Fartcaster VIPs (Very Interesting People), Episode 4: "Mike Rainbow"

"We try to speak casually, we try to make jokes, we try to break the mold of corporate-speak. I think people respect that kind of rawness."

Mike Demarais (aka “Mike Rainbow”) is the dynamic and sometimes unorthodox founder of Rainbow Wallet, a popular crypto wallet known for its user-friendly design and vibrant, approachable branding.

Anyone who spends enough time on Farcaster will surely have come across Mike, who is always quite active memeing in /memes, shitposting all over, and lovingly referring to the network by his favourite tongue-in-cheek misnomer: “Fartcaster.”

But who is “Mike Rainbow”? (And why does this suddenly sound like the beginning of a true crime documentary?)

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Demarais has always been a self-described “computer kid,” deeply immersed in technology from a very early age. 

His journey into the onchain world began after a few years spent working on SaaS products, where he found himself increasingly “being a bad employee”, distracted by the allure of crypto during work hours. He realized that, maybe unsurprisingly, his life’s passion was not in B2B Software as a Service. (I know!)

In 2018, Demarais made the leap into full-time onchain work, having been drawn to the crypto industry by its unique intersection of technology, politics, and history.

Earlier, circa 2009-2010, Mike had been skeptical of Bitcoin, worrying it was maybe a scam or that some unfortunate bug would bring the network to its knees, but his later experiences buying weed on the darknet and eventually learning more about Ethereum and its inifinite composability ultimately convinced him of crypto’s potential. 

The turning point came with the launch of 0x Protocol (creators of Matcha.xyz), which showcased the power of composable, modular onchain applications. This understanding eventually led him to cofounding Rainbow, a crypto wallet that prioritizes user experience, approachability, and fun. (By the way, his cofounder Christian is also on Farcaster.)

With Rainbow, Mike and Christian set out to create a wallet that could make the often intimidating world of crypto feel more accessible to everyday users. Unlike the clinical, utilitarian names of many crypto products at the time (think “CryptoBlaster 5000”) Rainbow’s branding is meant to be colorful and friendly by contrast—a deliberate choice to make the technology feel more human and less daunting. The app is designed to appeal to both power users and newcomers alike, with features that make interacting with Ethereum and other blockchains simple and enjoyable.

One of Demarais’s most distinguishing traits is his raw, unfiltered presence online. Whether posting memes or engaging in candid conversations on “Fartcaster”, he  embodies a new breed of tech founder who tries to merge personal authenticity with brand identity. 

This approach has set Rainbow apart from more traditional crypto companies, whose more formal, detached communications can feel somewhat alienating. For Demarais, it’s all about breaking the mold of corporate speak and bringing a human touch to Rainbow’s brand:

 “We try to speak casually, we try to make jokes., we try to break the mold of corporate-speak. I think people respect that kind of rawness, the ‘we don’t overthink it, we just click Send’ attitude,” he says. 

A vocal advocate for open-source software, Demarais believes that transparency fosters trust with users and drives innovation from builders. Many are surprised to learn that Rainbow’s code is openly available under the GPL license, reflecting Demarais’s conviction that protecting ideas through patents is "an outdated concept." To him, open-source development not only empowers users, but also ensures the longevity and adaptability of technology in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Beyond the technical achievements, Demarais’s success with Rainbow is rooted in his commitment to community and fun. He’s not afraid to poke fun at competitors or engage with users directly, often through humor and a dash of irreverence. This approachable, often playful attitude has helped Rainbow cultivate a passionate user base that feels more like a community than just a customer list.

Say what you will about Mike Rainbow, but one thing's for certain — few would argue with the assertion that he is one of Farcaster's Very Interesting People.  Come for the fart jokes and insolent memes,  stay for the approachable tech, open source values and radical transparency.

(By the way, rumor has it that it is often Mike himself behind the wheel at the official Rainbow Wallet account... worth a follow too, while you're at it.)

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. And if you are enjoying this series, please drop a comment and share this profile with your network on Warpcast and X. Let's make it known together that there is no shortage of Very Interesting People on the purple app!

And if you enjoyed learning more about the man behind the Rainbow, Mike was a guest on Episode 23 of ZEROPOD.xyz my CC0 video podcast about Enjoying Ethereum. You can watch the full episode here via YouTube, or mint and watch the onchain edition for free on Zora.