The Key To Cryptocurrency Growth: The Circular Economy
Have you noticed how everyone compares cryptocurrency to fiat? When we discuss the merits of a cryptocurrency, it is often in the context of how much fiat it can buy?
At the same time, newer people often wonder what they can do with cryptocurrency. A lot of the talk centers around established organizations accepting cryptocurrency for payment.
I think this is the wrong mindset. We are establishing an alternate system. It is up to us to see the expansion of that. It start with understanding the circular nature of things.
Let is look at gaming since it provides a great example. Games have developed their own economies. For years, some of the most popular games have drawn in tremendous amounts of money. This was used for in-game assets that enhanced the user experience.
The economy, though, resembled a road to nowhere. This image represents that.
Within the game, one could go anywhere he or she wanted. The flow of money went in a circular motion, changing form as the players decided they preferred it in a different form. Perhaps I receive a token for some type of achievement. To further my abilities, I use that token to acquire a form of power. The power, whatever represented that, had value within the game. I was willing to trade the token for the power.
This is a simple economic transaction. It is no different from me paying some USD for a particular collectible that I put on a shelf. Both parties decided to exchange the value.
The drawback to the gaming industry is the fact that, as the picture shows, it is a closed-loop. There is no exit point. One can keep the in-game currency going forever, yet it cannot leave. The second the game is shut off, the value acquired in the game, ceases to exist. Outside the game, it has no worth.
I realize there are exceptions where certain markets opened up which enables people to trade in-game assets for the most popular games. However, this is the minority as compared to the whole.
Now let us look at another representation.
Here we see the same circular nature represented. The main difference we notice is an on and off ramp. One can get in while also being able to exit.
This represents what we see in blockchain gaming. All games that are tokenized on blockchain have the ability to instantly provide this to everyone. On Steem, a new game like HolyBread created a number of in-game currencies, one being Breadcrumbs that can be taken out of the game. The difference is these tokens have some value outside the game. There is an exchange to swap them on.
Here is where we see the challenge. HolyBread epitomizes what we are seeing in all of cryptocurrency.
There is no use for the Breadcrumb token. People have the option of hodling it for speculation purposes or trading it. This sums up most of the crypto world. What can you do with the tokens?
It is now up to the development team behind the HolyBread game to come up with a use case for it. At the same time, it is imperative that innovation and creativity keep being applied to the game. More use cases are needed as time goes by. This will provide an outlet for the token while enhancing the user experience.
I find this example really gives us insight into cryptocurrency and what is needed. We have the tools, now it is up to us to develop use cases for tokens. Instead of having people using the off-ramp, i.e. selling, we need to focus upon expanding the "user experience". Thus, we are looking at the gamification of the ecosystem.
The goal here is not to close the loop. It is, however, to reduce the amount that is sent out via the off-ramp. If we could keep 60%-80% of the currency in the circulation process, then you have a system that is ripe to thrive.
When then get to the second part of the equation. It is imperative to keep making the circle bigger. This is what really enhances the experience for all those involved. This is done by having more "in-game" options along with increasing the number of users. Both operate simultaneously although it is vital to have something to offer. MVPs are great to get going yet there needs to be more features (applications) added.
To me, this is accomplished by focusing upon one's own side of the street. How often do you see games that are highly successful try and get people outside that ecosystem to accept the token? I do not believe that happens. Yet, somehow, these games keep going up in value, usually benefiting shareholders on Wall Street.
The answer lies in continually enhancing what is offered within the game. It is the same for a crypto-economic system. With continued development, the use cases for the token increase. Again, the main difference is that a portion of people's rewards can be shifted off and turned into something else. If the system is growing, however, most people will want to remain engaged as much as they can. This means staking most of what they have.
It is a way to further the experience the user has with that particular platform.
We can see some of this already taking place on Steem. There are projects that are working on implementing exactly what I describe here. The more options people have within a particular system, the greater the chance of growth. The gaming world has seen this for decades.
When they say "life is but a game", I think we can start to apply that to money.
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Posted via Steemleo
Seems to me that the crypto world needs to expand the scope of its horizons... or perhaps it is really get back to basics.
The first time I heard about cryptocurrency was — predictably — Bitcoin, and it was actually my sister-in-law standing in my kitchen, circa 2014, explaining about this new digital currency that was doing the rounds. Her thought was that it would become a global payment system.
I thought it was pretty cool.
That sort of idea has been totally usurped by the current notion that cryptocurrencies are an exotic high-risk investment vehicle that might enable someone to make 100x times their money back in a year. For all intents and purposes, that has nothing to do with a currency serving as a temporary store of value for facilitating the trade of goods and services.
If I could, I would totally buy a gallon of milk and a bag of potatoes with Steem — without it involving going to fiat — but I can't. Which is why I am always interested in use cases that expand the scope of what we're involved in, like the new "LeoShop."
We can't expect people to meet us where we are; we have to meet people where they are...
Look at the Internet. It didn't become anything until it moved away from just being for educational institutions and nerds playing games and watching porn. It became something when PTA moms could email each other and you could buy cheap trinkets on eBay (those are just metaphors) and such things. Similarly, cryptocurrencies have to start "meeting people" in ways that make sense in terms of how they live their lives.
=^..^=
Posted via Steemleo
you have said it all...i fully agree with your points.....
Posted via Steemleo
All you say is very true. There is going to be a wealth creation element but, ironically, that will only come after use cases are formed. The idea that everyone buy and hold ends up meaning there is little produced with the currency. Perhaps Bitcoin can get away with this as the top dog but the rest are going to have to gamify their systems.
Actifit is on the right track with their token, offering booster packs. I hope they expand upon the idea. And you are right, Leoshop could really be something great.
Posted via Steemleo
Quite factual. Hope to glean more crypto understanding from your illustrations. Thank you for making it simple.
Posted via Steemleo
yes it is really factual and one can learn from the points he made....
Posted via Steemleo
what a wonderful writeup
Posted via Steemleo
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