Cha ching is the long-standing onomatopoeia for an old mechanical cash register ringing up a sale, built from the bell ding and metal drawer sound that cartoons and ads have used for decades to signal money. Online, the clean version became shorthand for profit, while intentionally low-quality rips spread on soundboards and in meme edits as the ironic opposite. The distorted take thrives because viewers instantly recognise the reference but hear failure in the fidelity, making it perfect for jokes about small payouts, scams and pretend wealth.