KASmedia is starting a new article series interviewing the most decentralized fair-launched meme coin projects within the Kaspa ecosystem. Kaspa represents fair money and fair technology, so it's only right to support meme coins of the people and for the people. KONAN is one of those coins, as it had no pre-sale or team allocation. Moreover, KONAN is one of the most passionate and committed projects we have encountered. Their community is diehard. For those unfamiliar with its lore, KONAN is named after Conan, a special operations military dog of the United States 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force). Conan took part in the Barisha raid, resulting in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the then-leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS). 

Conan was later honored by President Trump for his courage and bravery. He quickly garnered popularity with merchandise and the slogan "Zero Bark Thirty," referencing the movie Zero Dark Thirty. Conan died in November 2023 due to cancer and injuries sustained during his service. The KRC20 token, KONAN, was created to remember and honor his legacy. 

Below is an interview with KONAN's founder on what the project means to him and KONAN's community. 

The Beginning

How did the $KONAN token come about? 

I came up with the idea for KONAN a little over a week after KRC20 launched. At that time, I already had 15x on Nacho and 5x on KASPER and KASPY. I loved the characters and the energy within the ecosystem, but I realized something was missing—a dog. I thought to myself that if Kaspa had a dog, it would need to be something symbolic, strong, and powerful. That's when I remembered Donald Trump introducing Conan, the heroic dog known for his impressive mission. I knew right then that Conan would be the perfect representation for Kaspa. What solidified my vision was changing his name from a 'C' to a 'K' to align with Kaspa.

How did you find out about Kaspa? 

I initially found out about Kaspa through Crypto Galaxy on YouTube about four months ago or less.

Ethereum and Solana have been the most popular chains for meme coin creation due to their proof-of-stake chains holding massive idle liquidity, aka TVL. What made you decide to launch a meme coin on Kaspa? 

I chose to launch on Kaspa because of its transparency and the fact that it's 100% FairLaunched. KRC20 stood out to me as a better option because it prevents the same name from being used multiple times, a problem I encountered on other chains. On those platforms, duplicate token names cause confusion, with people mistakenly buying into the wrong projects due to the ecosystem being flooded with tokens with identical names.

About KONAN

How important is transparency to you and your project?

Transparency is key as this is a 100% community-driven project. All decisions are voted on within our community to ensure the majority is happy and making the right move for the project. Without transparency, you don't have a project.

Have you been burned before in crypto projects that have not been so transparent?

Yes, I've been burned before. I had about 88 million USD in my Solana wallet from sniping meme coin launches, but I was unable to pull it out because it was a honeypot scam. After KRC20, I will never invest in anything not fairly launched. 

What is it that makes everyone love dog tokens? 

Dog tokens in crypto are popular for a few key reasons. First, they tap into meme culture with fun and recognizable themes that resonate with the internet community. Second, the emotional connection to dogs, symbols of loyalty and companionship, adds an appealing, feel-good aspect to these tokens. Third, many dog tokens are community-driven, creating a sense of belonging and shared purpose among holders. Fourth, their accessibility, often starting with low prices, makes them attractive to newcomers and casual investors. Finally, the symbolism of dogs as protectors and symbols of strength aligns with the goals of building resilient and loyal communities in the crypto space.

Your site states that KONAN is a community-led project. Can you please tell us more about how the community has influenced this project? 

This project has been community-driven from the very beginning, even before the mint was completed. We didn't have a website or team in place initially, but the community shaped everything—from the website to the logo and even the exchanges we partner with. Every major decision is voted on by the community. While I am the developer and creator, the community ultimately determines Konan's next move.

Not many crypto communities have TikTok and Instagram accounts. Has this helped you reach a broader audience? 

Although our TikTok and Instagram accounts haven't made a significant impact yet, people have discovered us through those platforms. I'm confident that the effect will snowball as we continue to grow our presence. It's crucial that Konan is visible everywhere.

Your whitepaper discussed branching out to Base Chain and/or Chronos Chain. Why did you choose these specific chains?

When we say Base Chain and Chronos, that is just an example of where we want to expand. We plan to have Konan accessible to every major chain in the future.

You also mentioned expanding the KONAN ecosystem to include NFTs. What possible use cases are you anticipating for these NFTs?

NFTs will provide players with in-game perks to earn more KONAN on the game we are developing. 

You also mentioned a KONAN Swapper. Is this currently in the works? 

Yes, we plan on introducing a Konan swapper, but I’m not allowed to speak about it at this moment as everything is still under construction.

A vital part of the KONAN philosophy is giving back to veterans and dog-oriented organizations. What was your motivation behind this initiative? Do you think this is a big reason KONAN quickly became so popular? 

We have plans to do much more than just give back to veterans, but we haven't heavily promoted that aspect yet since we're still in certain developmental stages. I don't think it has impacted us much so far, but I'm confident it will make a big difference once we have a solid plan in place to support veterans and other charitable causes.

What’s your long term vision for KONAN and its community? 

My long-term vision for KONAN is to be the dog to Kaspa, just as Doge is to Bitcoin. We aim to make a global impact with KONAN, as he symbolizes heroism, loyalty, and world peace. World peace is essential to this community, given the current state of the world. When people invest in KONAN, they're not only supporting cryptocurrency but also standing for the cause of world peace.

Token launch

How did you decide to issue a fair launch token? What's your take on tokens that aren't fairly launched - i.e., with allocations, pre-sales, funding, etc.? 

I believe a fair launch is always the best approach, as it reassures investors by minimizing the risk of a rug pull or too much control being in the hands of one person. Pre-mints can be fine, but it really depends on the developer. A pre-mint can succeed if it has a solid track record and is trusted and respected within the community. Most importantly, the developer has genuine and pure intentions for the community and the ecosystem to thrive.

How long did it take to gain a following? 

Two days after I launched, Kasper the Ghost reached out to me on X after seeing the idea behind my project. I told him I was running it alone and hoped the community would take over after the launch, but that didn't happen immediately. Kasper the Ghost's developer then added me to a group chat, encouraged me to introduce myself and explain my project, and reposted KONAN alongside Kasper. From there, everything blew up.

Some of your community members minted over a billion KONAN tokens. How did it feel to see that? Shortly after your launch, you catapulted to a top-3 KRC20 project. Do you have any advice for projects looking to launch a KRC20 token?

The way everything blew up has been surreal—it still feels like a dream. My best advice is to give it your all. Stay focused on having positive, genuine intentions, stay active on X and within the community, collaborate with other projects as much as possible, and strive to be the best developer and person you can be.

KRC20 Collaboration

Who have you collaborated with so far? What did the collaborations consist of?

We've partnered with Tangem to release our very own Konan of Kaspa Hero Tangem Wallet, which should be available for pre-order tomorrow. Additionally, we've collaborated with many other projects within the ecosystem to strengthen our community further. 

Play-to-Earn

Your roadmap lists play-to-earn opportunities starting next month. Could you please let our readers know more about this? Will the KONAN token gain more utility? 

I can't reveal much about the game just yet since it's still in development, but our goal is always to surpass and outdo our predecessors, just as Kaspa was designed to do. We also plan to integrate as many utilities as possible to make KONAN the people's coin and the hero's token.

Sign-off

How do you feel that the success of several fair-launch projects is changing the crypto landscape? 

The success of fair-launch projects is bringing more transparency and trust to the crypto space. Investors feel more secure knowing these projects are community-driven, with less risk of centralized control or rug pulls. This shifts the focus from insider advantages to fairness, empowers communities to take the lead, and fosters a more decentralized ecosystem.

How are meme coins changing the crypto landscape?

Meme coins are making crypto more accessible and fun for a broader audience. While initially seen as a joke, many meme coins have built strong, passionate communities that drive real-world impact. They're also reshaping how we think about branding and community engagement in crypto, proving that culture, humor, and relatability can be powerful tools for driving adoption and innovation. 

How can our readers best stay up-to-date on all KONAN happenings?

The best way to stay up-to-date on all things KONAN is by following us on X and joining our community channels. We’re always active, sharing updates, collaborating with other projects, and engaging directly with our supporters. Keeping an eye on our social platforms will ensure you’re always in the loop with the latest developments. 

Is there anything else you would like to address that was not already mentioned to our readers? 

I'd like to mention that we've accomplished all of this in less than a month while coming out of nowhere. There was no planning or "teams." This has all been organic, genuine, and authentic. Today, we fully paid for our Bitmart listing and have already started fundraising for our next goal, MEXC, with plans to aim for a larger Tier 1 exchange afterward. We're taking things step by step, staying focused on our growth.

*** Please do your own due diligence for all token projects. Tooling to track wallet bundling, market manipulation, or rugs isn't yet available for KRC20 tokens. For deep (yet tedious) tracking, we recommend scoping transactions between top holder wallets on https://kas.fyi/krc20-tokens.