The Rise and Application of Points Systems in Web3 Projects

The Layer 2 project Blast, born on November 21, 2023, saw its TVL soar to $2.2 billion in just a few months. This success is largely attributed to the points operational strategy introduced by its founder, Pacman. Although Pacman is not the first person to introduce a points system to Web3, the success of Blast undoubtedly has led more projects to pay attention to this operational method.

The application of point systems in Web3 projects is becoming increasingly widespread. For example, after Manta introduced its point system, its TVL quickly surpassed that of Starknet and zkSync, currently ranking 10th among all public chains. In the Solana ecosystem, influenced by Jito, many projects have launched their own point systems, attracting a large number of participants from the crypto community and individuals.

The year 2024 is considered a bull market and airdrop year, and it is also a points year. More and more projects are choosing to introduce a points system, mainly based on the following reasons:

1. Token economic system optimization: For projects that have issued tokens, points can supplement a dual-token model; for projects that have not issued tokens, points help design a more reasonable token economic model.

2. User Expectation Management: By clearly defining the value of each action, the project can better manage user expectations regarding airdrop rewards.

3. Continuously attract user attention: In a bull market where attention is scarce, a points system can enhance user engagement and expectations for the project.

When designing a points system, projects need to determine the incentivized user behaviors based on their own characteristics. Projects that focus on trading behaviors may consider factors such as transaction frequency, transaction volume, and funds' retention time; while projects that emphasize non-trading behaviors should focus on communication among users, knowledge sharing, and platform promotion.

For projects with limited resources, a third-party platform can be used to quickly establish a points system. These platforms provide comprehensive tools that support task classification and cyclical settings, avoiding repetitive work. At the same time, the involvement of third-party platforms also helps to increase user trust.

The points system has become an important trend in the operation of Web3 projects. Whether built in-house or using third-party tools, a well-designed and implemented points system can bring significant advantages to the project, enhancing user engagement and retention.