Cardano Founder Accidental Memecoin Plug Spells Disaster 

What seemed like a routine canine update turned into a rollercoaster for many.

Charles Hoskinson walking out the fire woods looking all smug.
Created by Kornelija Poderskytė from DailyCoin
  • Charles Hoskinson stirred controversy with a picture of his dog.
  • The Cardano founder accidentally endorsed a dog-themed memecoin by tagging an account with his dog’s name. 
  • The memecoin experienced a whopping 800% surge before retracing it all back.

Cardano Founder Charles Hoskinson often finds himself amidst drama for his controversial opinions. However, despite his reputation for meticulousness this time, the crypto pundit erred after he accidentally tagged a dog-themed memecoin, triggering a frenzy of hype-induced buyers investing in the token, resulting in significant losses.

Hoskinson’s Furry Fiasco

On Sunday, December 10, Charles Hoskinson shared an adorable update on his canine companion, Freya, over 𝕏. What started as a heartwarming post took an unexpected twist when the founder casually tagged an account as ‘@Freyahoskinson,’ along with an endearing snapshot of his furry friend. Little did he know that this innocent move would trigger a race among opportunistic scammers and shillers, swiftly snagging the tag to promote their own coin.

Deleted post of Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson with his dog Freya.
Deleted post of Charles Hoskinson with his dog Freya.

Seconds after Hoskinson’s post, a relatively obscure Cardano-native memecoin, Freya, slyly changed its handle from @FreyaHosk to @FreyaHoskinson. The subtle alteration created an illusion, making it appear that Hoskinson endorsed the project to his over one million followers. 

Sponsored

What unfolded next was a frenzied influx of eager buyers, optimistic about scoring quick profits. According to dexscreener, Freya experienced a jaw-dropping 800% surge in price following the Cardano Founder’s post, only to crash 15 minutes later, erasing all gains.

Chart of Freya memecoin price.
Freya memecoin chart. Source: Dexscreener.

What seemed like a routine lifestyle update became a financial rollercoaster for many. Post-incident, the community didn’t hold back, offering criticism directed at the founder. The consensus? A call for more meticulous research and caution when tagging accounts.

Hoskinson Responds

As criticism against the founder mounted, Charles Hoskinson deleted the contentious post and hopped on 𝕏 to address the brewing storm. 

Hoskinson set the record straight, distancing himself from the project in question—Freya—and other NFT plays, emphasizing that he had nothing to do with fan projects.

To clarify his stance, Hoskinson appreciated the artwork inspired by his dog and life. However, he unequivocally declared that he wasn’t affiliated with any project and didn’t endorse them.

On the Flipside

  • This isn’t the first time Charles Hoskinson has unintentionally endorsed a token. Earlier, the founder tagged the Cardano memecoin SNEK, inquiring about its nature, resulting in a substantial surge in the token’s price.
  • Freya had 400 holders at the time of writing, 350 on Ethereum, and 50 on Cardano. 

Why This Matters

Charles Hoskinson’s oversight triggered a frenzy of shillers exploiting his innocent post to promote their token. This underscores the importance for influencers and influential figures to double-check their posts and tags, preventing the creation of rug pull memecoins that could lead many to their demise.

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This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

Author
Insha Zia

Insha Zia is a senior journalist at DailyCoin covering crypto developments, especially in the Cardano ecosystem. With a Bachelor of Science in Computer Systems Engineering, he delivers high-quality articles with his technical background and expertise in data analysis and programming languages, aiming to educate and inform readers accurately, transparently, and engagingly. Insha believes education can drive mass adoption of the crypto space, and he is committed to giving DailyCoin readers a better understanding of the technology.

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