#39 - Creator Economy: SocialFi and FantasyTop

The Wild West of Web3 by BorgoAcademy

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Most of the video snippets you see me posting on LinkedIn are created through Opus Clip - so as usual, I’m only sharing stuff that I have actually used/done.

And since we are talking about the Creator Economy, it just fits sharing something that may help creators from different industries put out their content in video format.

The Creator Economy:
We are just getting started

Over the last few decades, the digital world has undergone major transformations that have reshaped many aspects of our society - including how businesses operate.

From the dot-com boom to cloud technologies to mobile applications for pretty much anything, companies, builders, and brands had to adapt fast.

And since this is The Wild West of Web3, we’ll keep exploring everything and anything around it. So far, we have covered MANY aspects of Web3 and also its application in different industries, including:

  • Open loyalty

  • Smart Tokens

  • DeFi

  • Social Media

  • Gaming

  • Metaverse

  • Tokenization

  • Sustainability

  • Industrial Metaverse

  • Sports

  • Immersive experiences

  • Travel & Hospitality

  • Zero-knowledge proof

In recent editions, you may have noticed several mentions of the “Creator Economy”. And that’s not a coincidence.

Amongst all the exciting things going on in Web3, the Creator Economy is certainly a topic you should keep your eyes on.

For a quick recap, check this screenshot from our edition #37:

Notice that back then I highlighted “creators” and “audiences”. And again: not a coincidence.

If Social Media skyrocketed the possibilities of how creators can interact with their followers, Web3 can certainly enhance this, while opening up new avenues for monetizing those connections.

The new bull market in crypto is now giving fresh impetus to projects and investors who understand the opportunity for Web3-based creator tools but have been waiting for the right time to move into the market”.

Victoria Chynoweth - Forbes Article on Creator Economy

And speaking for “fresh impetus” and “new avenues”, it’s time to dive into SocialFi.

SocialFi:
Bridging Social Media and DeFi

SocialFi combines the interactive nature of Social Media with the financial and ownership mechanisms inherent in the blockchain.
Or we could say it brings together attention/engagement and Decentralized Finance (DeFi).

(For more context on DeFi, check our edition #20)

So, in short, this synergy creates a platform where interactions - besides their social aspect - are financially incentivizing. Users (the “Creators”) gain the ability to monetize their online presence directly - be it through creating content, engaging with others, or simply sharing data.


But Diego, many creators are already making money through traditional platforms such as YouTube and Instagram

Correct.

I am not saying that SocialFi is replacing the huge market that exists for creators on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. Well, at least not for now.

At its core, SocialFi is about empowerment and decentralization. It challenges the traditional model where a few centralized authorities (think Big Tech) hold control over user data and content distribution.

Instead, SocialFi places the power directly in the hands of the Creators, giving them both control over their contributions and the opportunity to earn from them.

On top of that, as people seek greater control over their digital identities and outputs, decentralized platforms offer a new model where contributions are directly rewarded, and data privacy is respected.

So before we move one, here’s a TL;DR on what we have just discussed:

✏️ Innovative Fusion: SocialFi brings social media dynamics and blockchain-based financial systems together, enabling creators and users to monetize interactions and control their data.

✏️ Market Expansion: As blockchain technology and decentralized social platforms become more mainstream, new alternatives for traditional Social Media become available.

✏️ Technological Backbone: Blockchain-based solutions ensure that these new platforms operate with high levels of transparency and security, pivotal for user trust and platform integrity.

✏️ User-centric Model: The power is placed in the hands of the users, allowing for a more democratic and equitable digital experience.

So it’s safe to say that more than a new technology, it's a new way of experiencing the internet.

With the seamless integration of social media and finance, we have the perfect scenario for a more connected, empowered, and financially inclusive global community.

And as you can imagine, there are MANY interesting projects leveraging SocialFi. In the next segment, we’ll dive into one that’s getting a lot of attention recently - and one I truly recommend you keep exploring after finishing this edition.

Spotlight: FantasyTop

Over the last week, if you have spent at least a few minutes on X/Twitter or checking Web3 newsletters, you’ve probably seen something about the SocialFi game on Blast called FantasyTop.

FantasyTop offers users a novel way to engage in social interactions that also have a financial aspect attached to it, as participants can get different rewards.

This platform integrates the thrill of fantasy sports with the dynamics of social media, particularly targeting the crypto community on platforms like Crypto Twitter (yes, “X” 😅)

Back in February, they released a funny video to announce their Testnet - and since then, they’ve managed to keep attracting more and more attention:

Cool, but what REALLY is FantasyTop?

There’s a very cool definition by TPan that goes like this:

Fantasy is essentially fantasy sports x Twitter influencers, starting with Crypto Twitter”.

FantasyTop operates as a decentralized social media platform where users earn rewards for their online engagement.

The platform allows users to create, share, and monetize content within different communities. Thanks to blockchain technology, FantasyTop ensures that all transactions and interactions are transparent and secure.

Sauce: Decrypt

How FantasyTop Works

Users on FantasyTop can collect and trade digital cards of influencers (or “KOLs” to keep on the current lingo), known as "Heroes”.

These cards are central to the platform's ecosystem and can be used to participate in various competitions and challenges. Each card represents a real influencer in the crypto space, and their value is determined by their online activity and engagement levels.

The price for new packs is calculated by a VRGDA (Variable Rate Gradual Dutch Auction), which is a mechanism designed by Paradigm, a big name when it comes to VC companies in the space.

As you can imagine, if there’s a lot of demand, price goes up. In theory, it will help keep the emissions at a sustainable rate, so the game lives longer.

Weekly Tournaments and Rewards (AKA “ok, where’s the money?”)

FantasyTop hosts weekly tournaments where users can employ their influencer cards in strategic competitions. These tournaments “mimic” fantasy sports leagues, where users set lineups and score points based on the real-world performance of their chosen influencers on social media.

Rewards for these tournaments are paid out in FantasyTop's native tokens as well as other cryptocurrencies, providing a direct financial incentive for user participation.

There’s this unique financial model where each interaction and contribution by users can potentially yield earnings. Here’s how it works:

🤑 Token Rewards: Users earn tokens for activities such as posting content, commenting, or simply engaging with others. These tokens can be used within the platform or traded on exchanges.

🤑 Influencer Card Trading: The marketplace for trading influencer cards allows users to speculate on the value of influencers, buying low and selling high based on performance predictions.

🤑 Staking and Ownership: Users can stake their tokens on certain influencers, betting on their success and earning a share of their earnings on the platform.

Why Being on Blast Matters

Blast is a Layer-2 solution known for its high throughput and low transaction costs, which is crucial for applications like FantasyTop that require fast and frequent transactions.

This technical backbone is vital for FantasyTop’s operation, facilitating real-time trading and rewards distribution without the bottlenecks typically found on congested networks.

But I’m sure this is a super niched thing within the already niched Cryto bubble

My mate Zeneca summed the conversation around FantasyTop in a very good way:

Fantasy might have created the perfect flywheel:

- Creators can monetize just by posting A+ banging tweets

- Followers can literally bet on them by buying their cards and engaging

- Flippooors get to trade the marketplace and find scalping and arb opportunities everywhere

As you can see, there are opportunities for everyone involved: Content creators, followers, and traders. A true win-win-win situation, all powered by Web3 👊 .

What about you? Have you tried FantasyTop? If so, what are your thoughts?

Considering all the buzz around it, I’m truly curious to see your takes on this new platform.

Do you think this will become a new standard on how content can be monetized or is this just a “short-lived trend”?

Is SocialFi the next “big thing”?

I do not know.

😁 

But seriously: it’s impossible to predict how/if this will develop over the next few years (or even months).

However, with everything around “attention economy”, “KOLs”, “decentralization”, and related topics, I think it’s safe to say that we’ll at least keep hearing about this for a while.

But regardless of the “names” or specific “fields” of it, the Creator Economy is here to stay.
Whether we are talking about an artist selling their painting as an NFT, an influencer profiting from their tweets/posts on a gamified social platform, or a developer creating a new Blockchain-based solution, Web3 is powering a whole new - and exciting - playing field for creators around the world.

So, for now, I recommend we keep exploring what’s already here, but obviously paying attention to what’s coming next.

This segment is only available for BorgoAcademy members.

Scaling with your audience:
Insights on how to dive into the SocialFi

As discussed in recent editions, the Creator Economy is revolutionizing the way individuals create, share, and monetize content.

With SocialFi under the spotlight, creators are empowered to harness their creativity and collect rewards through decentralized platforms.

Here are some ideas on how you can leverage these emerging opportunities:

If you want to learn more about BorgoAcademy, hit the button below.

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See you next week.

#LFGrow
Diego Borgo