Quick Episode Snapshot
Simon joins Thomas fresh off the plane to Solana Accelerate NYC to unpack why on-chain identity matters, how Solana ID was born, and what’s next for the network’s “consumer-chain” momentum. From protocol-level tech talk to growth-hacker marketing, this conversation ties together privacy, user-experience trade-offs, and the very real business of turning wallets into people—and people into power users.
1. Setting the Scene
Guest: Simon, founder of Solana ID.
Context: One year since pivoting exclusively to Solana after winning the “Renaissance” hackathon and launching the SOLID token.
2. Why Digital Identity on Solana?
Fragmented wallets ≠ real users. DApps market to “strangers,” wasting ad dollars and airdrops.
Solana ID’s pitch: Bundle every wallet + off-chain proof (Twitter, Discord, etc.) into a SOLID Score and behavior badges—still pseudonymous, but human-readable.
Business upside: DApps target high-value users with fee discounts, quests, and perks; users monetize their own reputation.
3. Building vs. Privacy—Choosing UX First
ZK-proofs protect data, but browser extensions add friction.
Planned dual-path: one-click Web2 API connects for the masses and ZK vault for privacy purists.
4. Tech & Ecosystem Takes
Solana’s “consumer chain” status flows from builders chasing UX, not marketing slogans.
Rust is harder than Solidity but yields sturdier code.
Network effects—developer mindshare and liquidity—matter more than theoretical TPS.
5. Token Talk & Market Reality
SOLID launched late-2024; liquidity crunch hit most altcoins. Simon sees it as undervalued and integral to protocol incentives.
Lesson: having a live token means juggling two products—code and coin.
6. Shipping Road-Map Reveals
This week: Joint Solana Foundation announcement (identity-layer upgrade).
Soon: “ID Display Network” — partner sites auto-detect your Solana ID and surface personalized perks without leaving their pages.
7. Macro Tailwinds
Friendlier US crypto policy and potential stable-coin legislation could super-charge on-chain consumer apps—Solana stands to benefit most.
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