McRib Return Sparks Bitcoin Rally Speculation

The curious relationship between McDonald’s McRib sandwich and financial markets gained official recognition when McDonald’s Senior Marketing Director Guillaume Huin publicly acknowledged the trend on social media platform X. Huin noted that the barbecue-flavored fan favorite has recently found new meaning on the internet within the trading and crypto community, specifically referencing claims that Bitcoin and the S&P 500 tend to perform well following the McRib’s return. The executive pointed to specific years including 2017, 2020, and 2021 as periods when this correlation appeared particularly strong.

This year’s McRib return comes amid a 6% Bitcoin price increase, with the cryptocurrency climbing from $98,800 to approximately $105,600 according to data from CoinGecko. The timing mirrors last December’s pattern when the sandwich’s return coincided with Bitcoin hitting a new all-time high above $100,000. That previous surge occurred as former President Donald Trump’s reelection unleashed what market observers described as ‘animal spirits’ in the crypto market, creating a perfect storm of market optimism alongside the sandwich’s seasonal availability.

While the correlation appears compelling in certain years, the relationship between the McRib’s return and market performance is far from consistent. Historical data reveals significant exceptions that challenge the pattern’s reliability. In both 2018 and 2022, the saucy sandwich’s return preceded steep declines in Bitcoin’s price, with the cryptocurrency falling to $3,250 and $15,500 respectively during those periods. These contradictory instances suggest that any connection may be coincidental rather than causal.

The current market context adds another layer to the analysis. This year’s McRib return coincides with signs that a 40-day government shutdown may be ending, creating broader market optimism that could explain at least part of Bitcoin’s recent price increase. The S&P 500, another index mentioned in the correlation theory, also tends to respond to macroeconomic developments like government stability, making it difficult to isolate any single factor driving market movements.

Beyond mere coincidence, several theories attempt to explain the perceived connection between the McRib and market performance. An informal study published in 2011 titled ‘A Conspiracy of Hogs’ suggested that if the McRib’s return correlates with anything substantive, it’s likely related to declines in bulk pork prices. This economic explanation posits that McDonald’s times the sandwich’s availability to coincide with favorable commodity pricing, which could indirectly reflect broader economic conditions that also affect financial markets.

Within the cryptocurrency community, the phenomenon has been popularized by pseudonymous X user Internbrah, who works on the Monad blockchain team. Internbrah has proposed that the sandwich only moves markets when it returns to U.S. restaurants specifically, noting that international releases—such as the McRib’s return to UK restaurants last year for the first time in nearly a decade—don’t generate the same market impact. This theory suggests the correlation may be as much about American market psychology as any fundamental economic relationship.

The very nature of the McRib’s limited availability contributes to its market mythology. Since its introduction in 1981, the sandwich has maintained an aura of scarcity and seasonal excitement. This creates perfect conditions for internet memes and trading community folklore to develop around its return. As noted by the McRib Locator website, which tracks sandwich availability across the U.S., the product’s limited-time nature and uncertain availability at individual locations only enhances its mystique among enthusiasts and traders alike.