A recent report from Reown reveals that the on-chain ecosystem is maturing, with users expanding their engagement beyond trading activities. Many believe that payments and artificial intelligence (AI) will be crucial in driving the wider adoption of on-chain technology.
Despite optimism about crypto’s future, challenges such as fees, security, and interoperability persist.
The Future of Crypto Adoption
Reown shared its report, “The State of Onchain UX,” with BeInCrypto. It draws from a survey of 1,038 active crypto users in the US and UK, conducted between February 19 and February 26, 2025.
“For crypto payments to truly reach the mainstream, they must match the ease of traditional fintech experiences. Users should be able to transact effortlessly without needing to understand blockchain mechanics,” Reown’s Payments Product Manager Mirna Barca wrote.
AI is seen as another key driver, with 35% of users identifying it as a major catalyst for adoption. Nonetheless, while AI’s potential is acknowledged, there is some skepticism about blockchain’s role in AI development.
Only 29% believe the two technologies will complement each other. Meanwhile, just 18% see crypto as facilitating AI’s progress.
“Despite trading taking the crown when it comes to user activity today, payments and AI dominate as the two themes users feel will play bigger roles on a greater scale, suggesting that the leading services users access today does not reflect what they believe to drive its long-term value,” the report read.
Shortly after President Trump took office, the SEC established a crypto task force to create a clear regulatory framework for digital assets. In fact, new SEC chairman Paul Atkins has also stressed the importance of crypto regulation, calling it a ‘top priority.’
This focus has contributed significantly to industry optimism, and user data exemplifies that. 86% of users believe it will drive mainstream adoption, while 14% think it will slow innovation.
“We’re in the final throes of regulatory uncertainty in the US. In Europe, MiCA is finally taking shape, but a lack of precedent has kept innovators guessing, just like in the US. The industry is on the cusp of regulatory clarity but we aren’t quite there yet,” Marco Santori, Director of WalletConnect Foundation, remarked.
What Are the Top Factors Holding Back Widespread Crypto Adoption?
Confidence in on-chain security has risen significantly, with 69% of users feeling safe, up from 50.5% last year. However, so have phishing attacks. The number of phishing attacks reported by users has grown to 21%, up from 14.4%.
“Phishing attacks are up, and that’s a problem. But security UX still isn’t where it needs to be. If we can make transaction signing clearer and build in fraud protection, we can help users feel more in control,” Reown’s CEO Jess Houlgrave commented.
A notable 44% of users now use multiple wallets for security reasons, up from 32.8% in 2024. In addition, 18% of users cite security concerns, such as hacks and scams, as a barrier to engaging on-chain.
Challenges in Mainstream Crypto Adoption. Source: Reown
Notably, users also emphasized the need for interoperability, with 47% considering it very important. Additionally, 18% cited a lack of interoperability as a barrier. Despite this, only 14% listed it as one of the core issues that need to be resolved.
Therefore, the report draws attention to the need for developers to focus on real-world use cases, ensuring seamless, secure, and cost-effective user experiences. It also highlights a disconnect between user expectations, centered on payments and social apps, and current behavior, which remains heavily trading-focused.
“Understanding and addressing this dynamic will be critical to achieving true mainstream adoption,” the report noted.
With 67% of survey participants optimistic about crypto’s development, the on-chain ecosystem is poised for growth. However, addressing security, fees, and interoperability will be essential to unlocking its full potential and driving the next wave of mainstream engagement.
Base, a layer-two blockchain developed by Coinbase, has seen a significant surge in Total Value Locked (TVL) over the last 24 hours following a key integration.
It comes amid changing regulatory winds in the US, with President Trump’s pro-crypto stance inspiring bold moves among sector players.
Base TVL Soars 20% As Binance.US Adds Support
According to data on DefiLlama, Base TVL is up by $557 million. It moved from $2.778 billion on Thursday to $3.335 billion as of this writing, a 20% surge in the last 24 hours.
The surge in TVL suggests an increased volume of assets staked, locked, or deposited in the Base blockchain. A higher TVL indicates increased user activity, trust, and adoption, with users committing capital to the protocol.
Meanwhile, this surge follows a notable announcement from Binance.US, the American arm of Binance exchange, the world’s largest crypto trading platform by volume metrics.
According to the announcement, Binance.US now supports Base. It allows Ethereum (ETH) and Circle’s USDC (USD Coin) stablecoin transfers on the Layer-2 network.
“We’re excited to announce that Binance.US now supports Base! Starting today, you can deposit and withdraw Ethereum (ETH) and USDC via Base,” an excerpt in the announcement read.
The exchange highlighted that more assets will join Binance.US on the Base network, indicating interest in developing the integration. Meanwhile, using Base’s blockchain, users can deposit and withdraw ETH and USDC directly to and from Binance.US.
For the exchange, this integration could bolster accessibility. Specifically, Binance.US users can interact with Base’s ecosystem without bridging assets through Ethereum’s mainnet. This is amidst concerns that Ethereum’s mainnet is slow and costly.
As an L2 scaling solution, Base offers faster and lower-cost transactions compared to Ethereum’s mainnet. Data on Etherscan shows Ethereum’s transaction throughput is approximately 13.2 TPS. This could lead to network congestion and high gas fees during peak periods.
On the other hand, Base processes transactions off-chain, bundling them before submitting them to Ethereum. This Method achieves higher throughput and significantly lower fees, making it more cost-effective for users.
Therefore, the integration allows Binance.US users to move ETH and USDC to Base for DeFi activities at a fraction of the cost.
Binance.US suspended its USD deposit and withdrawal services following a high-profile SEC lawsuit and mounting regulatory pressure starting in 2023. However, amid shifted political rhetoric toward crypto, exchanges appear to be taking bold steps.
“Now that we’ve survived, our goal is to help crypto thrive and empower all Americans with freedom of choice,” Binance.US interim CEO Norman Reed said recently.
It aligns with a recent move from the Kraken exchange. As BeInCrypto reported, the US-based exchange listed BNB in a move that marked a strategic shift in US crypto exchanges, potentially signaling broader token adoption in the country.
In 2025, the ecosystems that thrive aren’t the loudest — they’re the most strategic, the most focused, and the ones building lasting value. Ecosystem health today is increasingly measured by the depth of developer engagement, not the size of token airdrops or surface-level metrics. Marketing has evolved too: AI tools, grassroots community operations, and hybrid content strategies are replacing short-lived, high-gloss campaigns.
As crypto becomes a fixture in national policy and economic frameworks, credibility and trust within ecosystems have emerged as the new currencies of growth.
There’s no one-size-fits-all playbook anymore. To uncover what’s actually working today, we spoke with growth leaders from Sui, Avalanche, Syscoin, Manta Network, and others.
This report helps to shed some light on the ongoing trends in the crypto-related marketing and find out which of them are setting the pace for the next wave of sustainable growth.
TL;DR:
In 2025, the ecosystems thriving aren’t the loudest. They’re the most strategic, most focused and most aligned with long-term value.
Ecosystem health is increasingly tied to the depth of developer engagement, not the size of token airdrops or vanity metrics.
Marketing has evolved. AI tools, grassroots community ops, and hybrid content strategies are replacing high-gloss, short-cycle campaigns.
With crypto entering national policy agendas and economic frameworks, credibility and ecosystem trust are new growth currencies.
There’s no one-size-fits-all. We spoke with growth leaders from Sui, Avalanche, Syscoin, Manta Network and others to uncover what’s actually working.
Back in 2024, crypto felt like it was everywhere and nowhere all at once.
Timelines were flooded with debates, L1 vs. L2, monolithic vs. modular, liquidity this, fragmentation that. Almost everyone had a hot take and every project was scrambling for a flash of attention that barely lasted longer than a tweet.
You could launch a project, nail the narrative, get your retweets and podcast mentions and still wake up the next day with no real momentum.
It wasn’t sustainable and deep down, most teams knew it.
And yet, behind the scenes, something foundational shifted.
For the first time, crypto became a serious topic in policy rooms.
The U.S. government announced a strategic crypto reserve.
The SEC greenlit Bitcoin and Ether ETPs, signaling a long-awaited shift in regulatory posture.
Lawmakers started treating blockchain not as a niche asset class, but as infrastructure and a core component of national strategy.
Suddenly, crypto had a seat at the big table. That was the moment the growth playbook started to change.
Fast-forward to 2025, ecosystems that had been optimizing for virality started asking tougher questions:
What does long-term credibility look like?
How do we show up to policymakers and enterprises, not just degens and influencers?
Can we measure our health beyond just wallet counts and discord headcounts?
To find answers, we spoke with ecosystem leaders across 10 blockchain networks, from early-stage innovators to mature platforms. Despite technical and strategic diversity, they shared one common mindset: They’re building like they plan to be here in five, ten, twenty years.
This is post-hype crypto and the rules have changed.
Key highlights and critical findings
Marketing budgets are all over the place: Some teams are grinding with less than $100K a year while others are spending $10 million and up. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but the gap speaks volumes.
Hybrid teams are the new normal: The smartest teams are optimizing for speed, adaptability, and high-context execution. They’re ruthlessly prioritizing talent that moves the needle, not just fills roles.
Builders are the flywheel: Growth teams are channeling most of their energy into developer outreach such as grants, hackathons, ambassador programs, and local language support are common plays.
Audience alignment: In an oversaturated, narrative-heavy market, cutting through the noise to reach the right set of audience is still one of the biggest hurdles.
Tactics are getting sharper: AI-powered marketing, community-based onboarding, and incentive models like “watch-to-earn” are emerging as key differentiators in creating sticky, engaging experiences.
Research Methodology
To understand what’s driving ecosystem growth in 2025, we went straight to the source in conversations with ten executives across active, forward-thinking blockchain networks including Sui, Avalanche, Manta Network, Syscoin, eCash, and CrossFi Chain.
Our findings are structured across five critical themes:
→ Strategic Priorities
→ Growth Challenges
→ Team Structures
→ Marketing Tactics
→ Budget Allocation
These are the pressure points where ecosystems are being tested, where they’re iterating and where the shift from hype to health is most visible.
The answers weren’t surface-level.
They were honest, revealing, and at times, surprisingly candid.
Section 1: The Evolving Landscape of Crypto Ecosystems
1.1 From Noise to Nuance
Not long ago, crypto felt like a winner-takes-all race.
Ethereum and Bitcoin dominated headlines, while new chains clawed for attention with a flashy feature or a viral announcement.
But that playbook has changed.
Today, the landscape is more fragmented and more alive than ever.
Upstart chains can gain real traction in months. Niche ecosystems are finding staying power by serving focused communities with precision: real dev support, localized outreach, unique tooling, and use cases that resonate with people who actually build.
It’s no longer about being the biggest.
It’s about being the most relevant to the audience that matters.
Source: Market share distribution among top ecosystems.
The momentum has shifted from mass appeal to mission-driven growth.
The ecosystems making progress are the ones listening, serving and playing the long game.
1.2 Key growth metrics and benchmarks
Among surveyed ecosystems, developer adoption has become the north star metric.
While TVL remains a benchmark, leading teams are shifting toward engagement depth over vanity counts. Grants, hackathons, and local campaigns outperform short-term airdrops in both onboarding and retention.
1.3 Critical Challenges Facing Ecosystem Growth
Source: Top Barriers to Ecosystem Adoption Identified by Executives
Based on direct feedback, the top challenges for ecosystems today are:
Difficulty reaching the right audience
Oversaturation of the crypto landscape
Budget constraints and limited runway for experimentation
While blockchain infrastructure is improving,especially with L2 scalability and better dev tooling, the biggest challenges aren’t technical anymore.
They’re strategic.
Most teams aren’t struggling with what to build but with how to position, differentiate, and communicate.
“It’s no longer enough to be technically sound. Ecosystem success depends on whether you can communicate value to developers, users and partners in the clearest, most compelling way possible.” – — Matthew Schmenk, Ecosystem Growth Lead, Avalanche
Section 2: Marketing & Growth Strategies
“Marketing in crypto used to be noise. Now it’s systems thinking – who you reach, how you reach them, and why they stay.”- The Lunar Strategy Team
Ecosystem marketing in 2025 isn’t about dropping a flashy campaign, running a paid KOL loop, and hoping it sticks. Today, marketing is infrastructure.
It’s the connective tissue between ecosystem layers: builders, users, tokenholders, institutions driving onboarding, retention, and legitimacy.
Let’s break it down:
2.1 Choosing the Right Growth Model
Source: Percentage of Ecosystems Using External Agencies vs. In-House Teams
According to our survey:
60% use a hybrid model (in-house + agency)
40% operate with fully internal teams
2.2 Analysing the Pros and Cons
Hybrid models allow for speed and flexibility while maintaining institutional knowledge. Fully in-house teams prioritize cohesion but may lack bandwidth or breadth of expertise.
2.3 Marketing Budget Allocation Across Ecosystems
Annual budgets vary widely:
<$500K: Primarily in-house with lean teams
$500K–$1M: Hybrid setups with agency retained for campaigns
$5M+: Full-stack growth teams covering PR, events, KOLs, paid media, SEO and more
What’s changing in 2025 isn’t just how much teams spend, it’s how precisely they deploy capital:
Early-stage: lean, localized execution
Mid-tier: AI tooling, content ops, ambassador focus
Mature: brand systems, KOL pipelines, segmentation
“In 2024, we spent $2M and didn’t know what moved the needle. In 2025, we’re spending half that – with 3x the return – because we track the full funnel.” — Ecosystem CMO
Section 3: Driving Ecosystem Adoption
As ecosystems compete for market share, one truth is becoming increasingly clear: developers are the new power users.
Ecosystem health is now largely measured by the number and quality of developers actively building, contributing, and shipping.
3.1 Developer Acquisition & Retention
Across the board, developer evangelism and hackathons ranked as the most effective levers for attracting high-quality builders. In 2025, 9 out of 10 ecosystem leaders called them “critical” or “highly effective.”
But incentives alone aren’t enough.
The modern developer is motivated by clear value exchange and personal growth, not just payouts.
Here’s what’s working now:
Hackathons with real-world utility
On-chain recognition (e.g., badges, NFTs)
IRL builder meetups with funded follow-through
In short, developer outreach is all about frictionless onboarding, compelling challenges, and a clear value exchange.
Also, programs that combine monetary reward + mentorship + visibility are far outperforming “spray-and-pray” grants.
Case Highlights:
eCash: Turned its internal engineers into public-facing magnets for talent. Builders engage because they trust the humans behind the chain.
Syscoin: Hosts regionally targeted AMAs → feeds directly into localized hackathons → devs connect directly to mentors.
Sui: “Watch-to-Earn” onboarding that rewards learning with gas fee discounts, NFTs, and access to future funding rounds.
Takeaway: Attracting developers is about storytelling. The ecosystems seeing long-term success are those building not just incentives but infrastructure, identity and upward mobility.
3.2 Community Building & Engagement
While developer acquisition drives infrastructure growth, community engagement fuels longevity. Every successful ecosystem in 2025 has one thing in common: a loyal, activated community with a clear identity.
Source: The Most effective community growth tactics
While growth tactics vary, one truth stands out: the most resilient ecosystems pair online engagement with offline connection.
Top tactics driving community growth:
Strategic partnerships and cross-promotion
Ambassador programs built around values, not vanity
Hybrid content strategies that blend memes, education, and culture
In fact, ecosystems like Sui and Syscoin consistently outperform larger chains on key ecosystem health metrics not because they’re bigger, but because they’re tighter:
Higher TVL per wallet
Greater contributor-to-user ratio
More active builders per community member
Case Study: Syscoin’s grassroots events across APAC led to a 30% increase in wallet retention among new users, with ongoing community-led workshops in 5+ cities.
3.3 The Role of Kaito in Ecosystem Brand Building
In 2025, brand strategy has moved beyond logos and Twitter handles.
The Kaito framework, designed to optimize ecosystem mindshare is fast becoming a differentiator for projects seeking credibility and cohesion.
Source: Kaito mindshare metrics across top ecosystems
Adoption Snapshot:
Only 10% of surveyed ecosystems are currently using a structured Kaito strategy
However, 40% are actively exploring adoption in the next cycle
Projects like Berachain that adopted early Kaito brand structuring reports increased developer trust, faster community onboarding and stronger alignment between technical and community narratives.
Strategic Approaches to Kaito Optimization:
Clear “voice pillars” that reflect ecosystem values
Unified messaging across technical, enterprise, and community verticals
Scalable content kits and assets to empower contributors to amplify the brand
Today, ecosystems aren’t asking “How do we go viral?”
Instead, they’re asking “How do we show up with the right message, in the right format and to the right audience consistently?”
The new growth stack includes:
Influencer alignment by audience layer
PR as a funnel driver, not a vanity boost
Social media as ecosystem UX
AI and segmentation to fine-tune delivery
Let’s break down the mechanics behind the ecosystems getting it right.
4.1 Influencer Marketing Effectiveness
Influencer marketing remains effective, only if you get the tier right.
Source: ROI comparison across influencer tiers
Key Takeaway:
Nano Influencers (1K–10K): ~4.2x ROI
Micro Influencers (10K–50K): ~3.9x ROI
Macro/Mega Influencers: Significantly lower returns due to saturation and high CPM
Nano and Micro influencers (1K–50K followers) outperform all others in ROI due to stronger niche focus, higher engagement, and lower cost-per-activation.
Though, the Top-performing influencer strategies in 2025 blend:
Nano creators for authenticity (Twitter threads, walkthroughs)
Mid-tier educators for onboarding and explanation (YouTube, LinkedIn)
Selective mega partnerships for major announcements or enterprise plays
Best for:
Early-stage projects
Ecosystems entering new regions or subcultures
Campaigns focused on developer credibility over hype
The Lunar Amplification Method
Used by select top-tier ecosystems, the Lunar Amplification Method is a multi-tiered distribution system that combines:
AI-driven influencer matching
Creator content kits (assets, talking points, tone guides)
Performance-based tiers (creators earn more by driving on-chain action)
It’s a system where the creator voice becomes a scalable growth vector backed by data, incentives, and trust.
4.2 Public Relations & Media Coverage
Too many ecosystems view PR as a vanity move.
The most effective teams treat it as distribution infrastructure.
This dual-axis chart illustrates how media coverage intensity correlates with:
Average Developer Sign-ups
Total Value Locked (TVL) Growth
Investing in PR campaigns and consistent media exposure can significantly accelerate ecosystem adoption both in developer participation and capital inflow (TVL).
Key Takeaways:
Developer sign-ups scale from ~50 (Low coverage) to ~400 (Very High coverage).
TVL growth jumps from 5% under low coverage to an impressive 45% with very high media presence.
Higher media coverage directly correlates with a sharp rise in both developer sign-ups and TVL growth.
Example: Manta Network launched its dev-focused ZK SDK and timed the announcement with coordinated earned media + regional hackathons = 3.2x increase in sign-ups over 14 days.
4.3 Social Media Strategy
In 2025, ecosystems aren’t asking “should we be on [platform]?”
They’re asking how do we show up with the right content, for the right moment, on each platform?
This bar chart displays how frequently various social media platforms are mentioned as part of crypto ecosystem growth strategies.
Platform Highlights:
Twitter dominates as the most commonly used platform
Telegram and Discord follow closely, suggesting strong emphasis on community interaction and support hubs.
Lesser-used platforms like Reddit, YouTube and Facebook play a niche role in ecosystem marketing.
However, crypto ecosystems should create platform-specific content:
Twitter: Memes, threads, real-time updates
Telegram/Discord: Community health, AMAs, governance
Ecosystems are moving beyond flat airdrops and short-term incentives, and instead architecting behaviorally intelligent tokenomics that reward commitment, skill and genuine contribution.
The question is no longer “What do we give?” but “What are we reinforcing?”
5.1 Effective Incentive Structures
Incentives were once a shortcut for growth.
Now, they’re shaping everything from user retention to governance alignment to ecosystem stickiness.
Source: This bar chart compares the perceived effectiveness of two major types of incentive mechanisms used in crypto ecosystems.
These often tie directly to network growth metrics such as TVL, active wallets, and user retention.
Off-chain rewards can still be useful for short-term engagement, brand visibility, and community culture.
Projects that tie incentives to measurable contributions and future value (e.g., governance power, access tiers) retain users longer than those offering flat token grants.
Case Examples:
Syscoin offers tiered rewards for contributor milestones
Manta Network combines token drops with future airdrop eligibility tied to participation
5.2 Local Developer Hubs
Ecosystem growth is global by default and regional by design.
Local developer hubs are now a critical piece of post-hype strategy.
Source: Geographic distribution of developer hubs
This chart highlights the regional presence of developer hubs across the globe, indicating where ecosystems are establishing a physical or community-driven footprint to support builders.
Regional presence is shaping ecosystem strength:
Asia-Pacific leads in number of hubs, driven by fast-growing developer ecosystems
North America/Europe hold steady with mature infrastructure and funding access
Latin America, MENA, and Africa show rapid interest but remain early-stage
More consistent retention through community anchoring
Best Practices:
Launch hybrid events (online + local)
Create language-specific docs and support
Offer region-based grant programs tied to local needs
Conclusion
Crypto in 2025 is quieter, deeper, and more intentional.
The ecosystems winning today are building context, culture, and trust, rooted in purpose where meaningful value, thoughtful execution, and trusted communities are taking center stage.
Our deep-dive conversations with builders, marketers and ecosystem leaders across ten blockchain networks uncovered three core principles that are setting the pace for the next wave of sustainable growth:
Developer-First, Always: The thriving ecosystems treat developers with genuine support, visibility, and growth paths. They’ve recognized that every successful builder brings ten more, creating a powerful flywheel effect and it’s the foundation everything else builds upon.
Communities Over Crowds: The most dynamic ecosystems are building tight-knit, purpose-driven communities where members feel ownership and identity. They’re creating spaces where online connections lead to offline relationships and where shared values matter more than token price.
Strategic Over Tactical: Leading teams build comprehensive growth systems where every channel, message, and touchpoint works together. They’re tracking full-funnel metrics and optimizing for lasting engagement, not just initial attention.
We’re past the era of chasing “what’s working.”
The real question is: What’s worth building and who’s staying to build it with you?
So, focus on creating real value for the people who matter most to your ecosystem. Build with intention, authenticity and remember that in a market still finding its footing and the strongest position isn’t being the loudest voice but the most trusted one.
Because ecosystems aren’t websites.
They’re living systems.
About Lunar Strategy’s Ecosystem Launchpad Accelerator
Lunar Strategy’s Ecosystem Launchpad Accelerator combines deep expertise in go-to-market strategy, ecosystem growth, and strategic advisory to help innovative Layer 1 and Layer 2 projects capitalize on the historic crypto market shift.
With 25+ years of combined experience across top ecosystems like Solana, Cardano, Mantle, Polkadot, and ICP, our team brings proven frameworks for:
