Social tokens are increasingly being used in online blockchain communities. They offer numerous benefits to
Social tokens are increasingly being used in online blockchain communities. They offer numerous benefits to users.
The crypto world is going through a transformative chapter that is bound to revolutionize how the internet works and how online communities interact, and social tokens are at the heart of the latest inflective developments.
Their rise comes at a time when transactional frameworks, such as Web3, are gaining popularity, especially among crypto enthusiasts.
Social tokens support the democratization of social networks by enabling brands, influencers and businesses to create and monetize their own online communities using blockchain technology.
Daniel Nagy, vice president of Swarm — a decentralized data storage and dispensation firm — spoke to Cointelegraph regarding the new token class, stating that social tokens had significant disruptive potential.
“If done right, they can take communities to the next level, and it’s only a matter of time before we see more innovation in this space, most likely related to DAOs or GameFi, combined with ideas around so-called ‘soulbound’ tokens,” he said.
“Right now, the space is still in its early stages, and experimentation is key, but as adoption grows, social tokens can become the next bridge to non-crypto users and bring blockchain further into the mainstream, similar to what NFTs have done.”
He also highlighted that the tokens would be especially impactful for burgeoning companies that are still in their growth phase due to the need to capitalize on a loyal fan base.
How social tokens work
Social tokens are cryptocurrencies that are used as a form of patronage. They are underpinned by blockchain technology and allow community creators, influencers and enterprises to monetize their fan base. Fans who buy social tokens are usually given access to exclusive content and product offerings.
The main advantage of the social token model is that the tokens are redeemable and can be resold.
Social tokens are based on the same concept as nonfungible tokens (NFTs) in that they rely on a blockchain-based ownership model. However, they serve a different purpose. While NFTs can be used to represent actual real-world assets and are nonfungible, social tokens are fungible — i.e., interchangeable and/or divisible. This makes them ideal as a medium of exchange that can be used to monetize online communities and services.
Types of social tokens
There are two main categories of social tokens: personal and community.
Personal tokens are usually created by individuals to monetize some forms of labor and experiences. The ALEX personal token is, for example, based on the life of crypto entrepreneur Alex Masmej.
He launched the token using a “human initial public offering” approach in order to fund his move to Silicon Valley, San Francisco. Silicon Valley is home to some of the world’s largest blue-chip tech companies, and Masmej’s aim was to meet potential co-founders for his crypto startup.
Initially, holders of the ALEX token had voting privileges on his life choices, such as his diet. They additionally got to receive a portion of his earnings through an income-sharing agreement. Today, investors with at least 5,000 ALEX tokens get exclusive access to Masmej’s newsletter and the token’s Telegram chat.
Community tokens, on the other hand, are designed to reward participation in a group setting. The utility tokens are developed for use in online communities that want to boost network tokenomics.
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Many community token implementations often use online communication platforms, such as Slack, Discord and Telegram, the access of which is regulated using token-gating smart contracts.
The SWAGG token is an example of a participation token. It is used in the Swagg House community to propagate a collaborative culture by rewarding participation.
Users who possess SWAGG tokens gain myriad benefits that include access to Swagg Drops before they are made available to the public. They also get to receive Swagg Grants, which are awarded to community projects, and stand to earn Swagg Rewards for sharing content.
Social tokens and Web3
Social tokens are designed to reinforce value distribution that matches member contributions.
They enable online communities to create incentivized models that not only encourage stakeholder diversity but also allow members to reward creative contributors.
Now, at the cusp of a new era of internet democratization, social tokens are set for integration in Web3 environments. While tech behemoths essentially dominate Web2 and control information dissemination channels, Web3 will be focused on devolving these systems by giving more privacy control options to users while upholding the principles of decentralization and self-governance. This is where social tokens come in.
The tokens can be used on Web3 platforms to tip and…
cointelegraph.com