The NFT landscape has seen countless PFP projects rise and fade, especially after the speculative frenzy of 2021–2022. Yet amid the wreckage of bear markets and broken promises, one community has not only survived but thrived—Mad Lads on Solana. Fueled by resilience, culture, and a shared sense of purpose, this project stands as a testament to what happens when technology meets genuine human connection in Web3.
The Rise of Mad Lads on Solana
Launched on April 21, 2023, Mad Lads entered the scene during one of crypto’s most turbulent periods. With a curated allowlist process that began a year prior, the mint price was set at 6.9 SOL (approximately $144 at the time), setting the tone for an exclusive yet deeply engaged community.
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The project quickly gained momentum, riding Solana’s resurgence in late 2023. By December, Mad Lads reached an all-time high floor price of 218 SOL, securing its place among the top five PFP projects across all blockchains. Today, it maintains a strong floor of 70 SOL ($11,060)—a reflection of enduring demand and cultural relevance.
Tristan Yver, co-founder and driving force behind Mad Lads, attributes much of this success to trauma bonding—a psychological phenomenon where people form deep connections through shared hardship.
“Basically, it was this mutual trauma. All these people came in when times were still good. Then Luna collapsed. Then FTX fell. The market kept crashing. But through that pain, they bonded.”
That shared struggle forged an unbreakable community—one that wasn’t built on hype or utility promises, but on real emotional investment. As Yver notes, “These people became irreplaceable. They’re connected in a way you couldn’t engineer anywhere else.”
Anatoly Yakovenko, Solana’s co-founder, reportedly told Yver that Mad Lads acted as the “reigniting spark” for the ecosystem after FTX’s collapse. The energy brought by the Lads helped restore confidence and participation across Solana’s developer and user base.
Tristan Yver’s Journey: From FTX to Web3 Visionary
Before Mad Lads, Yver cut his teeth at FTX, starting in customer support and eventually hosting The FTX Podcast. His journey reflects a hands-on ethos—he worked landscaping, commercial fishing, and apprenticed as an electrician before entering crypto.
His podcasting role emerged organically. After creating “FTX Digest,” a research paper open to external contributors, he pitched the idea of a company podcast. The culture at FTX then encouraged experimentation: “If people want to do stuff, just try—let’s see what happens.”
That freedom led to meaningful work—interviewing figures like Shaquille O’Neal—and laid the foundation for Yver’s next move: co-founding Backpack, a crypto wallet and exchange platform, with Armani Ferrante.
By May 2022, Yver was fully focused on Backpack—even as FTX unraveled. When the collapse came, he recalls: “Obviously, after the collapse, everything just went to absolute shit.”
But from those ashes rose something new.
The Backpack Ecosystem: Wallet, NFTs, Exchange
Mad Lads is more than an NFT collection—it’s the cultural engine of a broader vision under the Backpack umbrella. Together with co-founder Ferrante, Yver built what he calls a “triple threat” in crypto:
- Backpack Wallet – Onchain access and management
- Mad Lads NFTs – Community and distribution
- Backpack Exchange – Offchain trading infrastructure
This trifecta covers nearly every major touchpoint in the crypto user journey.
“We didn’t plan it this way from day one,” Yver admits. “It evolved naturally: wallet first, then NFTs, then exchange.”
Initially aiming to build a smart wallet to prevent rug pulls, they pivoted due to Solana’s transaction size limitations. Instead, they embraced xNFTs—a concept enabling decentralized apps within a single interface—inspired by platforms like WeChat.
“The idea was: what if you could do everything in crypto from one app? That’s where xNFTs excited us.”
Drawing Inspiration from Bitcoin and Satoshi
Yver and Ferrante found deeper inspiration in Bitcoin’s origins—not just its technology, but its cultural movement.
“We were talking about Satoshi,” Yver recalls. “Yes, he solved the double-spend problem—but more importantly, he released it into the wild. The cypherpunks saw it. They were passionate. They became evangelists.”
That blend of technology + culture became their blueprint.
They had the tech (the wallet), and they had early adopters—but lacked a unifying identity. Mad Lads became that cultural catalyst—a way to transform users into believers.
The “Fock It” Ethos and Community Identity
Mad Lads isn’t angry—it’s mad with passion.
“The name ‘Mad Lads’ isn’t about rage,” Yver explains. “It’s about being mad enough to think you can change the world. Crazy enough to go beyond the fold.”
This spirit lives in slogans like “Fock It,” “Lads On Top,” and “WAO” (We Are One)—mantras born from brainstorming sessions but amplified by the community itself.
“Fock It” is both rebellious and liberating—a nod to Nike’s “Just Do It,” but stripped of corporate polish. It embodies a mindset: Who cares what others think? Just go do it.
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The phrase spread organically—on shirts, social media, and at events—proving that authenticity resonates louder than marketing budgets.
A Decentralized Marketing Powerhouse
In a space flooded with noise, Mad Lads has become a decentralized marketing vehicle. Projects across Solana and Ethereum now actively engage the community, knowing access to passionate holders is invaluable.
“We never promised utility,” Yver says. In fact, their early mantra was deliberately provocative: “No utility, this is a rug, send it to zero.”
It was tongue-in-cheek—but also strategic. By rejecting artificial promises, they attracted people who loved the art and community—not just potential profits.
When major airdrops like Wormhole rewarded Lads holders, speculators rushed in. But over time, they filtered out. The core remained: those committed to culture.
“It’s come back to this group that genuinely cares. That’s what we wanted.”
Core Keywords
- Mad Lads NFT
- Solana PFP projects
- trauma bonding in crypto
- Tristan Yver
- Backpack wallet
- xNFTs
- decentralized communities
- NFT culture
FAQ: Understanding Mad Lads and Its Impact
Q: What makes Mad Lads different from other NFT projects?
A: Unlike projects built on utility promises, Mad Lads prioritizes culture and community. Its strength comes from shared experiences during crypto’s downturns—what Tristan Yver calls “trauma bonding.” This authentic connection has made it resilient and influential.
Q: Why is Mad Lads successful on Solana?
A: Timing and energy were key. Launched post-FTX collapse, it reignited enthusiasm in the Solana ecosystem. Combined with high-quality art and organic growth through xNFTs and Backpack integration, it became a cultural anchor.
Q: What role does Backpack play in the Mad Lads ecosystem?
A: Backpack provides the technical infrastructure—wallet, exchange, and xNFT support—while Mad Lads serves as the community megaphone. Together, they create a self-reinforcing loop of innovation and engagement.
Q: Is Mad Lads still relevant in 2025?
A: Yes. With a sustained floor price, active community, and ongoing integration with new products like Backpack Exchange, Mad Lads continues to influence Solana’s evolution as a top-tier NFT project.
Q: How did trauma bonding contribute to community strength?
A: Shared hardship—from Luna’s collapse to FTX’s downfall—created deep emotional ties among members. This trauma bonding fostered loyalty stronger than financial incentives alone could achieve.
Q: What advice does Tristan Yver give to new NFT founders?
A: Focus on quality art and infinite community curation. There are no shortcuts. Build authentically, avoid overpromising utility, and let culture emerge naturally.
Mad Lads represents a shift in how we think about NFTs—not just as digital assets, but as cultural movements born from resilience. In an era skeptical of hype, it proves that real connection still holds the highest value.
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