I Created a Memecoin Out of Spite — And It Worked | by Alberto Menéndez Rodriguez | The Capital | Dec, 2024
I’ve been following cryptocurrencies for a long time. When I first studied Bitcoin, I thought only a genius could have created something like this and no one else in history would ever achieve something similar. I was wrong.
Over time, other cryptocurrencies emerged, like Ethereum, created by the charismatic (and totally not weird) Vitalik, Solana, and so on. But what really caught my attention was when someone created a coin based on their dog, which they called DOGE. Later on, we had one based on a frog and even one inspired by a meme!
I thought to myself… if so many people are doing this, it can’t be that hard, right?
The “Cuñados”
If you’re Spanish and have ever talked about cryptocurrencies with your family, you probably know what a cuñado is. But if not, let me explain. In Spain, we call someone a cuñado when they’re the kind of person who thinks they know everything, believes they’re always right, and insists that things never change. They’re also the first to say Bitcoin is a scam.
Every Christmas, when my family gathered, and we talked about investments, I always brought up Bitcoin as a store of value. And, without fail, I always got the same responses:
- “That’s like the tulip mania in Holland.”
- “How can it be money if it’s not backed by anything?”
That’s when I started to connect the dots. What if I created a coin for all of them? It would be incredibly ironic for them to own a cryptocurrency they don’t understand.
And that’s how I decided to create Cuñado Coin.
There are two main ways to create a token on Solana (the blockchain I chose because it’s versatile and widely recognized):
- Minting it yourself and spending a considerable amount of money (which didn’t seem necessary for a joke).
- Using a transparent platform that helps you create it (because we’re funny but also honest).
As you can imagine, I chose the second option. I have to admit, the platform was super easy to use. I connected it with my Phantom wallet, set up the creation with the image and number of tokens I wanted, and boom! There it was!
The platform offers a ton of customization options, but I won’t pretend I have a well-thought-out reason for why I did it this way — I just went with what felt right.
I’ve seen memecoin websites that are plain ugly and lack any effort. I didn’t want that for Cuñado Coin. I wanted to create something special, something that made me proud. That’s why I invested the most time into the website.
I know all the “gurus” recommend launching the MVP as soon as possible, but… screw it! I’m here to have fun!
Building the website was the part I enjoyed the most. My goal was to portray the cuñados and their typical arguments for avoiding investments of any kind:
- For example, I replaced the usual “Buy” buttons with options like “Buy Lottery Tickets,” “Pensions,” or “Government Bonds” — the “safest” investments of all.
- I connected the system to accept any wallet on the Solana network (if you haven’t noticed, Phantom is my favorite).
- I found myself laughing at some of the things I created and came up with. I genuinely hope that if anyone visits the site, they do so with a smile.
- I even used AI to create the prototype of a classic Spanish cuñado (apologies to designers, but if I ever have more budget, I won’t hesitate to contact you!).
The story didn’t end there, as someone from the NFT industry recently reached out to me about creating a brand around “CUÑADO” for a new blockchain launching this January. But I’ll save that for another time…
If you want to grab some Cuñado Coins (just for laughs), you can check them out here on Pink Sale.
