What No One Tells You About Launching a Cryptocurrency Project

I still remember the first time I heard the term cryptocurrency. It sounded like digital magic — something far away from my reality of 9-to-5, bills, and budgeting apps.

But once I started digging, I was hooked. I consumed everything — from Bitcoin whitepapers to Ethereum smart contracts, and even the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi).

By 2021, I was all in.

I began trading on Binance, invested in promising altcoins, and even dabbled in NFTs. I wasn’t just making money — I was living the digital dream.

My portfolio crossed $300,000 in just over a year. I started documenting my journey on Twitter, Reddit, and Medium, sharing crypto investing strategies and blockchain technology insights.

Then I had the idea that would change everything — or so I thought.

I decided to launch my own crypto project: a decentralized app (dApp) for peer-to-peer lending using blockchain’s transparency and immutability. I named it BlockBridge. I marketed it as the “future of decentralized banking.” Influencers picked it up. A few whales even backed the presale. I minted the token, launched the whitepaper, and built the community.

The launch was insane.

Within 48 hours, we hit $1.2 million in total value locked (TVL). My $50K initial stake ballooned into $500K. People were posting screenshots, memes, and investment guides featuring BlockBridge. I was hailed as a DeFi genius. My face even made it onto a CoinTelegraph article.

But then the twist came — the smart contract was exploited.

Not hacked by outsiders — but by a developer I had personally hired on Upwork. A guy named “Dariq” who had 5-star reviews and even worked on a few Ethereum Layer-2 scaling projects. Turns out, he had built a backdoor into the smart contract that let him drain liquidity without triggering alerts.

By the time we noticed, it was too late.

All $1.2 million was gone — moved through mixers, then to a cold wallet. Investors panicked. My inbox exploded with death threats. Reddit threads branded me a scammer. Even though I had nothing to do with the exploit, I was held responsible.

The SEC sent me a notice. Binance delisted the token. My Medium articles were flooded with hate comments.

And me? I was broke.

In less than two weeks, my name was mud in the crypto and blockchain space. I deleted my accounts, shut down the BlockBridge site, and went completely dark.

It’s been a year since then.

Now, I freelance for Web3 companies under a fake name — writing blockchain whitepapers, tokenomics breakdowns, and cryptocurrency reviews. I no longer chase hype. I analyze security audits, study protocol architecture, and stay humble in crypto investing.

Because I’ve learned the hard way that in the world of blockchain innovation, one tiny line of code can cost you your fortune — and your future.