Self-custody, gasless transfers, Web3 storytelling, DeFi gaming, and Solana airdrops: Unity Wallet & MEW AMA recap

What do cats, meme coins, and self-custodial wallets have in common? A lot more than you'd expect. In this energetic AMA session, AlleyCat, the community lead at MEW, and James Toledano, Unity Wallet COO, sat down with LetsExchange to talk about everything from Solana airdrops and anime-inspired branding to scam prevention, KYT tools, and the evolution of crypto communities.

Here are the takeaways from this AMA session.

John: AlleyCat, are there any limitations on what you can post now with the new Telegram rules? How does that affect your role?

AlleyCat, MEW community lead: We don’t have any real tech limitations on Telegram, but we focus a lot on how we manage the space.

Our goal is to keep the community welcoming and respectful. I always remind our mods: don’t jump on people for asking questions – even if they’ve been asked before. Maybe they missed a pinned message or didn’t scroll up. That’s not a reason to ban or shame them.

Telegram is often the first point of contact with a project, so we want it to be a positive experience for everyone.

John: Totally agree with that point. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced when managing Telegram communities is dealing with scams, spam, and malicious content. Sure, there are bots that help, but it’s still a major concern across all social platforms.

That brings me to Unity Wallet. You guys have a built-in social network – can you share with the audience how it works and how you handle these issues there?

James, Unity Wallet COO: Sure! We have a dedicated Community section inside Unity Wallet, it’s located right in the center of the bottom tab when you open the app.

The idea is to build a space where users of all experience levels can connect and help each other. For example, a newcomer can start a conversation with someone more experienced and get useful advice directly within the app.

We’ve also added an encrypted messenger feature so users can move from public chat to private one-on-one conversations if needed.

We regularly share updates about the community and the broader crypto space. Users can also subscribe to various news channels within the app. The goal is to make Unity Wallet more than just a wallet – it’s a place to engage, learn, and stay informed.

As you mentioned earlier, no platform is completely immune to scams and phishing attempts. However, an active community space creates a layer of self-moderation. It also gives users a place to report suspicious behavior, making the whole environment safer.

When you download Unity Wallet and go through the onboarding process, you're automatically given a profile. It doesn't include any personal information like your name, just a default avatar.

From there, it's entirely up to you if you want to customize it. Once your profile is set up, you can start posting, commenting, and reposting – all the usual features you’d expect from a social platform built right into the wallet.

John: If you’re looking for a social-first crypto wallet with strong security, Unity Wallet stands out. Few apps offer built-in social features. I’ve seen attempts like Blaze Wallet on SUI, but they didn’t stick. Why do you think wallets like this haven’t taken off – and are there any success stories?

James: Blaze was a standalone Web3 social network, but with platforms like X and Telegram already dominating, there wasn’t much demand for another. Unity takes a different approach – it’s a built-in, private community space within the wallet. It’s integrated, not separate, which makes it more useful and relevant. Blaze likely failed because the market just didn’t need it.

John: Another important topic is phishing and social engineering. We’ve seen cases like the Bybit breach, where attackers – often linked to groups like those in North Korea – used sophisticated methods to steal funds.

James, have you seen any targeted attacks against Unity Wallet or your users? And how do you protect against them?

James: We haven’t seen any direct attacks. Groups like Lazarus tend to target centralized exchanges, where the rewards are higher. Self-custodial wallets like Unity are less appealing because they’re harder to breach with smaller returns. That said, we take security seriously, using third-party tools, real-time alerts, zero-knowledge protocols, and a proactive threat response system. So far, there have been no breaches, and we remain confident in our setup.

John: Never share your seed phrase or private keys. In crypto, security is everything – giving someone access to your wallet means giving up control of your assets. It’s a message that can’t be repeated enough.

James: Every Unity Wallet user gets a 24-word recovery phrase for added security, compared to the 12 words some wallets use. As long as it’s stored offline and not digitally (like in iCloud or screenshots), it stays air-gapped and safe from hackers. I’ve been in crypto since 2010 and have never experienced a hack – most attackers go after centralized exchanges, not self-custodial wallets.

John: That’s true. Now, back to you, AlleyCat – how has your audience evolved during this bull market? Are you seeing more newcomers, and how does today’s community compare to what you’ve seen in the past?

AlleyCat: Our audience – both early supporters and new arrivals – loves the fun, creative spirit of MEW. Unlike typical meme coins, MEW is built around the original IP, with its own character, storyline, and universe. That foundation lets us create games, merch, and even an animated series with LOCUS Animation Studios. Our community isn’t chasing hype – they’re here for the journey, and that’s what makes MEW more than just another meme coin.

John: That’s a unique way to position your project. MEW Coin recently saw a 115% spike in trading volume and price in February. You can find MEW and other assets on LetsExchange.io.

Now, about the animated series – is that a long-term focus or more of a one-time creative project?

AlleyCat: Art, illustrations, and animation are a huge part of what we do at MEW. We have a talented in-house team of animators and illustrators who create everything from short clips to themed artwork.

Some of our team members have worked on major projects (though we prefer not to name names to respect their privacy), and their experience shows in the quality of what we produce.

One of our biggest collaborations is with LOCUS Animation Studios. Great things take time, so while we were excited to announce the project, it’s still in development. There’s a lot in the works, and as we get closer to launch, we’ll be sharing more updates with the community.

John:  Speaking of animation, there’s a growing trend of games moving toward animated formats. We recently hosted a project – I won’t name them since they’re friends – that listed around 25 features: staking, DeFi, farming, point systems, and more. Sometimes, it feels like meme coins overload with features just for the sake of it.

What’s your take on that approach?

AlleyCat: That ties into a bigger topic in crypto – utility. Over time, it’s become such a buzzword that it even turned into a meme – I think there was literally a coin called "Utility Coin."

The real utility has to be authentic. Just launching a bunch of DeFi tools no one uses – just to say your token has utility – doesn’t help. At MEW, we’re building DeFi products like staking, but we don’t rely on it as our defining feature.

A strong project needs to be delivered across the board. That’s our approach at MEW – a cat in a dog’s world. Whether people come for staking, the Telegram game, or the animated series, we want everyone to find something meaningful.

Staking is great – it shows there’s development happening – but it’s just one piece of the puzzle.

James: Yes, and I’d like to add something on the topic of utility. With the upcoming MiCA regulations in the EU, any coin or token will need to demonstrate real utility to meet regulatory requirements. So, for projects targeting the European market, utility isn’t just a feature – it’s becoming a legal necessity.

John: James, how many tokens does Unity Wallet currently support? And what criteria do you use when deciding to list new ones?

James:  That’s a great question. We typically support around 250 coins at any given time. The selection is based on several factors – token popularity, actual utility, how easily the coin or blockchain can be integrated into our app, and whether our on/off-ramp partners support it for buying and selling. Our goal is to enable users to do as much as possible within the app.

We also support multiple blockchains and offer a wide range of features. Compared to most wallet apps, Unity provides more functionality – including on/off ramping, staking on about five chains, and spending capabilities directly from the wallet.

John: So staking is available directly in the wallet – is that through standard proof-of-stake protocols, or do you offer liquid staking options as well?

James: That's a good question. I believe it’s standard proof-of-stake staking, available on about five chains, though I’m not directly involved with that product.

Unity Wallet also lets users spend BTC, LTC, and ETH on over 4,000 products and supports sub-accounts for added flexibility.

We’re focused on building real utility. Late last year, we launched DeFi Earn, which lets users deposit USDT across 8–9 chains into Aave pools to earn passive yield, with no lock-up period and easy withdrawals.

More recently, we introduced Gasless Send for USDT and USDC across nine chains. Normally, gas fees require native tokens like TRX or ETH, but now those fees are included in the transaction itself.

Tron is the exception. A one-time TRX transaction is still required to approve the contract. After that, no TRX is needed. On other chains like Ethereum, contract approval also happens once, but without needing a separate ETH balance.

John: MEW is all about fun and community. How do most people discover the project? Do they learn more about crypto through it, and what’s the experience like for someone new joining the MEW ecosystem?

AlleyCat: MEW launched during the early meme coin wave on Solana and just marked its one-year anniversary in early March. What set it apart was a strategic airdrop to Saga 2 phone holders – a move that sparked a trend other tokens soon followed. MEW also airdropped to BONK and WIF holders, expanding its reach. While surprise airdrops can raise doubts, early support from Solana Foundation members helped validate the project and encouraged engagement. It was a creative and effective way to build early momentum and grow the MEW community.

John: James, I have the same question for you. Onboarding can be tough, especially with users who value anonymity. Since Unity Wallet doesn’t require KYC, what’s the biggest challenge you face when connecting with your community?

James:  Unity is a self-custodial wallet that connects users to various integrated services. We don’t require KYC ourselves, but some partners – like LetsExchange or Ramp – do for larger trades or fiat off-ramps. We were recently approached by a swap provider promoting "no KYC" as a benefit, which we saw as a red flag. We prefer to work with trusted, compliant partners.

Users can stay pseudo-anonymous within the app, but full anonymity isn’t realistic when moving large sums. As TradFi and DeFi continue to merge, regulations are tightening, and we’re adapting responsibly. We also don’t collect personal data – users interact directly with our partners for those services, which is exactly how we designed it.

Community member: Can you tell me a bit about your transaction feature? I think that's one of your main features. 

James: KYT (Know Your Transaction) is a key feature in Unity Wallet, now tied to our loyalty program. Users earn points by simply opening the app, which unlocks KYT, lowers transaction fees, and enables more sub-accounts.

KYT uses two top blockchain intelligence providers to scan wallet addresses before transactions. If you're receiving crypto, you can run a quick check to see if the funds are linked to the dark web, sanctions, or suspicious activity. You'll get a risk score – low, medium, or high – and if it's high, we recommend not proceeding.

Using two providers ensures balanced results. The goal is to help users avoid tainted crypto that could cause issues when off-ramping. It’s an added layer of protection to keep the ecosystem safe.

These are just the main highlights of the AMA session. To learn more about X, listen to the full AMA.