As introduced during the Open Network anniversary, ecosystem tokens launched by the Pi Launchpad are designed for user acquisition and product utility, rather than serving primarily to raise capital. In this model, projects issue tokens as tools to acquire users for their applications and integrate those tokens directly into the product’s functionality, such as enabling access, payments, rewards, governance, etc. within the app. The proceeds of Pi from the launch of their tokens, instead of being taken by the issuing project, will go to a liquidity pool with the ecosystem token which bootstraps a healthy liquidity foundation from the start.
For projects, ecosystem tokens become a mechanism to attract real users, gather feedback, and validate and iterate their product. Traditionally without the Web3 tool of a token, user acquisition is typically expensive, and the cold-start problem is especially difficult for startups. The Pi ecosystem offers such a tool and support for businesses looking to expose their innovative products to a large global user base that includes both crypto-native users and mainstream audiences, many of whom are identity-verified, while inviting the users to join their journey of product iterations and evolution. By integrating tokens with real product experiences, projects not only create utility for their own token, but also can involve users earlier in their development process, test product attributes and functions, and validate that their products address real human needs, and grow their products more effectively.
From the Pioneer perspective, the launchpad provides transparent and meritocratic access to these tokens. Pioneers can choose to participate in different projects, access their tokens through launch mechanisms, and then use those tokens within the products themselves. This creates a feedback loop where users interact with the product, evaluate its utility, and hold projects accountable for delivering useful services. Unlike Web2 products, users do not just use products provided by a company, but hold and use tokens issued by the company early on.
Projects launching through the Pi Launchpad are expected to be product-first. In other words, the project should already have a working application so that the token has immediate utility at launch.
The Launchpad mechanism also supports the progress of decentralized exchange (DEX) activity within the Pi ecosystem. While the Pi DEX currently exists on Testnet, a healthy exchange environment depends on the availability of legitimate tokens with substantive utility and liquidity. By enabling product-first projects to launch ecosystem tokens and directing the Pi proceeds into liquidity pools with those tokens, the Pi Launchpad helps create a pipeline of tokens with these characteristics to be available on Pi DEX, which is intended to help meet liquidity needs. This structure can help prevent early exploits of the DEX and AMM on the Mainnet where each might otherwise be flooded by meaningless and speculative tokens that do not provide meaningful utility. This approach allows for the creation of tokens in the ecosystem that align with the utility focus of the Pi ecosystem, and help to meet the goal of providing a safe platform for Pioneers to participate, while supporting more robust trading activity.
For full details on the original design thinking behind ecosystem tokens on Mainnet, read the Open Network anniversary blog, watch Pi Founder Chengdiao Fan’s video, and read and provide feedback on the detailed GitHub design proposal.
Now with the Pi Day product release, you can try the first version of the Pi Launchpad and learn how it works in action, in addition to reading and watching materials about the product. Note that the Launchpad product may iterate and change quickly in the testing phase, e.g. timeframes of different phases of a launch, availability of different steps, the information available, or calculations. Things may not stay the same between your visits—changes at this rate or inconsistency will not occur in the Mainnet version. The fast iterations and changes on the Testnet version are intended as part of the product’s testing so they inform the design to reach an optimized version on Mainnet.
Note that the overall design of ecosystem tokens and the Pi Launchpad product are subject to change based on community feedback on the design, data gathered during the Testnet period, and feedback from projects that intend to issue such a utility token.