This article will explore some of the intricacies of the VLaunch launchpad, its VPAD token, and its role in Web3. But first, we’ll explain what a launchpad is.
What are Crypto Launchpads and IDOs?
Launchpads are platforms for launching new projects, tokens, or sourcing liquidity. They offer everyday retail investors a chance at early investing opportunities. These options were only for venture capitalists (VCs) and other large investors in the past.
But these days, initial DEX offerings (IDOs) are the new decentralized crowdfunding platform. This type of offering brings a new way to raise funds in crypto. So, when you find that a project is launching an IDO, it means they’re launching a token via a DEX. “DEX” stands for “decentralized exchange.” You can also think of IDOs as a reaction to the shortcomings of the initial coin offering (ICO) crowdfunding model, which lost favor in 2017.
VLaunch is a different kind of launchpad because it’s multi-chain. In turn, it can launch projects from various blockchains and sidechains such as Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain (BSC), Polygon (formerly Matic), and Fantom. This feature helps projects that want a one-stop-shop. Otherwise, they’d have to use separate launchpads for each network.
VLaunch Founders
Influencer Christopher Jaszczynski, a.k.a. “MMCrypto,” founded VLaunch because he was frustrated with missing out on some major ICOs over the years, such as Decentraland and Axie Infinity. He wanted to find a way to get the community involved in new projects since he saw how investors could profit up to 1,000x by getting in early. Co-founder CryptoMo, or Mo, is another well-known blockchain influencer. Both MMCrypto and Mo have loads of subscribers and are experts at garnishing a hefty share of attention and engagement.
So, MMCrypto and CryptoMo founded VLaunch to democratize the access process to promising crypto projects before they go mainstream. Usually, these early investment opportunities are only for venture capitalists (VCs) or other prominent team members and insiders. But the pair created VLaunch to take control from the few and hand it to the many.
The founders of VLaunch believe the blockchain is about decentralization and empowering the many. That’s why VLaunch offers everyday retail investors a chance to participate in their “Tier-1” projects.
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VLaunch and Influencers
To create more value for their community and the projects that launch on their platform, VLaunch actively engages with top crypto influencers. Their community of prominent thought leaders will play a key role in discovering promising new projects before other investors do.
Helping Crypto Projects Launch
VLaunch helps crypto projects bootstrap their community and raise capital while offering smaller investors opportunities to participate in the early funding rounds.
The strategy of this multi-chain launchpad is to:
1. Onboard some of the biggest crypto influencers as investors and support.
2. Offer the community free IDOs.
How VLaunch Works – Four Phases
When new projects list on VLaunch, they will go through a four-stage process. This process helps the community to prepare, and it helps the project collect the maximum amount of funding.
1. Preparation
VLaunch will notify all users in advance of the coming IDO on their website, social media channels, and via influencer affiliates. This phase gives investors the necessary time to perform due diligence, and it also helps generate buzz for the project.
2. Whitelist
During this phase, users who staked VPAD tokens (see below) will be eligible to participate. To “whitelist”, users have to meet the requirements, including having staked VPAD tokens for a minimum of two weeks.
3. Lottery
VLaunch will draw a lottery for everyone who is whitelisted.
4. Sale
Lottery winners from the whitelist phase can participate in the IDO during the sale stage. By doing so, they get project tokens ahead of launch for the lowest price. If the tokens do not sell out, VLaunch buys them to complete the IDO.
The VPAD Token and its Tokenomics
VPAD is VLaunch’s native token and is paramount to its operations. As mentioned, users must own and stake VPAD to participate in IDOs.
The total supply of VPAD is one billion. According to the release schedule, it will take three years for all the tokens to get circulated.
Typically, IDOs are too expensive for the average person to participate. However, since the most active community members are selected by lottery, there is a strong incentive to participate on social channels. After all, the primary way to get whitelisted for IDOs is through active engagement.
The commitment of the VLaunch community should come as no surprise since users get whitelisted for allocations by being active. On the other hand, there is extra noise on these channels due to users “jockeying” for a position. Nonetheless, whenever VLaunch posts anything, it gets lots of attention. As we all know, attention is a valuable commodity these days, and why social media platforms work so hard to retain it.
How to Earn VPAD Tokens
For users looking to capitalize on VLaunch’s offerings, they can:
1. Actively engage with the VLaunch community to get some VPAD tokens in preparation for launch time.
2. Stake their VPAD tokens to get into IDOs.
Another option for those who aren’t interested in participating in the community is to purchase VPAD tokens on centralized exchanges (CEXs) like Bitmart and DEXs such as Uniswap. Furthermore, VLaunch supports the MetaMask wallet, but the team is also working on other wallet integrations.
The Problems with Launchpads
Below are some of the problems with launchpads in general. Once you see the issues, you can better understand VLaunch’s solutions.
1. Introducing Launchpads
With DeFi and NFTs (what are NFTs?) trending upwards, there has been a surge in new ventures looking to launch their products and services on the blockchain. They need to enlist one or more launchpads to get to market quickly.
2. The Problem with Limited Launchpads
One of the problems with current launchpads is that they are limited to one ecosystem, such as BSC, Ethereum, or Polygon. So, ventures looking to diversify have to list multiple launchpads on various blockchains.
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3. Participation Costs and Limitations
Participating in a new product launch can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. Such high costs severely limit investor participation.
4. Short Term Enthusiasm
Initial enthusiasm over a project launch tends to fade as other launches muscle in on the news cycle.
5. Lack of Fairness
Some launchpads use manipulation tactics with bots or other automated mechanisms to ensure the lion’s share of allocations stays in their control.
6. Limited Token Allocation
Many launchpads don’t allow for a large number of participants in their IDO, or they aren’t able to attract enough of them. A limited number of participants means fewer project supporters.
7. High Listing Costs
When a project lists with a launchpad, many times, there are expensive marketing fees involved.
8. Centralized Control
Launchpads can sometimes pick which projects get listed for the wrong reasons when central authority figures bow to political influence.
The VLaunch Solution
1. Multi-Chain Superiority
One of the main differences new projects experience with VLaunch is that they’re not stuck with one blockchain. New ventures shouldn’t waste time with multiple launchpads when they can list from one source.
2. The First Launchpad by Influencers
One of VLaunch’s unique value adds is that it brings a broad range of talent and influence from the top thought leaders in the space. This type of high-powered inclusion means more project exposure to the millions of followers these influencers have.
3. Fair Distribution
VLaunch maximizes the number of IDO participants while simultaneously keeping the staking requirements as low as possible. Furthermore, VLaunch works to keep the allocation distribution system fair by allowing everyone to see the allocation winners.
4. Minimum Staking Requirements
The required stake has a minimum. This requirement simultaneously prevents “Sybil attacks” while encouraging as many participants as possible. By requiring each participant to stake VPAD, the Sybil attack becomes economically unfeasible to attempt.
5. Decentralization
VLaunch seeks to be fully decentralized. That means ceding control of the launchpad mechanisms to the community. Decentralized decision-making processes can help ensure that the projects with the best talent, technology, and community get picked rather than those with the most political influence.
VLaunch will gradually move to a DAO governance system as it becomes fully decentralized. With the DAO in place, the community will vote on all aspects of the launchpad.
VLaunch Price Forecasting Winners
VLaunch also offers a price forecast feature that allows community members to predict the new IDO’s post-launch price. Winners who predict accurately earn token rewards. More specifically, the top 2% of the total forecasters who guess closest will get VPAD tokens that they can claim at any time. Further, the top ten forecasters who estimate the closest will get a larger share of the rewards. VLaunch will decide the forecast results 30 days after the project’s token launch.
Staking VPAD
The VPAD token serves as the economic life force of the launchpad. Users must stake VPAD tokens to participate in allocations, and they will receive rewards based on the staking period. These periods run the gamut between two weeks and five years. So, the longer the user stakes, the greater the rewards.
During this time, stakers can participate in all IDOs on VLaunch without “unstaking” their coins. Below are the staking rewards based on the lock time frame:
Two weeks – 0% bonus.
Three months – 30% bonus.
Six months – 50% bonus.
One year – 90% bonus.
Two years – 160% bonus.
Three years – 260% bonus.
Four years – 410% bonus.
Five years – 650% bonus.
To stake VPAD tokens, users only need to click on the “Stake Now” button on the website. Remember, those who stake their tokens become eligible for a lottery that lets them participate in future IDOs on VLaunch.
To “unstake” VPAD tokens, users simply click on the “Unstake Tokens” button on the website. However, users who unstake their tokens lose their eligibility for IDO allocation. Further, if a user “unstakes” before the staking period officially ends, they will be subject to a voluntary platform fee. Finally, DAO-controlled smart contracts store these platform fees for the community to use in the future.
VLaunch’s First Project Launch
“VPAD – IDO” was the first project on VLaunch. Community members received VPAD in return for their activities and engagement on VLaunch’s social channels. The token was listed on Phemex for $1 on December 22nd, 2021. The price soon doubled. Then, after reaching a high of $2.30, it has flattened to approximately $1.75 at the time of writing.
It remains to be seen whether VLaunch will become the launchpad that attracts multi-million dollar IDOs. However, the launchpad’s positive factors give it an excellent chance at success.
VLaunch and the VPAD Token – Conclusion
For companies deciding which launchpad to use, all the hype from a free IDO can only help spread the word. By starting with VLaunch, a project gains by tapping into one of the most active communities and the millions of followers behind the influencers.
Projects can only benefit by galvanizing such an active community and influencers talking up the IDO. So, VLaunch could become a favorite for founders looking to launch. Moreover, VLaunch’s unique approach will likely lead to more efficient ways of uncovering some innovative projects that might have otherwise remained under the radar or gone to a small clique of wealthy VCs.
Perhaps the next venture to launch will be in gaming. Or, maybe the next big launch will be a metaverse project (what is metaverse?). Whatever transpires, the project leaders who can combine the winning formula of a top-tier project with a high level of community engagement and top influencers ready to promote them across various channels should do well.
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