What Does Crypto Native Mean?
Telling if a person or a company is a crypto-native can be a brain teaser, as there are no standard criteria for doing so. However, some characteristics set crypto-natives apart.
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According to Urban Dictionary, crypto-native people may buy crypto before other assets such as stocks or bonds. At the same time, the primary function of a crypto-native business involves cryptocurrencies. Businesses centered on building their brand around decentralization and the use of blockchain can also be considered crypto natives.
Crypto-natives usually have a “crypto-first” or “crypto-only” mindset and are advocates of permissionless finance and the decentralized web.
Characteristic Qualities of Crypto-Native People
Perhaps there are some people you associate with the term “crypto-native” – an impactful founder, a crypto podcast host, or someone you know and talk with about crypto. These people not only know the sector and its different components well but also are active participants in the industry.
To be considered a crypto-native person, you’d need to fit one of the statements below:
- You’re used to market cycles
- You’re fluent in using crypto services
- You’ve formed personal views about the sector
- You regularly follow industry news and discussions
- You understand inside jokes and crypto slang terms
- You build new solutions based on the blockchain stack
For crypto natives, price volatility is rarely shocking because they know bull and bear markets change and are often less reactive to these shifts. People in crypto understand how different tools and services work by practice and usually have their favorite areas in crypto, for example, trading, investments, NFTs, DAOs, tokenization or something else. A large group of crypto-natives are builders who shape the sector and understand it on a high technical level.
Sometimes, crypto natives refer to others as “normies” to emphasize their special obsession with the industry. Many natives are active on social media platforms, like X (formerly Twitter), Discord, Reddit, and Telegram where they discuss different topics and share memes. According to X user @DefiIgnas, when a normie understands a crypto meme, it’s an indicator of adoption.
Eventually, crypto natives have a large vocabulary of crypto slang words like FOMO (fear of missing out) and DYOR (Do Your Own Research) that they understand like a native language.
We have a series of articles on popular crypto slang terms, where you can find explanations for many of these words.
Characteristic Qualities of Crypto-Native Companies
Crypto-native companies like Uniswap and Coinbase differ from traditional ones in their operations, community engagement, and the products and services they build. They share common characteristics, including:
- Onchain transactions
- Open-source development
- Community-driven decisions
- Remote-first or remote-friendly work models
Some or all core functions of crypto-native companies take place on a blockchain and are recorded on a network. Projects often launch their native tokens to represent ownership and give users the right to take part in governance. This way companies aim to provide transparency and automate transactions through smart contracts without relying on third parties.
Web3 companies are often global with some of them operating without central headquarters. According to Blockworks, 88% of developers in Web3 work remotely and 11% in a hybrid environment. This model aligns with the industry's transformative nature while enabling companies to access a global talent pool.
The Path From Crypto Beginner to a Crypto Native
There’s no exact way to measure how crypto-native a person is. The term is more about fitting into the culture and understanding the industry, which takes research and study. Keeping pace with all aspects of Web3 can be challenging due to the industry's rapid growth. However, it’s easier to get up to speed with a particular area you find the most interesting. As you dive deeper, you'll start to think and talk like a true crypto native.
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