How a golden cube and dog mayor became the face of trust in crypto

Castello Coin merges heritage and innovation with emotionally resonant initiatives like a physical golden cube and Simon, a symbolic mayor dog memecoin, to foster trust and transparency in crypto.

From its inception, the cryptocurrency sector has been championed as a transformative force in finance, returning power to the people and breaking free from centralized systems .

However, the dream of decentralization has been overshadowed by a series of scandals back in 2022, such as LUNA’s collapse, the Celsius debacle and FTX's infamous implosion . Unsurprisingly, these were a major backlash for traditional investors who began to view the crypto space as a minefield made up of uncertainty.

To regain trust, the industry needs more than bulletproof technologies and resilient infrastructures and prioritize fostering transparency, emotional connections and meaningful collaborations instead.

A golden cube as a monument to transparency

Castello Coin , a framework to bridge Web2 and Web3 technologies, has launched an unconventional project that merges crypto with art and emotion. At the heart of this initiative is the Castello Cube, an 186-kilogram block of 24-karat gold crafted in a Swiss bell foundry. Designed by the project’s co-founder and artist Niclas Castello, the sculpture symbolizes a “golden blockchain block” and serves as a beacon of trust and transparency.

The Castello Cube was exhibited in Central Park, New York. Source: Artnet

Unveiled in New York’s Central Park on Feb. 2, 2022, the cube captured global media attention. Although the artwork is not for sale, the team estimates its value to be approximately $12 million at the time of its creation.

Despite the challenging backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and several crypto scandals, Castello remained steadfast in its mission. In six months, the project raised €16 million, with the majority of funds allocated to producing the cube. Notably, 99% of the investors were newcomers to crypto from traditional industries.

⭐️ NEW WORLD RECORD ⭐️

Wow! We are so excited 🤩 We are now in the Guinness Book of World Records 🙏

🟨 The Golden Ambassador of Art stays explicitly for all Artists of the world to realise their ideas with CAST Studio and share them with the world.

On 10.2.24 for the Chinese… pic.twitter.com/qbnqUjIUll

— CAST Studio (@castellocoin) February 11, 2024

The journey continued with a landmark event in Dubai in 2024. The cube was displayed on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab, accompanied by a record-breaking drone show. Over 1,500 drones formed a dragon encircling the iconic hotel before transforming into the cube — a performance that earned a Guinness World Record.

Canine ambassador for crypto

Building on the success of the cube, Castello embarked on a new venture: a memecoin called Simon . The project centers on a Basset-Cattle dog who was symbolically elected as the canine mayor of New York City on Nov. 11, 2024. Castello plans a grand inauguration ceremony for Simon on Jan. 19, 2025.

Simon represents more than just another memecoin in a market plagued by scams and rug pulls — fraudulent schemes in which developers abandon a project, take investors’ money and disappear. Positioned as an emotional envoy for the crypto world, the charming dog has already gone viral, providing a wholesome counterpoint to the otherwise skeptical memecoin landscape.

Simon, New York’s symbolic canine mayor, serves as an ambassador for trust and transparency. Source: Castello Coin

Castello founder and chief strategist Sven Wenzel initially invested in the Simon startup, believing its vision aligned closely and ultimately acquired it outright in late 2024. Beyond its role as a mascot, Simon is poised to play a key role in Castello’s future initiatives, including the launch of the artificial intelligence -driven platform Castiade and the global MVGA (Make Voting Great Again) mission.

Through its Cube and Simon projects, Castello addresses the trust deficit in crypto, showcasing a unique convergence of emotion and technology for traditional finance. The next chapter unfolds on Feb. 2, 2025, with a grand display of the cube in New York’s Times Square, followed by a drone spectacle over the Hudson River.

Castello Coin reminds people that the future of finance isn’t just about numbers and code — it’s about trust, connection and imagination. As the industry embraces projects that celebrate the human spirit, a more inclusive and emotionally meaningful financial transformation lies ahead for everyone.