Meme coin chronicles: Hide the pain Harold

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Meet András Arató, better known as Hide the Pain Harold—a Hungarian engineer who never planned to become an internet star.

What started as a simple stock photo session turned into a worldwide phenomenon, and now Harold is making waves in the crypto world with his very own memecoin, $PAIN.

The birth of a meme

While on holiday, Harold snapped some casual vacation photos. A photographer spotted his potential and invited him for a stock photo shoot.

Soon, his photos were everywhere.

But people noticed something unexpected: his forced smile seemed to hide a deeper pain.

Around 2011, online communities began to add funny captions and tragic backstories, and “Hide the Pain Harold” was born.

Rise to meme fame

The meme quickly spread across Facebook, Reddit, 4chan, and Imgur.

By 2016, Harold had revealed his true self to the world, and in 2020, he was crowned Imgur’s “Meme of the Decade,” even outshining legends like Grumpy Cat.

Embracing fame

At first, Harold wasn’t too thrilled about his accidental fame. But soon, he embraced his role as an internet icon.

From TV appearances to brand deals with Coca-Cola and Vodafone—and even a TED talk—Harold turned a meme into a full-blown career.

No $PAIN, no gain

In 2025, Harold stepped into the crypto scene by launching $PAIN, the official memecoin inspired by his own meme legacy.

Despite a major market shake-up, the $PAIN presale raised nearly 185,976 SOL (about $40M) in just 48 hours—a record-breaking achievement.

And here’s the twist: Harold refunded 80% of the funds raised, a move that built trust and set a new standard in the meme coin world.

As he put it, this coin isn’t here to add more pain to your portfolio—it’s a playful nod to life’s ups and downs.

In March 2024, meme coins plummeted following a Bitcoin flash crash that dramatically affected the broader crypto market.

Last month, the Doodles NFT brand co-founder launched the Poop Token, with two wallets acquiring 38% of the initial supply, sparking insider trading concerns.

In July 2024, meme coins like BONK and Brett soared in value despite a downturn in Bitcoin’s performance due to market turbulence.

In November 2024, the “Chill Guy” meme coin faced legal challenges from its creator over unauthorized use after gaining popularity through viral success.

Earlier this year, the Solana meme coin ecosystem saw record trading volumes, fueled by tokens like Dogwifhat and Bonk, along with robust community engagement and social media hype.

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