I’m excited to announce that I have started Trends @trendsdotfun, a value-anchored social protocol that pushes the frontier of information finance. It’s also a bittersweet farewell moment: my full-time gig with @fslweb3 has come to an end, but I will continue to support the company as an advisor. I will have a separate post to reflect on this extremely meaningful journey. Trends already has the early backing of an incredible group of founders and angels whose belief in the vision gives us both support and accountability: @aeyakovenko @calilyliu @ @SolanaFndn @weremeow & @sssionggg @ @JupiterExchange @Punk9277 @ @KaitoAI @PrimordialAA @ @LayerZero_Core @tn_pendle @ @pendle_fi @cindyleowtt & @davijlu @ @DriftProtocol Alice & James Zhang @ @JamboTechnology @ZhuoxunYin & @bytheophana @ @MagicEden @TusharJain_ @ @multicoincap @Jerry10240 & @yawn_rong & @shitirastogi @ @fslweb3 @zhusu @dapanji_eth @ @bonk_fun @0xsudogm @ @dragonfly_xyz @MapleLeafCap @ @FoliusVentures After several years pursuing broader consumer adoption in crypto, I’ve distilled three first-principle convictions: 1️⃣ Every true Web3 breakthrough happens where value can flow with radically less friction - think 2017 ICOs and 2020 DeFi Summer (and even 2023 Pumpfun). The next innovation leap, as a result, will also emerge with another 100× improvement in value-flow efficiency. 2️⃣ Tokens are information containers, and social media is already the busiest information market; if every post became a token, information flow and value flow could finally merge. 3️⃣On-chain issuance and value transfer costs will keep falling, so social is now perfectly positioned for that merger in point 2. With these beliefs in mind, we started Trends. It begins as an on-chain curation layer for X (and soon for any open content such as TikTok) and will grow into a social protocol coordinated by internet capital. Each piece of content forms its own curve, volatility and spike; accounts that consistently create / surface high-consensus posts accumulate a reputation that can’t be faked. AI is pushing the cost of content production toward zero. When views, likes and even entire posts can be botted for pennies, on-chain capital becomes the one scarce, transparent signal of real consensus. Trends provide a direct pipeline from belief to PnL. Wash-trading has its corresponding costs, and an open protocol gives everyone the same chance to participate. That, to me, is what mass adoption looks like: your everyday actions carry on-chain financial weight. Imagine one like equals one dollar - each click automatically buys from the curve, and your automatic exit target can be preset. Opinion expressed, position taken, no extra steps. We’re at the dawn of this new era. Trends is defining a new asset class. Forging new behaviors is never easy, but trend is good.