cashtag searches during the specified period. Tesla followed in second place, with AST SpaceMobile and Bitcoin rounding out the top four. The rest of the top ten included tickers for Ondas Holdings, XRP, GameStop Corporation, Nebius Corporation, Opendoor Technologies Inc., and Ethereum.
Following the release of these results, some users questioned whether cashtags might negatively impact the platform's algorithm. Others expressed increased curiosity about the Bitcoin miner IREN, inquiring about its operations and nature.
Further discussion emerged regarding the ranking of memecoin cashtags, while other users shared their perspectives on altcoins they believed warranted more attention, mentioning tickers such as $ADA, $MON, and $TON. Some users also commented on the strong performance of Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Ondas, noting their bullish trends. There was also surprise among some users that Solana was not included in the list of top tickers.
Speculation on X's Future in Finance
The timing of the Smart Cashtags feature announcement generated significant attention within the cryptocurrency community. This came shortly after speculation arose that X might implement limitations on replies, stemming from an earlier post by Bier.
The pseudonymous crypto analyst KALEO was among those who voiced criticism of Bier's earlier post, arguing that restricting reply frequency would hinder community-driven conversations. KALEO likened the potential restriction to limiting streamers' ability to interact with their audience.
Despite prior concerns, Bier's announcement of the Smart Cashtags feature was met with enthusiasm by many community members. According to AB Kuai Dong, the viral nature of the post led to widespread belief that X could evolve into a central hub for stock and crypto trading, potentially through partnerships with platforms like Coinbase, Base, and established brokerages.
AB Kuai Dong noted that many English-speaking users anticipate X collaborating with Coinbase and stock brokers, positioning X as the initial access point while partners provide the necessary trading infrastructure. He also suggested that Elon Musk might opt to develop a native exchange, given that X Money has reportedly been in development for nearly a year.