2 weeks ago
CryptoSlate’s SlateCast precocious welcomed Brandon Kumar, co-founder of Layer3, to sermon the platform’s ngo to revolutionize crypto engagement done user-owned value. Joined by CryptoSlate’s Editor-in-Chief Liam “Akiba” Wright and CEO Nate Whitehill, Kumar shared insights into Layer3’s concern model, aboriginal goals, and the broader trends shaping the crypto industry.
Redefining User-Owned Value
Layer3’s halfway ngo centers connected “user-owned value,” a conception that flips the accepted advertizing model. Kumar explained,
“When a idiosyncratic is spending clip connected Layer3, they’re really capable to earn, successful summation to discovering and uncovering protocols applicable to their needs and interests.”
Unlike accepted platforms similar Google oregon Facebook, which monetize idiosyncratic attraction for firm profit, Layer3 ensures users stock the economical worth generated from their activity.
By fostering this shift, Layer3 provides users with a much nonstop transportation to protocols and projects wrong the crypto ecosystem. Kumar elaborated,
“What we’re trying to fundamentally convey is this conception of a idiosyncratic who spends clip but besides earns economical worth portion being advertised to.”
The Journey from Traditional Finance to Crypto
Kumar’s inheritance successful accepted concern importantly shaped his attack to Layer3. He antecedently worked astatine Accolade Partners, a salient alternate plus manager, wherever helium gained acquisition successful task superior and exertion investments.
“We looked astatine what was happening successful crypto task and said it resembles a batch of what was happening successful the 80s and 90s wrong accepted task capital,” Kumar noted.
This unsocial position allowed Kumar to admit the imaginable of the crypto abstraction aboriginal on. He emphasized that his fiscal acquisition taught him the value of robust concern models and defensibility. “Understanding concern models and dispassionately reasoning astir them was essential,” helium said, adding that the acquisition helped him marque strategical choices successful Layer3’s growth.
How Layer3 Drives Engagement and Supports DAOs
Layer3’s concern exemplary operates arsenic a two-sided marketplace. On 1 side, ample layer-one (L1) and layer-two (L2) ecosystems similar Optimism and Arbitrum question to pull users and developers. Conversely, users look for meaningful ways to prosecute with on-chain protocols. Layer3 bridges this gap.
“Our concern exemplary is simply a two-sided marketplace. We enactment with these ecosystems to assistance them reach, acquire, retain, and prosecute users on-chain,” said Kumar.
For users, Layer3’s level offers much than conscionable “quests” for rewards. Instead, it provides a holistic acquisition that includes trading, prediction markets, and on-chain engagement opportunities.
Additionally, Layer3’s relation extends into supporting Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). “We’re 1 of the much progressive participants successful our customers’ DAOs,” Kumar stated, highlighting their important relation arsenic a delegate successful Optimism and Arbitrum. The level aims to make meaningful on-chain engagement alternatively than superficial activity.
Navigating Regulatory Uncertainty
Regulatory uncertainty is 1 of the astir important challenges for Layer3—and the full crypto industry. “Pace of innovation is importantly hindered,” Kumar explained, referencing the load of compliance faced by U.S.-based crypto startups. “Your lawyers fundamentally person a dense manus successful the benignant of merchandise that you’re building,” helium added, alluding to the complications of navigating regulations.
Kumar besides acknowledged the relation of Operation Choke Point 2.0, successful which U.S. banks person reportedly restricted banking services for crypto firms.
“What the banking strategy did was fundamentally marque it specified that you couldn’t support payroll,”
Kumar said, recounting the acquisition of different founders successful the space.
What’s Next for Layer3?
Looking ahead, Layer3 aims to grow its operations into 3 halfway verticals: distribution, trading, and a skunkworks part focused connected cutting-edge improvement astatine the intersection of AI, conversational finance, and crypto. “We’re restructuring the institution crossed 3 verticals,” Kumar explained, outlining however the level volition cater to its increasing idiosyncratic basal portion exploring emerging marketplace trends.
Layer3 besides plans to present a proprietary token to facilitate revenue-sharing and idiosyncratic incentives. “A percent of the fees that we make is automatically utilized to bargain backmost the L3 token,” Kumar noted, adding that the token volition play a captious relation successful aligning incentives crossed stakeholders.
Future Trends: Mobile, Speculation, and New User Behavior
Kumar foresees 2 large narratives dominating the adjacent crypto cycle: mobile-first improvement and the “TikTok-ification” of superior markets. “This volition beryllium the mobile era,” helium said, hinting astatine an ongoing acquisition of a mobile trading level that volition people a pivotal infinitesimal for the space.
He besides sees increasing engagement from younger generations, with Gen Z’s fiscal habits shaped by platforms similar Robinhood, sports betting apps, and crypto-native products. “Speculation of everything” volition beryllium a halfway taxable of the adjacent cycle, arsenic 24/7 real-time markets go the norm, driven by crypto-native tools.
Conclusion
The SlateCast occurrence with Brandon Kumar provided heavy insights into the improvement of user-owned value, Layer3’s ambitious plans for crypto engagement, and the relation of regularisation successful shaping the industry’s future. By aligning idiosyncratic incentives with on-chain engagement and creating multi-product offerings, Layer3 aims to redefine Web3 participation.
As regulatory frameworks make and much crypto-native projects question to prosecute users directly, Layer3’s attack to user-owned worth and multi-channel engagement whitethorn connection a blueprint for the adjacent epoch of decentralized growth.
The station Layer3 Co-founder Brandon Kumar connected gathering a user-centric crypto engagement platform appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.
English (US) 