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What is Tokenomics?

BlockchainSep 28, 2022
What is tokenomics Guide

If you're new to the crypto space you may have heard the term "tokenomics'' and you're probably wondering, "What is tokenomics?" .

Tokenomics is the study of digital tokens and their economic behaviors. It encompasses all aspects of a token's life cycle, from its issuance to its eventual destruction. Tokenomics is a relatively new field, but it is already providing valuable insights into the world of crypto tokens.

Tokenomics is important because it can help us understand the true value of a crypto token. By understanding the economics behind a token, we can better assess its potential worth. Additionally, by studying the behavior of tokens, we can learn about the overall health of crypto projects. Tokenomics can also help us predict future trends in the world of digital tokens.

So far, token economics has been mostly used to study utility tokens, which are tokens that are used to access a specific service or product. However, there are other types of tokens out there, such as security tokens and currency tokens. Security tokens represent ownership in a company or asset, while currency tokens are used as a form of payment. It will be interesting to see how tokenomics evolves as more types of tokens are created in years to come.

Pillars of Tokenomics

There are a number of key pillars to tokenomics, which we will break down below.

Token Supply

Token supply is the total number of tokens that will ever be created. This is similar to the concept of supply and demand characteristics in traditional economics. The higher the demand for a token, the higher the price will be. The total supply of a token can be divided into three categories: circulating supply, total supply, and maximum supply.

The circulating supply is the number of tokens that are currently in circulation and can be traded on exchanges. The total supply is the number of tokens that have been created, including those that are not in circulation. The maximum token supply is the number of tokens that can ever be created, which is usually capped at a certain number.

The total supply of a token can have a big impact on its price. If there is high demand for a token but only a small total supply, the price will go up. On the other hand, if there is low demand for a token but a large total supply, the price will go down.

Token Utility

Token utility is the key to a successful token economy. A token’s value is derived from its use case and how it can be exchanged for goods and services. The following are five important factors to consider when designing a token’s utility:

  1. Frequency of Use. How often will users need to exchange their tokens for something valuable? This determines how often the token will need to be minted or mined.
  2. Cost of Acquiring Tokens. How much will it cost to acquire a sufficient number of tokens? This affects the market price of the token.
  3. Demand for Tokens. Will there be a demand for the tokens? If not, they may become worthless over time.
  4. Supply of Tokens. How many tokens will be created and available for purchase? This affects the price of the token.
  5. Interaction with Other Coins/Tokens. How does this token interact with other coins or tokens in the ecosystem? This affects how valuable the token could be in comparison to others in the market.

Token Distribution

Tokenomics is the science of how a token’s distribution affects its value. Tokenomics is important because it dictates how valuable a token will be and how many people will be able to own it. The token’s distribution is also important because it determines who can spend the token and for what purpose. And finally, the token’s distribution affects the overall ecosystem of the project.

When designing a token, it is important to consider its distribution. A poorly designed token may have a low circulating supply, which would make the tokens more valuable. Conversely, a well-designed token with a high circulating supply would make them less valuable. The ideal balance depends on the project and its goals.

The three primary considerations when distributing a token are: 1) how many tokens will be created; 2) where those tokens will go; and 3) what will happen to unsold tokens.

Most projects create a fixed number of tokens and give them away to investors or users in exchange for money or other assets. This approach is called an initial coin offering (ICO). Many ICOs are controversial because they allow people to buy tokens without actually owning them.

Incentive Mechanisms

When it comes to cryptocurrency, one of the most important things to consider is the incentive mechanisms used to reward early adopters, miners and token holders. This is because it’s these mechanisms that will determine how many people continue to hold a particular coin or token in the long run.

Some common incentive mechanisms used in cryptocurrencies include:

  • Redemption rates: How often a given token can be redeemed for fiat currency or other tokens on the platform.
  • Peg systems: This allows holders of a native token to exchange them for other currencies or assets on a fixed basis.
  • Rewards for participation: Many platforms offer rewards (usually in the form of coins or tokens) to users who participate in various activities such as voting, commenting, and being a member of an active community.

Features of Tokenomics

There are a number of features that define tokenomics which we will detail below.

Token burns

Burning tokens is a process of getting rid of them from circulation. When a token is burned, it means that one or more tokens are destroyed and no longer have any monetary value. This is done in order to reduce the number of tokens in circulation, and thereby increase the value of each remaining token.

Token mining

Token mining is the process of generating new tokens from an existing blockchain. The process of token mining can be broken down into three main steps:

  1. Obtaining the required resources.
  2. Generating a new token.
  3. Distributing the new token to miners.

Token staking

Token staking is a way of getting rewarded for holding tokens. The more tokens you hold, the greater your reward. This is different from mining, which is how new tokens are created.

Supply type: limited vs. unlimited

Tokens can either have a limited or unlimited supply. If the supply is limited, then the number of tokens available will be capped at a certain number. Once that number has been reached, no new tokens will be created, and existing tokens will be unusable.

If the supply is unlimited, then the number of tokens available will never be capped. This means that the token may become increasingly difficult to obtain over time, as there are more and more people who want to use it.

Token allocation and vesting

Token allocation and vesting are important considerations in any blockchain-based project. The right mix of tokens and their associated mechanics can help to reinforce a project’s legitimacy and encourage widespread adoption.

Some projects may issue a fixed number of tokens, with each token representing an equivalent share in the company. This type of model can help to ensure that all token holders are fairly rewarded for their investment. Other projects may issue a greater number of tokens, which allows holders to participate in the project’s growth and rewards them for their support. Vesting periods can also be important, as they should ensure that tokens are available to contributors on a consistent basis.

Token governance: centralized or decentralized

With centralized governance, the authority for issuing new tokens resides with a single entity or group of entities. These entities can be a company or organization, such as a foundation, or a government body, such as the SEC. This type of governance is often seen as more secure because it's less vulnerable to fraud or attack. However, centralized governance is also more difficult to implement because it relies on a single entity to oversee everything.

With decentralized governance, the authority for issuing new tokens resides with the users themselves. This means that anyone can create a new token and distribute it among themselves. This type of governance is often seen as more democratic because it's open to all participants. However, decentralized governance is also more difficult to implement because it requires a community of users to co-exist peacefully. If not managed properly, a decentralized network can become chaotic and unruly.

Tokenomics analysis

In the world of cryptocurrency, tokenomics is a critical component that determines the success or failure of a project. Tokenomics analysis is the process of determining the economics and token usage of a project, and it’s an important tool in determining whether or not a cryptocurrency is worth investing in.

Tokenomics analysis can help to answer questions such as:

-How many tokens will be issued? -How will the tokens be used? -What are the costs associated with holding and using the tokens? -How will the value of tokens change over time?

Tokenomics analysis can also help to identify potential problems with a project, such as excessive inflation or token pricing that doesn’t reflect the real value of the network.

Supply-side

Understanding the supply and demand for currency is at the heart of economics and tokenomics is no different. Examining the supply-side of a token helps to understand how many tokens will be created, and how much of the total supply is available for purchase. The scales of economy suggest the less tokens are in circulation, the higher the value of the token will be. When there are too many tokens in circulation, their value will decrease.

Demand-side

The demand for a token is what determines its value in addition to its utility. The more valuable a token is, the more incentive there is for people to hold it and use it in transactions.

In order for a token to have value, it needs to be scarce and it needs to have a functional use case. If there are too many tokens in circulation, their value will decline because there is not enough incentive for people to hold them. If there are no functional uses for the token, its value will also decline because no one will want to buy it.

ROI

Tokenomics helps to create a clear financial model for a new token, as well as ensuring that the token is worth investing in. ROI can be calculated by calculating the percentage of return on investment (ROI) over a certain timeframe. This could include a specific number of months, or even years.

Community

Believe it or not, the community that supports a token has a big impact on its value. An active and engaged community who are passionate about the token are key to the success of the token. The community also drives future demand for the token.

Game Theory

Game theory refers to the branch of mathematics and computer science that deals with the mathematical modeling of strategic situations, particularly games where two or more players compete. In general, game theory can be used to analyze any situation where two or more actors are trying to optimize their joint gain.

Game theory can help us to understand how individuals will behave in situations where they are faced with competing interests. This can be useful when we want to know how best to allocate resources in order to achieve our objectives, or when we want to know how people will react when they are put into a position where they have to make a decision that affects the whole group. For token developers, game theory can help them analyze the decision-making processes of stakeholders.

Conclusion

We hope we answered the question of "what is tokenomics," but why should you understand crypto tokenomics? Having a good understanding of tokenomics can help you to better evaluate crypto projects and whether to invest in their crypto token or not. These skills can help you analyze the supply and demand for a token, community support and how the project is marketing the token to project its future prospects.

For example, if you are considering investing in a token, understanding the crypto tokenomics can help you to understand how much demand there is for that particular token and whether it is worth investing in. If the project doesn’t have good tokenomics, it may not be a good investment, so you can confidently invest and avoid duds.

Matias Lapuschin
Matias Lapuschin
Head of Content Marketing

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