The crypto industry stands at a crossroads. After three boom-and-bust cycles, a growing number of participants are questioning whether we’re trapped in a self-destructive loop of short-term speculation, empty products, and broken promises. The answer lies not in more hype or clever tokenomics, but in returning to first principles thinking—rebuilding the foundation of crypto with long-term vision, sustainable products, and real value creation.
This isn’t about blaming individuals or chasing trends. It’s about transforming the culture. The core issues aren’t talent or capital shortages—they’re short-termism, misaligned incentives, and a lack of compounders—assets that grow steadily over years, like Amazon or Google. Without these, crypto will remain a speculative playground rather than a transformative financial layer.
Let’s explore how we can shift the paradigm across three critical areas: fostering long-term builders, reimagining Layer 1 blockchains, and professionalizing liquidity token projects.
The Missing Compounders: Culture, Incentives, and Long-Term Thinking
Why doesn’t crypto produce long-term compounders?
The answer is simple: everyone expects the system to collapse. This belief becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. When founders, investors, and users all operate under the assumption that “I need to get mine before it goes to zero,” no one builds for longevity.
👉 Discover how sustainable crypto growth starts with mindset shifts—not market cycles.
We’ve cycled through this pattern repeatedly:
- ICO mania (2017)
- DeFi summer (2020)
- NFT and metaverse hype (2021)
- AI agent and meme coin frenzy (2024)
Each wave attracted capital, but left behind ghost protocols, abandoned dApps, and disillusioned users. The result? A collective cynicism that undermines trust and long-term investment.
Yet, real compounders do exist in crypto:
- Jito: $900M annualized revenue
- Uniswap: $700M
- Hyperliquid: $500M
- Aave: $488M
These projects prove that revenue-generating protocols can thrive even in bear markets. They attract long-term holders because they solve real problems and generate real cash flow.
To scale this model, we need two foundational shifts:
- Leadership with integrity and long-term vision
Founders must be judged not by how fast they pump a token, but by how well they align with their product’s future. The industry should celebrate builders like Hyperliquid’s team—high agency, high integrity, and deeply embedded in their ecosystem. - Products designed for revenue, not speculation
Too many projects launch with no path to income, relying solely on token appreciation. But without revenue, there’s no basis for valuation, no reason to hold long-term, and no resilience during downturns.
When users pay for utility—not just hope—the asset gains credibility. That credibility attracts investors who believe in growth, not just exit opportunities.
The End of Generic Layer 1s: Specialization Over Generalization
The era of “Ethereum killers” is over.
Since 2021, over 750 smart contract platforms have launched tokens. Most are irrelevant. Their charts show the same M-shaped pattern: a sharp spike followed by a slow bleed into obscurity.
Even Ethereum—a foundational success—has seen price stagnation despite record TVL and ETF approvals. Solana may be this cycle’s darling, but history suggests its dominance won’t last forever unless it evolves beyond hype.
So what’s the alternative?
👉 See why focused blockchain ecosystems outperform generic ones in the long run.
Specialized blockchains—chains built around a single compelling use case—are the future.
Think of blockchains as cities:
- Silicon Valley → Tech
- New York → Finance
- Las Vegas → Entertainment
- Seoul → K-pop & Beauty
Cities thrive when they develop around a core strength. Blockchains should do the same.
Take Hyperliquid as an example:
- Built a high-performance perpetual DEX (the “anchor product”)
- Attracted traders and liquidity
- Added staking, oracles, multi-sig—vertical integration
- Launched HyperEVM for developers to build on top
This “attraction-first, city-second” model mirrors Web2 giants like Amazon (started with books) or Shopify (focused on e-commerce).
For L1s, this means:
- Stop trying to be everything to everyone
- Build a killer application internally
- Use it to bootstrap users and liquidity
- Then open the platform for others to expand the ecosystem
This approach creates organic value accrual:
- Users need the native token to interact
- Builders integrate with existing infrastructure
- Value flows back to the chain’s economy
And critically—it gives the token real utility. If your blockchain is a city, the token is its currency. People hold it because they use it, not just because they hope someone else will pay more later.
Liquidity Tokens Need Investor Relations—Not Just Buybacks
Most liquidity-focused projects treat investors like gamblers: no updates, no transparency, just price action.
That’s unsustainable.
If you want long-term capital, you need to act like a real company. That means:
- Publishing quarterly reports
- Hosting investor calls
- Sharing metrics (revenue, user growth, protocol upgrades)
- Setting clear roadmaps
This isn’t radical—it’s standard practice in traditional finance. Yet in crypto, simply having a public-facing IR function puts you ahead of 99% of projects.
Buybacks and token burns? They’re the least bad option—but not a strategy. Real growth comes from reinvesting capital into product development, user acquisition, and ecosystem expansion.
A strong IR strategy does more than inform—it builds trust. When investors see consistent progress, they’re more likely to hold through volatility. That reduces sell pressure and stabilizes the token economy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can crypto ever escape speculation?
A: Yes—but only if projects prioritize real utility and revenue over token pumps. Markets reward sustainability when it’s demonstrable.
Q: Are all Layer 1s doomed?
A: No. But generic L1s competing solely on speed or low fees will struggle. Success belongs to chains with focused use cases and integrated ecosystems.
Q: Why do so many crypto projects fail?
A: Short-term incentives dominate. Founders exit early, teams lack alignment, and products lack revenue models. Fixing culture starts at the top.
Q: Is now a good time to invest?
A: For speculative assets—maybe not. For revenue-generating protocols with strong teams? Historically, post-bubble periods offer the best entry points.
Q: What should investors look for in a crypto project?
A: Long-term founder commitment, clear revenue streams, transparent operations, and a product people actually use.
Q: How can a blockchain create real token value?
A: By designing use cases that require the token—trading fees, staking, governance—and ensuring demand grows with adoption.
Final Thoughts: Doing Something Different
We’ve repeated the same cycle for over a decade: hype → capital influx → collapse → disillusionment.
The only way out is to do something different.
That means:
- Backing founders who think in decades, not months
- Building products people pay for—not just speculate on
- Creating ecosystems where value accumulates organically
- Treating investors with transparency and respect
The tools are here. The talent is here. What’s missing is the will to change.
👉 Join the shift toward sustainable crypto innovation—start building for tomorrow today.
The future belongs to those who stop chasing quick wins and start creating lasting value. The question is: will you be part of it?
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