At Token 2049, SocialFi emerged as one of the most talked-about movements in crypto. It’s the next phase of social media, powered by blockchain, where creators own their identity, data, and income. What began as a fix for digital imbalance is now shaping a global market projected to surpass $10 billion by 2033, according to Micro Marketing Insights.
Platforms like Base, Kaito Yap, and Own.App are driving this transformation. Base is building a creator-first ecosystem that rewards engagement. Kaito Yap turns insights into assets. Own.App allows users to earn directly from the attention their content generates. Together, they define a new kind of digital economy where participation has financial value.
SocialFi merges social media with decentralized finance to give users full control over their online presence. Each profile, post, or connection ties to a blockchain wallet you control. Engagement becomes measurable, tradable, and valuable.
Instead of likes feeding centralized platforms, SocialFi pays users for content creation, curation, and community building. Tokens replace ad revenue, transforming attention into an income stream. Every post becomes proof of value in a transparent system powered by blockchain and smart contracts.
Why It Matters
SocialFi challenges the imbalance of today’s social platforms, where creators drive attention but earn little. It rewards participation and shifts ownership back to users. As AI reshapes digital content, verified on-chain identities make authenticity valuable again.
For businesses, SocialFi introduces engagement-based economies. Communities can become stakeholders. Brands can build tokenized loyalty and reward systems tied directly to participation.
Coinbase and the Base Ecosystem
Coinbase is pushing SocialFi into the mainstream with Base, an app combining decentralized social networking, trading, and payments. Every post can become a digital asset that’s owned, traded, or monetized.
Base reports 1.2 million people on its waitlist, $500,000 in creator earnings, and triple engagement compared to traditional social apps. Around 40% of beta users interact with mini apps, signaling rising demand for decentralized, in-app experiences.
Base Creator Jesse Pollak summarized it clearly: “Creators bring content into walled gardens and don’t make money. Onchain social flips that. Ninety-five percent of the value goes to creators.”
Own.App: The Creator-First Model
Own.App, co-founded by Katia Zaitsev, focuses on making blockchain invisible to creators. It’s a decentralized TikTok, where creators earn via ranked content, in-app revenues, and the $OWN token.
Zaitsev explained, “Creators shouldn’t need to understand blockchain to benefit. They should log in, create, and earn as they do now—but with ownership and higher payouts.”
Currently in beta, 30% of users are active daily. New features launching in November include live streaming, advanced monetization tools, and a Tokenized Creator Fund for global equal pay.
Kaito Yap: Data as Capital
Kaito brings the data layer to SocialFi. Its Yap system rewards users for sharing valuable crypto insights. Quality and accuracy earn Yap Points, which can lead to token rewards or access to Kaito’s Capital Launchpad.
With over 1 million users, Kaito turns participation into measurable proof—proof of knowledge, activity, and credibility. Founder Yu Hu calls this “data-driven capital formation,” where data itself becomes the foundation of financial trust.
How to Earn with SocialFi
- Choose a platform that aligns with your goals.
- Connect a wallet to create your digital identity.
- Post, comment, and engage consistently to build on-chain reputation.
- Earn tokens through content, curation, or participation.
- Reinvest or trade tokens for additional rewards.
Strong SocialFi projects reward long-term engagement and utility, not speculation. Sustainable income comes from building reputation and community trust.
The New Earning Mindset
SocialFi replaces follower counts with ownership. You’re not just a user; you’re a stakeholder. Your engagement builds economic value for yourself and your community.
This system aligns incentives across all levels: users earn from value creation, platforms grow through participation, and communities thrive through shared rewards.
The Future of SocialFi
SocialFi is moving beyond hype into real utility. Tokenized incentives and AI-driven matching will make earning consistent and fair. Regulatory clarity will further legitimize this ecosystem, making decentralized social income mainstream.
The next phase of the internet will not just connect people it will pay them.
Social media is evolving into an economy where creators own their work, their data, and their future.
