Keyboard Cat Meme Coins Get Official License, Bringing Unity to the Community
Keyboard Cat creator, Charlie Schmidt, has recently taken a step to bring harmony to the world of meme coins by granting an official licensing agreement for the use of his famous feline’s likeness. Schmidt gained fame back in 2005 when he posted a 54-second video of his cat Fatso playing the piano online. Since then, the video has become iconic, racking up an impressive 77 million views on YouTube and even inspiring meme coins on platforms like Solana and Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network Base.
Previously, there was some tension between the two communities, but according to Schmidt’s official “meme manager” Ben Lashes, those differences have been resolved. In a recent interview, Lashes mentioned that the two groups are now on good terms, purring along with their respective visions for Keyboard Cat’s legacy.
Lashes highlighted the unique qualities of both meme coins, stating that while they operate on different blockchain platforms and cater to different communities, they share a common love for silly meme coins and the internet sensation that is Keyboard Cat. This organic growth and genuine enthusiasm have contributed to the success of both meme coins.
Keyboard Cat’s popularity has also extended beyond the crypto world. Schmidt has entered into licensing agreements with renowned companies such as Microsoft and Wonderful Pistachios, leveraging the iconic image of his feline star to bring joy to even more people.
Interestingly, Schmidt himself experimented with cryptocurrency and minted a Keyboard Cat NFT in 2021. However, with the recent surge in popularity of meme coins within the crypto community, Keyboard Cat has found its way back into the digital realm, riffing onchain once again.
The Solana-based version of the Keyboard Cat meme coin was launched last year, but it has a smaller following on Twitter compared to the iteration launched on Base in March. The relationship between the two communities hit a rough patch when the Keyboard Cat meme coin on Base blocked their Solana-based counterparts on Twitter. Fortunately, Lashes stepped in to find a resolution that would be beneficial for both communities. Schmidt and Lashes decided to move forward with both meme coins, granting them participation in both projects.
This kind of licensing agreement is not unprecedented in the world of meme coins and viral pets. For instance, a similar dispute between the owners of Shark Cat and a Solana-based project was resolved through a licensing deal instead of legal action.
As a token of gratitude, the Keyboard Cat community on Solana set aside 20 million KEYCAT tokens for Schmidt. At current prices, this sum would be valued at approximately $37,000. In addition to the licensing agreement, Schmidt also announced that he will be sharing a treasure trove of Keyboard Cat images and videos for both communities to use freely, further cementing the sense of unity between them.
Lashes described the situation as two nations coming together and settling their differences for a common goal. Despite the tribal nature of the blockchain community, the goal for Schmidt and Lashes was to form an alliance where both parties could act independently while supporting each other.
With the official licensing agreement in place, the Keyboard Cat meme coins are now legitimate and poised to make a lasting impact on the meme coin landscape.