It feels like cryptocurrency/NFT people are defining reality as whatever you get paid for.
If something makes them money, it is real and valid.
So, if they make money by selling fake receipts for stolen Jpegs, and the original creator of the Jpeg gets nothing, well then that's all fine because whatever action makes money is the one that counts as real work.
It's some weird repackaging of "might is right", and maybe that's why it appeals to far right people so much?