Mad Lads: A Leading PFP Project on Solana

• Most NFT PFP projects have come and gone. The euphoric period of 2021–2022 has mainly passed.
• Mad Lads minted on April 21, 2023, following a curated allowlist process led by co-founder Tristan Yver.
• Mad Lads hit an all-time high floor price of 218 SOL in December 2023.

Yver attributes the strength of the Mad Lads community to mutual suffering and trauma bonding during tough times in crypto. Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko credited the Lads with reigniting the ecosystem.

Tristan Yver’s Journey

Yver started at FTX and transitioned to co-found Backpack, including Mad Lads, as part of the Backpack portfolio.

Yver’s wife encouraged him to host The FTX Podcast, which was well received within the company.

Taking Inspiration from Bitcoin

Yver and his co-founder drew inspiration from Bitcoin and Satoshi Nakamoto in curating the Mad Lads community.

Mad Lads Ethos

The Mad Lads community embraces slogans like “Fook It,” emphasizing passion and community spirit.

Decentralized Marketing Impact

Lads holders have benefited from airdrops and engagements with projects on Solana and Ethereum due to the community’s strong distribution presence.

Rapid-fire Q&A with Tristan Yver

• Yver envisions Backpack as a tier-one exchange and wallet, with Mad Lads as a top NFT collection within three years.
• He addresses the sentiment that NFTs are dead, emphasizing the strength of active communities.
• Favorite NFTs and artists owned and admired by Yver are shared.

For other NFT founders, Yver advises focusing on high-quality art and community curation without shortcuts.

Survival in crypto, according to Yver, requires avoiding leverage and endurance.