It keeps the core things Bitcoiners care about:
✅ Proof-of-Work
✅ UTXO model
✅ permissionless decentralization
✅ open-source, fair launch ethos

But it introduces an architecture Bitcoin would never adopt without becoming a different system entirely: BlockDAG consensus (GHOSTDAG), which allows parallel blocks while preserving ordered consensus.
See Links to Github, community chats forums white papers and other Dev resources on http://kaspa.org

1) Beyond “digital cash”: Kaspa aims at sovereign settlement infrastructure
Bitcoin proved digital scarcity. The next stage is neutral, sovereign settlement at real-world speed.
Kaspa’s argument is bigger than payments: Kaspa is positioning as a universal settlement grid, essentially “Sovereignty as a Service” as its been said by @hashdag and @michaelsuttonil

Kaspa will be Meaning settlement infrastructure that can be:
✅ Global
✅ Neutral
✅ Real-time
✅ Permissionless
✅ Not controlled by a state, corporation, or validator cartel

This matters because the modern world is moving toward:
✅ Always-on markets
✅ Machine-to-machine payments
✅ Real-time trade and logistics
✅ Programmable compliance and reporting
✅ Tokenized assets and settlement rails

That future needs settlement that is fast enough to keep up.

2) Kaspa fills Bitcoin’s gaps without abandoning Bitcoin’s values
• Bitcoin’s base chain is intentionally slow and conservative. It wasn’t engineered for real-time settlement.
• Kaspa keeps PoW, but changes the throughput assumptions.

Kaspa’s network generates:
⚡️10 blocks per second
⚡️fully confirmed transactions in about 1 second

That’s why the comparison isn’t “Kaspa beats Bitcoin.”

It’s: Kaspa extends Bitcoin’s vision into a new performance envelope.
✅Bitcoin is sound scarcity.
✅Kaspa is sound settlement.

3) The broader altcoin problem: trilemma, MEV, parasitic L2s
Most altcoins “scale” by changing the rules of the game:
• Proof-of-Stake and validator politics
• governance capture and insider power
• centralized sequencing, bridging assumptions
• ecosystems where L2s extract rent while security and neutrality become fragmented

Kaspa solves scaling at the consensus layer using BlockDAG rather than relying on centralized validators or a stack of parasitic layers.

4) Adoption movers: independent orgs pushing real integration
Every blockchain’s final vulnerability is not tech. It’s adoption.

Some online community stats:
• Largest X Account – 246,649 followers @kaspaunchained
(plus 1000’s of Kaspa focused content creators)
• Telegram: 37,474 Members
• Discord 55,482 members

Kaspa is unusual because it’s not just hoping adoption happens. It has independent initiatives designed to drive it.
• Consistently innovating and flawlessly delivering from Genesis to the RUST Rewrite to Crescendo and now looking towards VProgs, Covenants, Oracles, DagKnight.
• Kaspa Industrial Initiative (@KaspaKii): focused on enterprise and industrial adoption across finance, supply chain, energy, and public sector pathways.
• WarpCore (KII initiative): middleware designed to bridge traditional institutional rails and standards into Kaspa settlement logic, including ISO 20022 alignment.
• Kaspa Ecosystem Foundation ( @Kaspa_KEF): separate ecosystem organization supporting long-term growth and development support.
Whether people agree with every approach or not, the point is: Kaspa has serious adoption scaffolding forming around it.

5) Proof the ecosystem is real: applications and events already shipping
Settlement infrastructure is proven by builders and real outputs, not promises.
Kaspa already has live ecosystem activity beyond “store of value” narratives:

Apps and primitives:
• Kaspa Name Service (@knsdomain): .kas domains and identity layer
• @kasiamessaging Messaging: encrypted decentralized P2P messaging built on Kaspa L1 transactions
• K-Social: ( http://k-social.network) Like X but decentralized and powered by Kaspa
• @KasMaporg – Mapping the Kaspa community, merchants and events
• Numerous decentralized Wallets, Explorers, DEXs, and more.

Events (real-world proof of adoption momentum):
• 100s of Global Events and Meetups since 2022
•Kaspa Experience (@KaspaExperience
– Berlin 2025): a full community conference showcasing the ecosystem and real-world adoption energy
• @kaspathon: a community-organized hackathon designed to test and showcase Kaspa’s latest builder capabilities

This is what matters: you’re watching a network evolve from a coin into a settlement-grade ecosystem.
This isn’t really #Bitcoin vs #Kaspa.
Bitcoin remains a benchmark for digital scarcity and first mover.
Kaspa is what happens when you take that same PoW ethos and push it into a new technical category: real-time, sovereign, scalable settlement infrastructure.
If the modern world is heading toward real-time settlement, Kaspa is one of the only networks attempting that future without abandoning the foundational decentralization model.

So….
Bitcoin:
• exposed the problem
• created an alternative store-of-value
• became a protest symbol against fiat + banking capture
• Was first to market for this new technology

Kaspa:
• keeps the same ethos (PoW, decentralization)
but focuses on the infrastructure layer
• aiming at real-time, high-frequency settlement and coordination. Not just money that holds value, but the backbone for real-time systems: finance, identity, trade, and data.

PS. One of the best “aha” moments is when we show 10BPS on a BlockDAG visualizer. 🙂

A recent interview with @Kaspa_HypeMan is a strong introduction to Kaspa and well worth watching in full.

What stood out most to us was Wolfie’s mention of the “next wave.” For years, we’ve talked about Kaspa as a next-generation decentralized Standard of Settlement, infrastructure built for real-world use, not speculation. The idea behind #PoweredByKaspa has always been that the network exists to support systems people actually rely on.

Wolfie takes this further by framing the next phase through a business and adoption lens. In traditional terms, this phase is known as Product Market Fit, or PMF. Wolfie refers to it as Project Market Fit, which is especially appropriate for a Layer 1 like Kaspa. Rather than a single product finding its market, this is about the broader protocol, developer activity, and ecosystem aligning with real demand and real use cases.

What Product, or Project Market Fit Means for Kaspa
Project Market Fit is the moment when a technology’s core capabilities align strongly with actual user needs and real use cases. In blockchain terms it means moving beyond pure technical milestones or ideological positioning, toward products, adoption, and utility that solve real problems users, developers, institutions, and markets care about. It’s a shift from “we built this because it’s possible” to “people want this because it works better than alternatives.” PMF is often marked by growing adoption, repeated usage, ecosystem growth, integrated applications, and tangible feedback loops confirming demand.

Kaspa’s Strengths That Support PMF

1. Core Technical Fit
Kaspa’s core protocol, a PoW Layer 1 using the GHOSTDAG blockDAG, directly addresses the blockchain trilemma by enabling security, decentralization, and high throughput at once. It does this by letting blocks be created and ordered in parallel, rather than in a single chain. This allows low latency, extremely high throughput, and decentralized security without compromising one for another. These are foundational attributes that align with the needs of payments, settlement systems, and high-performance apps.

Yonatan Sompolinsky and core contributors have repeatedly emphasized this architectural fit as not just a technical novelty, but as a bridge to useful, scalable blockchain infrastructure. Community signals and past proposals by Yonatan show interest in extending the protocol toward programmability and broader tooling, because basic Layer 1 throughput alone does not constitute PMF without applications that matter to users.

2. Community-Driven Real Adoption
Kaspa’s community has become a key engine for PMF exploration. Channels like Kaspa Commons focus on real-world impact stories, everyday benefits, and adoption narratives, rather than purely ideological or speculative content. This drive mirrors the “Powered by Kaspa” and “Disruption” mantra, namely the belief that Kaspa’s tech can underlie faster, cheaper, and more accessible value transfer or decentralized services.

Community voting, grassroots developer contributions, independent projects, for example point-of-sale systems, DeFi hubs, analytics tools, explorers, and media platforms, and global engagement all reflect demand signals that go beyond technologists talking to each other. These organic projects test which integrations actually stick, which is a core part of discovering PMF.

3. Ecosystem Tooling and Developer Focus
Technological fit enables tooling growth. When protocol features are stable and performant, such as high block rates and prospective programmability layers, developers are more likely to build meaningful applications, wallets, bridge protocols, payment rails, indexers, and data tools. Strong developer engagement is a classic feedback loop on the journey to PMF.

In recent ecosystem narratives, including coverage of emerging building blocks like vProgs, simplified sovereign logic units akin to constrained smart contracts, and early DeFi components, you can see real utility coming into focus rather than hypothetical future tech. This signals a transition from pure protocol milestones toward actual building and integration, which is required for PMF.

4. Narratives That Resonate With Broader Markets
Part of Kaspa’s push into PMF is about storytelling that connects technical strengths with clear market problems, fast payments, low fees, resilient decentralized infrastructure, and developer flexibility. Channels like Kaspa Commons amplify use cases, people, and real impact, which helps the protocol connect with audiences who could adopt, build on, or integrate with Kaspa.

Product or Project Market Fit for Kaspa means a shift from protocol performance and community enthusiasm toward repeatable, valuable use cases that attract real users and developers. The network’s unique blockDAG design underpins a technically compelling foundation. The community’s emphasis on real-world benefits and decentralized projects serves as a proving ground. Early ecosystem tools and narratives aligning tech strengths with tangible market needs are the active forces pushing Kaspa toward PMF.

Jim Collins wrote two landmark studies on organizational excellence: Built to Last and Good to Great. The first explored how visionary companies create enduring cultures that outlive their founders. The second examined how already competent organizations make the disciplined leap to greatness. Kaspa’s story fits naturally within both frameworks. It is a system built to last and a project that continues to grow from good to great through focus, transparency, and shared purpose.

This article focuses on the Good to Great principles that best reflect Kaspa’s development and community. The parallels reveal why this decentralized ecosystem continues to gain strength through clarity, patience, and collective discipline. A future piece will explore Kaspa through the lens of Built to Last, examining how its architecture and culture create permanence in a fast-changing digital world.

Level 5 Leadership — Humility with Determination

Collins described Level 5 leaders as individuals who blend humility with steadfast resolve. Kaspa’s developers, researchers, and community coordinators embody this kind of leadership. Their focus remains on technical progress, not personal recognition. They continue to work quietly, testing, refining, and documenting every advancement.

That same temperament shapes the wider ecosystem. Designers, marketers, and educators work with consistency and restraint. The collective leadership of Kaspa comes from its behavior, not its hierarchy. Each contributor reinforces a culture of integrity and calm determination.

First Who, Then What — Building the Right Team Before the Direction

The principle of assembling the right people before setting direction applies strongly to Kaspa. The project began with mathematicians and protocol designers who valued truth and proof over speculation. Once those individuals were aligned, the path forward became clear.

As the ecosystem expanded, it welcomed creative and communicative professionals who helped translate Kaspa’s purpose to the world. Marketers, content writers, and educators began shaping a voice for the project that matches its technical values. Together, they formed a complete and coherent team, each contributing to the same long-term vision.

Confront the Brutal Facts — Radical Transparency

Collins emphasized the importance of confronting reality. Kaspa practices that through complete transparency. Its developers publish updates openly, explain limitations plainly, and present data rather than assumptions.

This attitude extends through its outreach and brand communication. The Kaspa community avoids exaggerated claims or artificial marketing language. Each initiative is grounded in facts and visible progress. This consistency of truth-telling has built long-term credibility. It shows that honesty is not only ethical but also practical for sustaining trust.

The Hedgehog Concept — Clarity of Mission

The Hedgehog Concept is about focusing on one clear purpose. For Kaspa, that purpose is the advancement of scalable, decentralized Proof-of-Work. Every development decision connects to that idea.

GHOSTDAG, DAGKnight, and vProgs are natural extensions of this purpose. They improve speed, order, and verifiability while maintaining decentralization. Kaspa’s clarity of mission prevents it from being pulled toward trends. The community understands what the project stands for and what it is building toward.

Culture of Discipline — Integrity at Every Level

Kaspa’s governance model demonstrates disciplined freedom. There is no central control, yet every contributor follows shared principles. The system operates through open collaboration and mutual accountability.

This discipline appears in both code and communication. Developers follow rigorous review processes. Designers maintain brand consistency. Marketers verify every message. Support teams work with patience and accuracy. The culture is orderly, not by enforcement, but by collective understanding of what the project represents.

Technology as an Accelerator — Innovation That Serves Purpose

Collins observed that technology amplifies existing strengths rather than creating them. Kaspa’s advancements serve as accelerators of its mission. DAGKnight enhances consensus efficiency. vProgs will introduce verifiable, programmable logic within network rules.

These developments improve function while preserving principle. They help Kaspa move faster without losing its architectural integrity. Technology in Kaspa is a tool that strengthens what already exists, not a shift in direction.

The Flywheel Effect — Momentum Through Consistency

The Flywheel Effect describes how persistence produces momentum. Kaspa’s progress reflects that process. Each wallet integration, merchant partnership, community translation, and code release adds energy to a cycle that becomes self-sustaining.

This approach may seem slow to those focused on token price, but adoption is a cumulative process. Kaspa’s momentum builds through reliability. Each contributor adds another turn to the wheel. Over time, the steady rhythm of effort produces lasting strength.

Avoiding the Doom Loop — Staying True to the Mission

The Doom Loop occurs when organizations react impulsively to trends and lose focus. Kaspa has avoided that pattern. Its developers and community have maintained attention on scalable Proof-of-Work and verifiable computation.

This consistency gives Kaspa stability in a field often defined by volatility. By holding to its principles, it creates a culture of reliability that continues to attract people who value long-term systems over temporary excitement.

Build a Clock, Not a Watch — Systems That Outlast Their Creators

Collins wrote that great leaders build mechanisms that continue beyond them. Kaspa’s architecture is designed for that level of independence. Its code is open-source, its supply fixed, and its governance distributed.

The same applies to its public presence. The brand is community-owned, its identity maintained through collective stewardship. Writers, designers, and educators around the world shape Kaspa’s message in unison, ensuring that the project remains coherent without central control.

Kaspa’s design philosophy, like the companies in Built to Last, values continuity over personality. The system exists to endure.

Closing Reflection

Kaspa’s development follows the same principles that Jim Collins identified in long-lasting organizations. It combines discipline, humility, and collective purpose. Each person involved, from developer to community volunteer, contributes to a system that grows through integrity.

Kaspa’s strength is its structure — a network designed to function through cooperation and verifiable truth. It is both built to last and built to improve. The ideas behind Good to Great and Built to Last describe how lasting excellence is achieved, and Kaspa demonstrates how those ideas can apply to decentralized technology.

The next chapter of this series will explore Built to Last directly, examining how Kaspa’s open architecture and distributed culture create permanence in an industry that rarely stands still.

Throughout history, money has been judged by two essential roles: Store of Value (SoV) and Medium of Exchange (MoE). The ability to preserve wealth over time and the ability to transact efficiently have defined whether a currency or asset was considered sound money.

The third role, Standard of Settlement (SoS), has historically been the responsibility of infrastructure rather than money itself. Gold and precious metals acted as long-term Stores of Value. Fiat currencies such as the British Pound and the US Dollar became the Medium of Exchange. Central banks, clearinghouses, and interbank networks provided the Standard of Settlement by finalizing obligations between institutions. No single system has ever unified all three functions within one architecture.

Modern cryptocurrencies introduced the possibility that a single network could combine these roles. With Bitcoin, the currency and the ledger were fused into one system, creating digital scarcity and finality on the same rails. Kaspa extends this model further by pairing a scarce and deflationary coin with a scalable blockDAG ledger and emerging programmability. Together, these elements create the potential for a unified architecture that serves as a Store of Value, a Medium of Exchange, and a Standard of Settlement for both money and data movement.

Other projects attempted to capture the Medium of Exchange or Standard of Settlement roles, but all encountered tradeoffs in scalability, decentralization, or adoption. Most depend on Layer 2 networks or sidechains to achieve throughput, fragmenting their ecosystems and weakening their base layers.

Kaspa is different. It is designed to unify all three roles on one secure Layer 1.

• $KAS, the coin, provides scarcity, deflationary design, and usability as Store of Value and Medium of Exchange.
• The Kaspa blockDAG ledger provides scalability, immutability, and decentralization as the base settlement infrastructure.
• Programmability, led by DagKnight and vPROGs, enables both speed and contract logic, making Kaspa a universal platform for financial and non-financial settlement.

This combination makes Kaspa the first system to address both the Crypto Trilemma (security, scalability, decentralization) and the Fiat Trilemma (saleability across time, scale, and space). More than a currency, Kaspa is a programmable settlement technology for money, data, and enterprise trust systems.

Kaspa as Store of Value (SoV)

A Store of Value is any asset that allows wealth to be preserved over time without being inflated away, confiscated, or rendered irrelevant. Scarcity has always been the defining feature of this role. For centuries, gold and other precious metals served as the foundation of value preservation. Fiat systems later tied their reserves to gold, or substituted with government bonds and central bank reserves, but these approaches have proven vulnerable to inflation and political interference.

Bitcoin shifted the paradigm by proving that scarcity could exist in digital form. With a fixed supply of 21 million coins and secured by Proof of Work, it became “digital gold.” The two elements together are what gave Bitcoin this title:

• Fixed supply created digital scarcity, replicating the finite nature of gold.
• Proof of Work tied the creation of new units to real-world energy and computation, mirroring the costliness and security of gold mining.

This combination meant Bitcoin could not be inflated, counterfeited, or altered. It gave Bitcoin the durability and credibility of a Store of Value in both the crypto ecosystem and traditional finance.

Other projects have attempted to position themselves as Stores of Value, though with limited success:

• Litecoin was marketed as “digital silver” but lacked a unique technical advantage.
• Monero built its SoV case on privacy and fungibility but regulatory pressure and exchange delistings constrained adoption.
• Zcash promoted itself as a privacy-preserving SoV but struggled with technical complexity and governance trust concerns.
• Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin SV presented themselves as more scalable versions of Bitcoin but fractured communities and limited adoption undermined their credibility.

Bitcoin remains the most recognized and adopted Store of Value today. Kaspa inherits the same fundamentals of fixed supply and Proof of Work which means it has the same capacity for digital scarcity. But Kaspa’s mission is not primarily to displace Bitcoin as SoV. Its strength lies in extending beyond SoV into the Medium of Exchange and Standard of Settlement roles, areas where Bitcoin has struggled and where Kaspa’s architecture provides clear advantages.

Why this matters

• Bitcoin has already secured the Store of Value role but cannot scale effectively into MoE or SoS.
• Kaspa’s SoV credibility ensures it can serve as digital scarcity when needed but without compromising its focus on usability and settlement.
• This positions Kaspa not as a competitor to Bitcoin’s SoV dominance but as the project that completes the other two essential functions of money and settlement.

Kaspa as Medium of Exchange (MoE)

A Medium of Exchange means money that can move quickly, cheaply, and reliably between people and systems. Litecoin positioned itself as digital silver. Bitcoin Cash forked from Bitcoin promising true peer-to-peer cash. Dash launched with InstantSend and branding as “digital cash.” Each made a push for MoE, but none became the standard.

Litecoin (self proclaimed, Digital Silver) and BCH stalled due to adoption limits. Dash gained some traction in select markets but never scaled beyond niches, with governance and funding issues slowing its progress. None managed to deliver a MoE that was both global and durable.

While these projects made incremental improvements, none achieved global adoption. Litecoin failed to differentiate itself from Bitcoin. Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin SV fractured communities and lost credibility. Dash’s innovations could not overcome network effects or regulatory hurdles. Ethereum and stablecoins have also become important MoE players, but congestion, unpredictable gas fees, and MEV distortions limit their reliability as true peer-to-peer money.

MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) refers to the ability of block producers or validators to manipulate the order of transactions for profit. On networks like Ethereum this can mean front-running trades, sandwiching transactions, or prioritizing transfers in ways that benefit insiders at the expense of ordinary users. In practice, MEV functions as a hidden tax on every transaction. It raises costs, undermines fairness, and makes users dependent on systems tilted toward large stakeholders and validators.

Kaspa resolves these limitations by delivering MoE functionality directly at Layer 1. Its blockDAG architecture allows transactions to confirm instantly, even under high load, with negligible fees. Because Kaspa will scale natively without relying on Layer 2 networks, every transaction benefits from the same security and neutrality. There is no fragmentation, no reliance on custodial rollups, and no MEV tax on users. Kaspa will provide a peer-to-peer cash system that actually scales without compromise.

Kaspa Also Solves the Fiat Trilemma.
It solves the crypto trilemma by being decentralized, secure, and scalable while remaining Proof of Work.
But it also resolves the Fiat Trilemma, the three qualities money has historically failed to unify:

1. Saleable across time – Value preserved without inflation or decay.
2. Saleable across scales – Works for micro-transactions as well as large settlements.
3. Saleable across space – Transferrable instantly across geographies.

Gold worked across time but failed across space. Fiat worked across space but failed across time. Bitcoin works across time and space, but struggles to scale due to throughput and latency. Kaspa is the first to unify all three, making it the most saleable form of money ever designed.
Shout out to PlanK (@MikoGenno on X)  http://youtube.com/@MikoGenno for this insight on scalability of Fiat.

Why this matters in the real world

• A café in Berlin can accept Kaspa faster than Visa, without the 3 percent cut.
• A gig worker in Manila can be paid instantly, not after days of waiting for PayPal or banks.
• Peer-to-peer marketplaces can operate globally, trustlessly, and at scale.

Why Proof of Work matters
PoW ensures that money is fair and immutable. Kaspa’s blockDAG keeps every participant on equal footing. Unlike PoS systems, where wealth compounds advantage, Kaspa’s security is grounded in energy and computation.

Kaspa is therefore not just another peer-to-peer cash attempt. It is the first system that combines the speed and efficiency of fiat rails with the fairness and neutrality of Proof of Work, all at Layer 1.
It is the first real peer-to-peer money that scales globally while being sound money across time, scales, and space.

See some merchants that accept Kaspa, here.

As for the Digital Silver Title, Kaspa actually means “Silver.”

Kaspa as Standard of Settlement (SoS)

Settlement is not simply the transfer of funds. It is the final clearing of value and information across enterprises, markets, and nations. In traditional finance, settlement has always been the responsibility of infrastructure, not the currency itself. Central banks, clearinghouses, and interbank networks finalize transactions while fiat currencies move on top of those systems.

The same principle applies in crypto. A coin alone cannot be a settlement layer. Bitcoin functions as a Store of Value, and projects like Litecoin and Dash attempted to serve as digital cash. Ethereum tried to combine settlement with programmability, while XRP, Stellar, and Algorand positioned themselves as institutional or finance-grade rails. Each demonstrated potential but encountered tradeoffs in scalability, decentralization, or adoption.

Kaspa approaches settlement differently. Its blockDAG ledger provides scalable, immutable infrastructure that finalizes transactions within seconds. With DagKnight, Kaspa will achieve internet-level transaction speeds while remaining decentralized, secure, and resistant to network chaos. On top of this, programmability is emerging. Community labs are exploring early frameworks, and the Kaspa core team is preparing vPROGs, a new model for programmable settlement logic. Unlike traditional smart contracts, vPROGs are designed to be simpler, safer, and more scalable, aligning with Kaspa’s settlement-first architecture.

Equally important is Kaspa’s commitment to Layer 1 scaling. Where Ethereum and others depend on Layer 2 networks and rollups to handle congestion, Kaspa achieves performance directly on the base layer. This ensures that settlement finality, security, and neutrality are not fragmented across external systems. By keeping all scaling and programmability at Layer 1, Kaspa preserves the integrity of its settlement layer.

Settlement beyond currency

Finance is only one part of the settlement story. Settlement ultimately means the secure finalization of transactions and records of any type. Kaspa’s architecture positions it as a universal settlement layer across both financial and non-financial domains:

Processes and Workflows: Supply chains, logistics, and manufacturing steps can anchor verifiable milestones.

Contracts and Agreements: Business and legal conditions can execute automatically with vPROGs.

Certifications and Credentials: Academic degrees, licenses, and compliance proofs can be issued and verified immutably.

Communication Records: Messages, media, and authorship proofs can be timestamped and validated.

Scientific Research and Data Integrity: Publications, datasets, and results can be anchored for reproducibility.

Identity and Governance: Digital IDs, voting, and KYC frameworks can settle securely on-chain.

This broadens settlement into the domain of value and data together. Just as the internet became the universal carrier of information, Kaspa can become the universal carrier of trusted transactions and records.

Why this matters

• Enterprises can clear cross-border supply chain transactions in seconds.
• Energy markets can finalize peer-to-peer power trades in real time.
• NGOs can transfer funds without fear of banking restrictions.
• Carbon credits, identity systems, and research data can be anchored immutably.
• Banks and financial institutions could continue to operate as they do today, but with Kaspa’s L1 DLT as a faster, more secure, and decentralized settlement foundation.

Why Proof of Work matters

Settlement requires trust that cannot be rewritten or manipulated by insiders. Proof of Work anchors finality in real-world energy and computation, making it immune to collusion or stake-based control. By tying security to physics rather than wealth, PoW ensures that Kaspa’s settlement layer remains fair, immutable, and universally secure.

Kaspa is not just another digital coin. It is a complete architecture: a scarce and deflationary asset, a decentralized ledger, and a programmable settlement layer that operates entirely at Layer 1. This makes it the first system capable of serving as a true Standard of Settlement for the digital age, across both money and data.

Kaspa Unites All Three

Historically, the functions of money and the systems that support it have always been split. Gold and later Bitcoin demonstrated the Store of Value role. Fiat currencies dominated the Medium of Exchange. Central banks and clearinghouses carried the responsibility of settlement infrastructure. No single framework ever unified all three.

Bitcoin remains the most recognized Store of Value, often compared directly to gold. But it is limited as a Medium of Exchange and cannot scale into a Standard of Settlement. Other projects have attempted to fill these roles, often relying on Layer 2 networks or trading off decentralization for throughput.

Kaspa is different. Its fixed supply and Proof of Work provide SoV credibility. Its blockDAG architecture enables real-time, low-cost transactions, making it a practical MoE. Its programmability through DagKnight and vPROGs positions it as a Standard of Settlement that extends beyond money into data, processes, and enterprise coordination. Most importantly, Kaspa does all of this at Layer 1, preserving security, neutrality, and immutability.

Kaspa therefore unifies what has historically been separate. It combines money’s core functions with system-level settlement into one secure architecture. 

Kaspa is not only faster digital money. It is the first universal programmable settlement layer of the digital age, where money, markets, and data converge securely at scale.

Further reading

Upcoming Development: Kaspa Development Milestones Revealed – 2025 – 2026
Insights on vProgs: https://x.com/michaelsuttonil/status/1966324370818711641
vProg Yellow Paper – https://github.com/kaspanet/research/blob/main/vProgs/vProgs_yellow_paper.pdf
Developer Resources – https://kaspa.org/developers-resources/
Kaspa RnD TG chats – https://t.me/kasparnd

In response to CoinGecko’s Article — “Dead Coins: Over 50% of Cryptocurrencies Have Failed”

The cryptocurrency landscape has witnessed a significant number of project failures, with over 50% of all cryptocurrencies launched and listed since 2021 no longer actively trading. According to a recent report, out of nearly 7 million cryptocurrencies listed on GeckoTerminal, approximately 3.7 million have failed. Notably, the first quarter of 2025 alone accounted for 1.8 million of these failures, representing nearly half of all recorded project closures, the highest number of failures recorded in a single year.

According to Tangem: As of May 2025, there are over 37 million crypto tokens, and we’re on track to reach 100 million by the end of 2025. For context, there were fewer than 3,000 tokens in 2017–2018 and less than 500 in 2013–2014. How Many Cryptocurrencies Are There in 2025

Given the vast number of tokens created and the high attrition rate, it’s estimated that only a small fraction—possibly less than 0.1%—remain active or have any meaningful trading activity.

Common Factors Leading to Cryptocurrency Failures

• Lack of Utility or Purpose
  Many failed projects lacked a clear use case or failed to deliver on promised functionalities, leading to diminished interest and eventual collapse.
• Scams and Fraudulent Schemes
  Projects like Bitconnect operated as Ponzi schemes, offering unsustainable returns and eventually collapsing under regulatory scrutiny and loss of investor confidence.
• Regulatory and Legal Challenges
  Initiatives such as KodakCoin faced regulatory hurdles and questions about their legitimacy, leading to indefinite delays and eventual shutdowns.
• Security Vulnerabilities
  The DAO, an early decentralized autonomous organization, suffered a significant hack due to code vulnerabilities, resulting in substantial financial losses and a controversial hard fork of the Ethereum blockchain.
• Market Saturation and Low-Quality Projects
  The ease of creating new tokens, especially with platforms like pump.fun, led to a flood of low-effort projects, many of which lacked substance and quickly failed.

Common Traits of Successful Cryptocurrencies

• Strong Community Engagement
  Projects with active and engaged communities tend to have greater resilience and staying power. These communities, comprising users, developers, and investors, play a crucial role in promoting the cryptocurrency, providing feedback, and fostering adoption.
• Clear Use Cases
  Cryptocurrencies that address real-world problems or offer unique value propositions are more likely to succeed. Whether it’s facilitating decentralized finance (DeFi), enhancing supply chain transparency, or enabling NFT transactions, a well-defined purpose resonates with users and investors.
• Robust Technology and Security
  Projects that prioritize technological robustness and security are better positioned for long-term success. For instance, Firo (formerly Zcoin) implemented advanced privacy protocols like Lelantus Spark and addressed security challenges proactively.
• Grassroots Community and Brand Building
  Coordinated efforts around early brand building, grassroots outreach, consistent messaging, peer-to-peer education, and no hype.

The Success or Failure of a Cryptocurrency Project Hinges on Several Factors

• Utility and Purpose
  Projects must address real-world problems or offer unique value.
• Community Engagement
  Active and supportive communities can drive adoption and resilience.
• Technological Robustness
  Security and reliability are paramount.
• Regulatory Compliance
  Navigating legal landscapes is crucial for longevity.
• Market Differentiation
  In a saturated market, standing out with quality and innovation is essential.
• Compelling Brand Building
  Strong brand story and brand building with a peer-to-peer education and adoption approach.

Understanding these factors can provide valuable insights for investors and developers aiming to navigate the complex world of cryptocurrencies.

Marketing Traits in Failed Projects

• Overhyped, Under-Delivered
  Projects like Bitconnect and SafeMoon used exaggerated promises (e.g., “guaranteed returns”, “to the moon” slogans). This kind of hype attracted short-term investors, but collapsed when the tech or tokenomics failed to back it up.
• Celebrity Shilling Without Substance
  Endorsements from influencers or celebrities (e.g., Floyd Mayweather, DJ Khaled) led to short-term pump-and-dump schemes.
• Expensive Ad Buys and Paid Public Relations by Third-Party Companies (Not Part of the Community)
  Without real utility, these coins lost value once public interest faded.
• Lack of Target Audience Understanding
  Many projects launched with vague or generic messages, which failed to articulate a unique reason to exist. Tokens like KodakCoin tried to capitalize on buzzwords (e.g., blockchain + photography) without a real strategy.
• No Post-Launch Marketing Plan
  Projects that spent heavily on ICO hype but went silent afterward often lost momentum and investor confidence.

Kaspa’s Success

Transparent, Developer-Led Communication

Kaspa’s lead developers and researchers are publicly known, frequently communicating on X (Twitter), and openly discuss challenges, milestones, and ambitions via AMAs, videos, and conference keynotes. The open-source nature of Kaspa’s development invites scrutiny and collaboration, strengthening credibility.

Understated, Yet Strategic Branding

The simple, yet iconic logo and brand narrative stands out in the sea of other coins and tokens.
Real-world adoption narratives like The “Kaspa Accepted Here” initiative builds real-world adoption at the grassroots level, one merchant at a time.
The “Powered by Kaspa” initiative flips the coin to focus on enterprise markets looking for a powerful, decentralized DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology).
No ICO. No flashy launch. No empty promises — just steady, transparent rollout and growing real-world relevance.

Long-Term Vision Over Hype

Kaspa’s outreach narrative focuses on both the currency and DLT layers for the digital future, not a fleeting trend. Its monetary policy is fixed and simple, appealing to those tired of manipulated tokenomics and rug-pull mechanics. The focus on infrastructure, not speculation, gives Kaspa a foundation similar to Bitcoin — but with modern capabilities.

Community-Driven and Organic Growth

Kaspa’s marketing is bottom-up, not top-down.
The community is the core marketing engine — creating articles, creative educational content, explainer videos, and grassroots campaigns with consistent support from coordinated daily efforts by the Rhubarbarians and the CMF (Community Marketing Fund). This builds authentic engagement and avoids the artificial hype seen in many failed tokens. Instead of influencer-driven pumps, Kaspa has cultivated a loyal and technically-literate base that amplifies its strengths.

Projects like SafeMoon leaned heavily on influencer hype and flashy promises, with little community depth beyond price speculation.

Value-First Messaging

Kaspa doesn’t advertise price narratives. Instead, it leads with proven technological features:

• Instant transaction finality
• High throughput (10+ BPS)
• Scalability via blockDAG architecture
• Permissionless monetary network

Kaspa ships when it’s ready. It has long proven its slow and steady philosophy, delivering on all tasks with no stalls, no downtimes and a consistently improved network.

This appeals to developers, entrepreneurs, and long-term users — not just traders.

Many defunct coins marketed unrealistic financial returns or chased fads without backing utility or bridging to the existing TradFi system, and ignored sustainable, stable DeFi solutions.

Why Kaspa is Succeeding

Kaspa avoids the traps that killed thousands of coins — overpromising, underdelivering, hype with no utility. Instead, Kaspa focuses on the technology, while its marketing and narrative emphasize credibility, community, and capability — which is exactly why it’s still growing while most others have failed.

Kaspa distinguishes itself in the cryptocurrency landscape through a combination of technological innovation, transparent leadership, community-driven marketing, and real-world applicability.

These factors collectively contribute to its resilience and growth, contrasting sharply with the multitude of projects that have faltered.

Technological Innovation and Real Utility

Many failed projects lacked substantive technological foundations or failed to deliver on their promises. Kaspa, however, offers:

• BlockDAG Architecture: Enables high throughput with 10+ blocks per second, facilitating rapid transaction confirmations.
• Instant Confirmation and Finality: Transactions achieve finality within seconds, enhancing user experience and trust.
• Scalability: Designed to scale without compromising decentralization or security.

Transparent Leadership and Open-Source Development

Transparency is pivotal in building trust within the crypto community. Kaspa’s development is led by highly-documented academic and respected figures in blockchain research, ensuring credible leadership where they are publicly known and academically recognized, fostering confidence among users and developers. Through its open-source culture, Kaspa encourages community contributions and scrutiny, enhancing the project’s robustness.

Community-Driven/Non-Traditional Marketing

Kaspa’s growth is also propelled by its community through:

• Grassroots Engagement: Community members actively create educational content, promote adoption, and support development. There are 1000’s of Kaspa content creators on X, YouTube.  (Kaspa_Commons follows many of them and more each day, so please support these amplifying Kaspa daily!)
• Authentic Promotion: Relies on organic growth rather than paid endorsements or hype-driven campaigns.
• Quality and Consistent Messaging: Simple, quality, and contextualized messaging. Community-driven content expands as the project matures.

Sound Economic Model

Kaspa employs a straightforward and transparent economic model:

• Fair Launch: No premine or initial coin offering, ensuring equitable distribution.
• Predictable Emission Schedule: Similar to Bitcoin’s deflationary model, with a more rapid emissions schedule, providing long-term value stability.

Real-World Applicability and Adoption

Kaspa focuses on practical use cases:

• Local Merchant and Enterprise Adoption: Initiatives like “Kaspa Accepted Here” and “Powered by Kaspa” promote real-world usage.
• User-Friendly Tools: Easy-to-use wallets and integration options to facilitate everyday transactions.
• Attracting Developers and Real-World Markets: Amplifying developer opportunities through the core project or via foundations like the Kaspa Ecosystem Foundation — inviting them into its ecosystem early on to build the next generation of DApps for DePIN, RWA, and DeFi. Pushing the boundaries of real-world adoption through initiatives like the Kaspa Industrial Initiative.
• Special Thanks to Kasplex, IgraLabs and other developers joining the project and building out the ecosystem

This practical approach ensures relevance and utility, unlike many projects that failed to move beyond speculative trading.

Kaspa’s continued success is attributed to its commitment to technological excellence, transparent governance, community engagement, sound economics, and real-world utility. These elements collectively foster a sustainable and trustworthy ecosystem, setting it apart from the multitude of projects that have failed due to lack of substance, transparency, and utility.

Introducing Powered by Kaspa
A New Era for Kaspa’s Digital Ledger Technology

By Chad Ballantyne (Rhubarbarian)
Creator of the Kaspa Brand

For over a year, we’ve have been laying the groundwork for a new narrative—one that positions Kaspa as not just a digital currency but as the most advanced Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) on the planet. With smart contracts around the corner and the upcoming DAG Knight Protocol, we’re taking that vision to the next level with a new brand initiative: Powered by Kaspa!
Although many Kaspa projects are still in different stages of development, we felt it important to cast the vision and get the conversations going under a strong narrative.

 A Secondary Brand to Complement Kaspa Currency

The Kaspa currency brand is here to stay. Kaspa is the fastest, most secure, and fully decentralized currency aiming to run at the speed of the internet. However, there are two sides to the Kaspa coin—one is the groundbreaking currency, and the other is the revolutionary Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) powering it. Powered by Kaspa is a secondary brand (or tag) that highlights this underlying technology, expanding its reach beyond currency use into industries that require high-speed, scalable, and secure digital ledgers.

The “Powered by Kaspa” Concept

This new branding initiative is designed to highlight Kaspa’s unique use case as a leading DLT for high-speed, scalable, and decentralized applications. The Reverse K from the Kaspa coin brand is a powerful symbol, known world-wide and now, with energy waves emanating from it, it represents Kaspa’s power being released, tapped into, and connecting across industries.

This brand will serve as a recognizable tag for projects built on Kaspa’s technology, from enterprise solutions to decentralized applications, inside Crypoland and out in the real world. It will be a stamp of trust and innovation, much like how certain industry leaders have successfully branded their core technologies to show their impact (think: “Intel Inside”).

This is not meant to be seen as large and flashy, rather subtly placed to not take away from any projects core visual brand.  It could be used more in the early stages of the project launch and less as your project grows.  Like any great tech, it’s better to work great and not be “seen.”

Real-World Applications: DePIN, RWA, and Enterprise Use Cases

The Powered by Kaspa initiative will be especially relevant in key areas, including:

– Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) – Projects that leverage Kaspa’s ultra-fast and scalable DLT for decentralized infrastructure, including IoT networks, decentralized storage, and computational resource sharing.

– Real-World Asset (RWA) Tokenization – By providing a secure and scalable ledger, Kaspa enables the seamless tokenization of assets such as real estate, commodities, and financial instruments, unlocking liquidity and efficiency in global markets.

– A New Banking Standard (Warpcore by Kii) – A next-generation financial framework leveraging Kaspa’s speed and security to create an open and decentralized banking infrastructure.

– Stablecoins for Everyday and Energy Sector Use (Gigawatt Stable Coin by Kii) – Enabling stable digital assets not just for transactions but also for balancing energy markets and payments in decentralized grids.

– Insurance, Agriculture, Logistics, ETFs, and More – As highlighted by the KII project, industries such as insurance, agricultural trade, supply chain logistics, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) will benefit from Kaspa’s transparent and immutable ledger.

Classic Crypto Ecosystem
The Powered by Kaspa  brand will also be an essential part of the growing classic crypto ecosystem, which includes developer-driven initiatives specifically in the cryptocurrency space. These groups like KEF, Kasplex and others are leading the charge in building out essential applications for:

• Classic Tokens & Meme Coins – A vibrant and innovative playground for community-driven assets leveraging Kaspa’s DLT.
• NFT Marketplaces & Applications – Providing ultra-fast and secure NFT transactions with Kaspa’s parallel block processing.
• Kaspa-Tech-Centered Exchanges – Decentralized and centralized exchanges that will benefit from the security, finality, and speed of Kaspa’s infrastructure.

We hope these initiatives will thrive under the Powered by Kaspa banner, ensuring that every application built on Kaspa’s technology has a clear, unified brand identity to showcase its connection to this groundbreaking technology.  It can be applied to images, videos and/or just used in articles and descriptions.

With initiatives like Kaspa Industrial Initiative (KII) and Kaspa Ecosystem Foundation (KEF) (and many more to come), committed to enlarging the ecosystem, Powered by Kaspa will be a unifying brand for businesses, developers, and communities utilizing Kaspa’s DLT.

Empowering People | Powering the Planet

As we roll out the Powered by Kaspa brand, we’ll provide a comprehensive brand standards guide and resource package to help projects integrate the branding seamlessly. Whether you’re a developer launching a Token, an enterprise building on Kaspa, or a community initiative leveraging the technology, this brand is yours to use.

Kaspa has always been about empowering people through digital currency with its eye on powering the planet with decentralized innovation. We see Powered by Kaspa as the next evolution of that mission.

Stay tuned for the official brand standards guide, examples, and resources. It’s time to show the world what’s possible when technology is truly Powered by Kaspa.

NOTE:  This is not a meant to be a mandatory use brand.  As we are all part of a DAO, we leave it up to the individual projects to tap into this narrative and visual brand.  Although we do recommend it!  If you are invested in how you could use it, contact the Rhubarbarian in TG or Discord and he and his crew will be happy to guide you in it’s use for your particular project.

Powered by Kaspa (PBK) Criteria Checklist

What Would Be Considered
“Built On” Kaspa?

A project would be truly “built on” Kaspa if it:

✅  Operates directly within Kaspa’s DLT framework – e.g., a dApp that leverages Kaspa’s ledger to store and execute logic.

✅  Extends Kaspa’s protocol – such as a smart contract layer, DeFi protocol, or an L2 that interacts natively with the GHOSTDAG structure.

✅  Utilizes Kaspa for core execution, validation, or consensus rather than just using it for transactions.

Exclusions – Who Should Use “Powered by Kaspa”?

🚫 Exchanges, Wallets, or Payment Processors – Platforms that list or accept Kaspa but do not integrate Kaspa’s DLT as part of their core technology.

🚫 Marketing or Awareness Projects – Initiatives that promote Kaspa but do not develop apps, tools, or services utilizing the DLT.

🚫 Non-Kaspa Blockchain Projects – Apps that do not natively use Kaspa’s DLT but merely reference Kaspa in some way.

New Kaspa Terms

Kaspafy (verb)
/ˈkæs-pə-fī/

Definition:

1. To enhance, optimize, or revolutionize a system, technology, or industry by leveraging Kaspa’s ultra-fast, decentralized, and scalable blockDAG infrastructure.

2. To remove inefficiencies, centralization, and bottlenecks by adopting a network Powered by Kaspa.

3. To future-proof digital finance, enterprise markets, and decentralized applications (dApps) with Kaspa’s blockDAG architecture.

Sample Uses:

“The company decided to Kaspafy their payment system, making transactions instant and fee-efficient.”

“We need to Kaspafy our supply chain to improve transparency and traceability.”

“By adopting Kaspa’s infrastructure, they were able to Kaspafy their cross-border remittance services.”

Kaspafied (adjective)
/ˈkæs-pə-fīd/

Definition:

1. Enhanced, upgraded, or transformed through Kaspa’s digital ledger technology.
2. Fully integrated with or utilizing Kaspa’s blockchain for speed, scalability, and decentralization.

Sample Uses:

“The logistics network is now Kaspafied, ensuring real-time tracking and settlement.”

“A Kaspafied gaming platform allows players to own and trade digital assets securely.”

“Once their finance infrastructure was Kaspafied, transactions became seamless and near-instant.”

Kaspafication (noun)
/ˈkæs-pə-fɪ-ˈkeɪ-ʃən/

Definition:

1. The process of integrating or optimizing a system, service, or industry using Kaspa’s blockchain technology.
2. The shift towards a decentralized, high-speed, and scalable infrastructure powered by Kaspa.

Sample Uses:

“The Kaspafication of the global remittance industry could eliminate delays and high fees.”

“With ongoing Kaspafication, businesses are experiencing a new level of efficiency and security.”

“The company’s Kaspafication strategy involved migrating legacy databases onto Kaspa’s blockchain for better performance.”

Sample Uses
Click to enlarge

Written by Julien – France Ambassador

The SHAKA event is presented as one of the most exciting events in the field of Web3 and artificial intelligence in France. It takes place in Biarritz and offers a unique platform for entrepreneurs, cryptocurrency enthusiasts, and professionals from various sectors, including blockchain, decentralized finance, NFTs, and product design. This event attracts over 2,000 participants, all curious and passionate about new technologies, and focuses on quality interactions, ensuring an engaged and interested audience.

The event spans several days with a variety of activities, including conferences and practical workshops on topics such as digital wallet creation, cryptocurrency transactions, and NFT creation. It also offers networking spaces, parties, and interactive challenges to maximize participant engagement and sponsor visibility. The event locations are carefully selected to provide a relaxed atmosphere, featuring sunny patios and rooftops with sunset views.

Through its French Ambassador Julien, KASPA participated in the second day of the 2024 edition with a twenty-minute presentation on the main stage of the event venue. The conference focused on “Kaspa: Why is Everyone Talking About It?”. This was an opportunity to address quite technical questions about how KASPA operates, discuss mining and POW (Proof of Work), and present future development steps for KASPA.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the SHAKA team, and especially Benjamin, for his invitation and trust.

NB : The conference will soon be available on video.

For more information on this event, click here: https://shaka.events/

Written by Bitmo: Japan Ambassador

WebX Side Event Report: Introduction of Japan’s First Kaspa Payment and the Establishment of KJEA

On August 30, 2024, the Kaspa Japanese Ecosystem Association (KJEA) hosted a side event during WebX in Tokyo, fully supported by the Kaspa Ecosystem Foundation (KEF). The event saw around 20 participants and was a resounding success, filled with energy and enthusiasm throughout.

🔸Event Details

The participants included AAVE developers, Kaspa miners, holders, and newcomers to Kaspa, bringing together a diverse group of individuals. The event proceeded smoothly, with active exchanges among attendees, further strengthening the sense of unity within the Kaspa community.

🔸Kaspa Presentation and KJEA Establishment Announcement

One of the main highlights of the event was a presentation on the technical features and future potential of Kaspa. The advantages of Kaspa’s BlockDAG technology and its superiority over traditional blockchain were clearly explained. Additionally, the official establishment of the KJEA (Kaspa Japanese Ecosystem Association) was announced, along with specific initiatives aimed at promoting Kaspa in the Japanese market.

Book Sales and Merchandise Distribution

At the event, a book titled “Kaspa: From Ghost to Knight, off to heal the blockchain’s plight ”, written by Mickey, was displayed
and attracted significant interest among attendees.

As a result, more than 10 copies were sold on the spot,
with purchasers receiving a special Kaspa-branded T-shirt as a bonus. Furthermore, Kaspa-related merchandise such as eco-bags, fans,
and stickers were distributed, much to the delight of the attendees.

🔸Japan’s First Kaspa Payment

A noteworthy aspect of the event was
the realization of Japan’s first Kaspa-based payment.

With the cooperation of the venue,
a special menu was prepared to accommodate Kaspa payments,
allowing participants to experience using Kaspa for transactions.

This initiative marked a significant step toward promoting the practicality and adoption of Kaspa in the Japanese market.

🔸KEF Support and Closing Remarks

Towards the end of the event,
members of the Kaspa Ecosystem Foundation (KEF) took the stage to
express their gratitude for the support throughout the event,
delivering a passionate message about the future of Kaspa.

KEF played a crucial role in the event’s success through their provision of merchandise and operational support.

🔸Conclusion
This WebX side event was a pivotal step in strengthening the Kaspa community and expanding Kaspa’s recognition in the Japanese market.

With the full support of KEF,
the official establishment of KJEA was announced,
and Japan’s first Kaspa payment was successfully introduced,
heightening expectations for Kaspa’s future.