Web3 has evolved far beyond the experimental phase. Today, it’s a high-performing, multi-billion-dollar economy with real clients, real products, and real capital at stake. Every time I sit down with a client—often with 10–15 years in traditional sales or venture—they ask the same thing:“Who’s actually earning here, and how do we get in on it?” This article is my take as a business development strategist, grounded in recent research by Solus Group and Simplicity Group. Unlike surface-level reviews, their analysis dives deep into protocols that don’t just survive Web3—they monetize it. research monetize From Research to Strategy: Metrics That Matter From Research to Strategy: Metrics That Matter I approach Web3 projects the same way I evaluate any business vertical: through hard numbers, verified sources, and operational benchmarks. The following metrics were core to both the research and my own frameworks for building institutional Web3 strategies: Total Revenue — More than just a performance stat. It’s the best proxy for real market demand.
Monetization Model — Token sales? Fees? Innovative mechanics? Your sustainability hinges on this.
Market Capitalization — A pulse check for investor sentiment and project maturity.
User Base — No traction, no future. Active wallets beat vanity metrics every time.
Integration Capabilities — Can the protocol plug into broader ecosystems without friction?
Data Transparency — Audited dashboards build trust, and unaudited hype loses credibility.
Growth Trajectory — If revenue flatlined or spiked during one bull cycle, it’s a red flag. Total Revenue — More than just a performance stat. It’s the best proxy for real market demand. Total Revenue — Monetization Model — Token sales? Fees? Innovative mechanics? Your sustainability hinges on this. Monetization Model — Market Capitalization — A pulse check for investor sentiment and project maturity. Market Capitalization — User Base — No traction, no future. Active wallets beat vanity metrics every time. User Base — Integration Capabilities — Can the protocol plug into broader ecosystems without friction? Integration Capabilities — Data Transparency — Audited dashboards build trust, and unaudited hype loses credibility. Data Transparency — Growth Trajectory — If revenue flatlined or spiked during one bull cycle, it’s a red flag. Growth Trajectory — As Nick Smohorzhevskyi, CIO at Solus Group and architect of the study, shared with me: “We focused on Ethereum-first and single-chain projects with real businesses, not fleeting hype. Data came from CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap, DefiLlama, and Dune—cross-verified to ensure institutional reliability. Investors must evaluate scalability and long-term viability. Projects generating consistent revenue thrive across market cycles. This research helps pinpoint those winners.” “We focused on Ethereum-first and single-chain projects with real businesses, not fleeting hype. Data came from CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap, DefiLlama, and Dune—cross-verified to ensure institutional reliability. Investors must evaluate scalability and long-term viability. Projects generating consistent revenue thrive across market cycles. This research helps pinpoint those winners.” “We focused on Ethereum-first and single-chain projects with real businesses, not fleeting hype. Data came from CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap, DefiLlama, and Dune—cross-verified to ensure institutional reliability. Investors must evaluate scalability and long-term viability. Projects generating consistent revenue thrive across market cycles. This research helps pinpoint those winners.” That’s the gold standard I look for when advising clients. Key Trends for Strategic Positioning Based on my review of the research and ongoing market conversations, here are three trends no institutional player can ignore: Liquid Staking — Protocols like Lido ($104M revenue) prove that user demand for yield with flexibility is here to stay.
Multichain Interoperability — Chainlink excels here. In a fragmented market, cross-chain support is essential for scale.
RWA Integration — Tokenized real-world assets are breaking into mainstream portfolios. Liquid Staking — Protocols like Lido ($104M revenue) prove that user demand for yield with flexibility is here to stay. Liquid Staking Multichain Interoperability — Chainlink excels here. In a fragmented market, cross-chain support is essential for scale. Multichain Interoperability RWA Integration — Tokenized real-world assets are breaking into mainstream portfolios. RWA Integration As Sarah Noggler, leading Web3 advisor and top LinkedIn voice in digital assets, aptly said: “The inflection point came when major institutions stopped piloting and began pricing RWAs on-chain as the primary source of truth. BlackRock and others feeding real performance data into tokenized funds and bonds led the market.” “The inflection point came when major institutions stopped piloting and began pricing RWAs on-chain as the primary source of truth. BlackRock and others feeding real performance data into tokenized funds and bonds led the market.” “The inflection point came when major institutions stopped piloting and began pricing RWAs on-chain as the primary source of truth. BlackRock and others feeding real performance data into tokenized funds and bonds led the market.” My Strategic Takeaways for Institutional Investors My Strategic Takeaways for Institutional Investors Scalability over speculation: Bet on platforms with revenue tied to usage, not just tokenomics (Lido, Chainlink).
Ecosystem leverage: Solana-native Jupiter ($241M) and multichain Uniswap ($20M+) succeed by leaning into their chain’s strengths.
RWA-backed models: Ethena ($88M) offers innovative structures like synthetic stables—perfect for conservative-yield-seeking institutions.
Consistency wins: Protocols like Morpho ($38M) and Aave ($91M) prove that user retention drives long-term alpha.
Pick infrastructure first: Exchanges with compliance and speed—like WhiteBIT and OKX—make onboarding simpler and safer for funds.
Underserved verticals = upside: Meteora and Phantom, with $428M and $386M respectively, highlight the value in supporting Web3 rails.
Adaptability across cycles: Protocols like GMX ($66M), sharing rev with LPs, show resilience in all market conditions.
Demand proof, not promises: Require dashboards, audits, and user stats. Skip the hype decks. Scalability over speculation: Bet on platforms with revenue tied to usage, not just tokenomics (Lido, Chainlink). tied to usage Ecosystem leverage: Solana-native Jupiter ($241M) and multichain Uniswap ($20M+) succeed by leaning into their chain’s strengths. RWA-backed models: Ethena ($88M) offers innovative structures like synthetic stables—perfect for conservative-yield-seeking institutions. Consistency wins: Protocols like Morpho ($38M) and Aave ($91M) prove that user retention drives long-term alpha. Pick infrastructure first: Exchanges with compliance and speed—like WhiteBIT and OKX—make onboarding simpler and safer for funds. Underserved verticals = upside: Meteora and Phantom, with $428M and $386M respectively, highlight the value in supporting Web3 rails. Adaptability across cycles: Protocols like GMX ($66M), sharing rev with LPs, show resilience in all market conditions. Demand proof, not promises: Require dashboards, audits, and user stats. Skip the hype decks. Or just do what many of my clients do: bring in a specialist who can vet, structure, and translate this into action. Final Word Final Word Web3 is no longer a theory. It’s a living, breathing economy, embraced by enterprises from Tesla to Nasdaq. And it’s moving fast. As a B2B strategist, I believe success here lies not in speculation—but in alignment: between infrastructure, user value, and monetization. If you're still looking at the space with legacy lenses, it's time to upgrade. Next-generation Web3 projects will be shaped by: Next-generation Web3 projects will be shaped by: Tangible integration with the real world


Cross-chain interoperability


Transparent, verifiable growth
Your move. Tangible integration with the real world Tangible integration with the real world Cross-chain interoperability Cross-chain interoperability Transparent, verifiable growth
Your move. Transparent, verifiable growth Your move.

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Who's Really Making Money in Web3? Insights From a Business Strategist

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