I’ve been thinking about how to make DOT undeniably central to the entire ecosystem’s success, beyond just winning a slot auction. We have this incredible technology, but we need to create a flywheel effect that constantly drives value back to DOT.
Here’s a big idea: What if we re-imagined parachain tokens? Instead of being just another coin, what if they functioned more like equity, or a share in the parachain’s business?
Here’s how it could work:
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DOT is the Bedrock: You still need DOT for everything foundational. It’s the fuel for the Relay Chain, used for transaction fees, governance, and securing a parachain slot. It remains the non-negotiable lifeblood of the network.
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Parachain Tokens are “Shareholder” Stakes: The parachain’s native token becomes your stake in their specific business model. If you believe in what Acala is building, you hold ACA not just for utility, but to earn from their success.
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A DEX parachain could distribute a percentage of swap fees to its token holders.
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A gaming parachain could share a portion of its marketplace revenue.
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A DePIN parachain could share the fees generated from its services.
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Why is this a massive win?
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Aligns Incentives Perfectly: It gives users a powerful reason to hold a parachain’s token long-term: to earn real yield from a real business. You’re not just a user; you’re a stakeholder.
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Supercharges the Value of DOT: As parachains become profitable, revenue-generating businesses, the demand to get a slot on Polkadot skyrockets. This makes the DOT required to win and maintain that slot immensely more valuable. A thriving ecosystem of profitable parachains makes DOT the most valuable digital real estate in crypto.
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Attracts Serious Investment: This model would attract a new class of investors who want to invest in the cash flow of a business, not just speculate on token price.
This shifts the narrative from “buying a utility token” to “investing in a business built on Polkadot.” You use DOT to operate within the ecosystem, and you hold parachain tokens to profit from it.
What do you all think? Is this the key to unlocking the next level of growth and making DOT’s importance crystal clear?
