Recap: Token Marketing Is Dead - What Actually Works Now
The title was deliberately provocative, but the conversation was practical: what gets funded in 2026, which airdrops actually convert, and how the KOL playbook really works now. VCs, founders and builders laid it out. If you launch tokens, this is worth the read.
The best takes of the evening
"Investors are asking: can you prove to me that I'm not going to lose my money? Pre-seed now looks like series A used to - MVP is a given, revenue is expected."
Dobrovitsky · DD Capital
On fundraising in 2026. His growth play: web2 fundamentals with cross-platform distribution.
"Revenue is king now. It's one of the rarest metrics that can't be faked in this world of AI - you can verify it onchain, block by block. It's a company with live reporting 24/7."
Vasily Sumanov · Valueverse
On the metrics that matter - if your token generates zero revenue, that's the tell.
"Nobody is excited about a token launch anymore unless there's real traction. An airdrop is your expense - make sure it buys something. Treat every airdrop with explicit goals: liquidity, TVL, retention."
Marko · Tapir Protocol
On setting airdrop goals that actually convert.
"If you can't convert your community to do something, you're essentially a news outlet - people read what you say, shrug and move on. Followers ≠ influence. Pay per referral and conversion, never upfront."
Sumex Labs
A KOL reality check - and skip the paid Forbes features.
"Start broad, narrow it down - and make sure they turn into your cultists. Your early community will be your early investors. Celebrity KOLs can either one-shot your brand or make it; one wrong fit is all it takes."
Gram Store
The 'network → club → cult' approach to community.
The throughline
Provocative title, unglamorous conclusion: marketing built on hype and follower counts is finished. What replaced it is harder to fake - verifiable revenue, airdrops with explicit conversion goals, KOLs paid on performance rather than reach, and communities grown narrow and deep. In 2026, marketing a token looks a lot like building a real business.
Want to join as a speaker?We run Spaces with real builders every Thursday. DM us to get on the next one - or to talk about marketing your token the way that works now.
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Speakers: Dobrovitsky (DD Capital), Vasily Sumanov (Valueverse), Marko (Tapir Protocol), Sumex Labs, Gram Store. Full recording on X ↗