Crypto needs to rethink incentive structures before the mainstream arrives
Tokenomics favor speed over conviction, using genuine supporters as exit liquidity. Crypto’s mainstream future requires replacing extraction with participation incentives.
Every token launch is a story about belief. Crypto narratives often romanticize early buyers as visionaries who saw potential when others didn’t. The reality is far less noble.
The bonding curve, currently the dominant mechanism for price discovery in crypto, sets the stage: Price increases with each purchase, rewarding those who arrive early with the best entry point. On the surface, this seems fair.
Early buyers, however, are not early believers. Speed of purchase reveals nothing about conviction or commitment to the project. What the bonding curve rewards is speed. And in crypto, speed is determined by access to tools and insider knowledge.