Founders

fc-updates

We’re planning to launch a new, optional “Pro” protocol subscription

1. At launch, subscribers will have a Pro badge on their profile

2. Subscription will be onchain and part of the protocol. 100% of the proceeds go to casters / developers in weekly rewards. This in addition to the existing $25K+ a week in rewards. 

3. Planning to add longer casts (10K characters) and up to 4 images per cast for pro subscribers (needs a protocol change). Additional features over time.

4. $120 a year / $10 a month 
Why are we doing this?

- The protocol needs to find long-term revenue source that can continue fund caster and developer rewards beyond any one company.  
- We originally thought storage fees could be that, but we’ve realized that storage fees should be essentialy free to help growth. 
- So we’re trying an opt-in pro subscription as another model

Why now?

- Figuring out a long-term revenue model that works will allow us to double down on investing in growth

Crypto Founders, Listen Up!
@dwr.eth 
(Suppose)I raised $7M from Silicon Valley VCs, got a Dubai agency hyping KOLs, and built my Web3 project. Launch time, baby!  

But my real users? They ain’t in NYC. They’re in Manila, Lagos, São Paulo, Accra, Jakarta.  
I dug into 15M users from MetaMask, Phantom, Bitget, Coinbase, Rainbow, OKX—crossed with geo-data.
Truth bomb:  
Real Talk:  
Cash flows from the West: U.S. and Europe got the VCs.  

Users are Global South: Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America bring the crowd.
West has big transactions. Places like the Philippines, Nigeria, Brazil, Indonesia? They’ve got the numbers.  
Want fees? Chase the West.
Want growth? Bet on the South.
 
Case in Point:
A Berlin founder snags $4M, builds an Arbitrum app, aims for NYC.
Launch hits—top users? Philippines, Nigeria, Brazil. Their cheap phones can’t run the heavy app. They bounce.  
Mistake? Thinking users are Western.  
This ain’t a bug—it’s a reality check.

Crypto’s soul is in the Global South’s hustle, not Silicon Valley’s boardrooms.  
Ask Yourself:
Am I building for VC clout or the users who’ll actually vibe with my product?
Users don’t give a damn about my roadmap—they need stuff that works for them.  
Crypto’s Big Clash:  
West funds me.  
Global South uses me.

My Playbook:  
Score cash in NYC, but don’t sleep on Manila.  
Drop a TGE in Paris, but build for Lagos.  
Ignore users for investors, and I’m screwed.

Bottom Line:
Western money builds my project, but Global South users make it pop.
Miss this, and I’m toast.  
So, who am I building for?
The VC with the bag?
Or the user who’s actually clicking?