2026-01-18 20:22:49

Market evolution tells a story worth paying attention to.

2023 saw farming projects drain retail participants. 2024 brought launchpads that extracted value from communities. 2025? Infofi platforms took their turn farming users.

The pattern's becoming obvious—every cycle brings a new model designed to extract rather than create.

But here's the thing: if you're a content creator actually building original material, remember this—projects will always need authentic creators. Real reach. Real influence. Real communities that trust you.

KOL agencies banking on hype alone won't survive 2026. The market's maturing. Projects are getting smarter about what actually drives adoption.

If you're creating genuine value, stop letting intermediaries farm your effort. Your reach is the asset. Your audience is real. That's what projects actually need.

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

14 Likes

Reward
14
6
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

MEVVictimAlliance

· 2h ago

It's that time of year again with the same old routine. This time, it's the users getting "farmed." LOL Really, those KOLs who rely on hype should have been gone long ago. I just want to ask, how many projects truly care about content quality? Aren't they all just thinking about how to harvest the profits? That's a good point, but the reality is most people can't tell who is creating value and who is just harvesting. Internet communities are like this—cyclically harvesting and then repeating.

View OriginalReply0

AirdropAnxiety

· 2h ago

No matter how much you twist and turn, it's still the same old story. Creators with genuine fans have long known their worth. It's all about value extraction. When will we see projects that truly get things done? The days of KOL agencies are indeed coming to an end. Fake prosperity can't fool people for many more years. Sounds good, but the reality is that most people are still stuck in "farms." It's too late to wake up. The truth is, having a real audience is the strongest leverage. Don't expect to be "supported" by anyone.

View OriginalReply0

mev_me_maybe

· 2h ago

It's that old, worn-out "value extraction" cycle again... changing disguises every year to continue profiting. True creators are indeed not exploited enough by middlemen, huh? Now it's their turn to be "farmed." To put it nicely, in the end, it's still the project team that has the final say; only those with real influence can survive.

View OriginalReply0

SingleForYears

· 2h ago

Another round of cutting leeks, just different skins. Creators with real fans have long since looked down on collaborating with these projects. Thinking back to last year's startup boom, looking back now, it was indeed disappointing. But I think it's too absolute to say that; there are still reliable projects, the key is having good judgment. This is the fate of web3, where value creation can never keep up with the speed of value extraction. But honestly, those with their own fan base don't need to be so anxious. I strongly agree. Projects that rely on KOLs for sales really deserve to die. My community is my bottom line, I won't sell out. I agree with the last sentence, but the problem is most creators don't realize their influence is valuable. They only understand after being cut. Exactly, I've mentioned this cycle before. New tricks every year, but the essence hasn't changed—it's all about making money. Those who need to wake up, wake up. This logic is clear, feels well written. Just not sure how many people can truly avoid being exploited. Honestly, it's still an information gap. Those who understand are already selling influence; newbies are the ones being treated as leeks. When creating content, you still need independence and not be manipulated.

View OriginalReply0

GhostAddressHunter

· 2h ago

Honestly, I'm tired of this cycle of harvesting again and again. In 2023, retail investors were exploited; in 2024, communities are being targeted. Now they're back with another set? The tactics have changed, but the core remains the same. Creators with genuine fans and influence shouldn't be exploited by middlemen. Those KOLs who only talk trash will eventually fail. Wait, are you trying to say that real creators who actually do the work need to wake up or something? I feel like I hear these words every bear market.

View OriginalReply0

GovernancePretender

· 2h ago

又是一年一个割法，去年割散户今年割kol，明年继续换个花样呗真正做内容的早就该醒醒了，别被那帮中介吸血鬼榨干这波看得挺清楚，创作者才是最后的价值源头，其他都是寄生虫说得没错但执行难啊，谁又真的能拒绝那些快钱呢生态越烂越能看清人心，留下来的才是真金白银

Reply0