The Rise of Curatorial Profit Models: An Overview of Four Innovative Projects for Monetizing "Taste"

From social signals to new economic exploration, monetizing taste has become a new business opportunity, with multiple innovative projects practicing this concept. This article is sourced from a piece written by michaellwy and organized, translated, and authored by Deep Tide TechFlow. (Background: Arthur Hayes predicts: the bull run will last until 2028, and US stablecoin policy ignites trillion-dollar opportunities) (Background Supplement: Commentary on why art exhibitions are disappearing, and cryptocurrencies are becoming the laundering gloves for the wealthy?) Exploring the new economy from social signals. In Part 1, we explored Curator Capital Markets as a theoretical basis for responding to the AI-driven media environment. This perspective is still in its early stages, but relevant experiments have begun to emerge. We can categorize these early experiments into three major categories, each representing a different form of 'high-cost signal': Resource allocation market: assigning value to content endorsement behavior by introducing scarcity. Prediction market: directly monetizing predictive ability. Identity layer: tying digital judgments to high-risk reputations. Let's look at some projects that are practicing this concept. 1. Tweem (@tweemdotlol) We have all seen comments under popular tweets: 'Invest when it gets 10 likes.' This is essentially an attempt to gain social capital through early support. Original tweet link: click here Tweem transforms this potential, informal behavior into a playable and competitive game. Its mechanism is very simple, here’s how it works: Users can bet on whether a tweet will go viral by tagging @tweemdotlol and setting specific goals for the tweet’s future performance (e.g.): Increase (such as a 10-fold increase in views, 5-fold increase in likes) Specific metrics (such as 1000 likes) If the tweet meets the predicted metrics, users will earn points on the Tweem platform. Original tweet link: click here Its core value proposition lies in the fact that each correct prediction adds to a user’s permanent and public record. This verifiable record helps users build a reputation for appreciating good content and foresight. By 'searching' tweets, you are essentially building a public record that reflects the quality and type of content you consume. Furthermore, Tweem also offers a feature called 'Cult' that allows users to team up with other content hunters to find high-quality content. Team members can share points equally. This may form a sort of 'content guild' focused on curating specialized content on specific topics. For example, there could be teams 'Cult' focusing on the best Memes, best macro analysis, or best prediction market insights. 2. Bangit (@bangitdotxyz) Bangit is a curation game and economic layer based on X/Twitter, aiming to replace Twitter's native like and retweet system, building a more complex market for rewarding users who accurately identify 'viral content.' Its core idea is 'free to play, upvote to earn.' Its mechanism revolves around a scarce and renewable resource - 'Power.' Each user replenishes a certain 'Max Power' daily, rather than having unlimited likes as in traditional systems. Users can like or dislike tweets by consuming a certain percentage of their energy (1%-10%). This design transforms the act of liking from a zero-cost, casual click into a behavior that requires careful allocation of personal limited resources. The system aims to reward technically skilled curators through a flywheel effect. Users who can consistently like successful tweets (considering the early degree of likes, the amount of energy used, and overall influence) can earn $BANG tokens. These tokens can be staked to increase the user's 'Max Power,' enhancing future reward potential. This cyclical mechanism allows users with 'Proof of Taste' to expand their influence and earning potential. In terms of reward distribution, the majority (80%) goes to curators who successfully identify content, while a small portion (20%) goes to original content creators, thereby clearly capitalizing on the value of discovery. 3. Vimix (@vimixdotfun) Vimix is a protocol hoping to become the 'attention market coordination layer,' with a core idea of building a market for a specific, high-value curation work - content remixing. Vimix recognizes that 'culture is essentially a form of remixing,' and the most powerful forms of dissemination come from communities deriving new creations from core ideas, such as clips, internet memes, and user-generated content (UGC), spreading through new channels. The 'high-cost signal' emphasized by Vimix is the creative and intellectual labor involved in this remixing process. The costs are directly reflected in the time and skills required to understand content and reimagine it in new, compelling ways. Judging which moments resonate most and how to present them for maximum impact. Through Vimix, creators can build a content community, setting aside a small portion of the reward pool for remixers and curators to spread their work. More information can be found through related project materials. Original tweet link: click here 4. Twocents (@twocentinc) Twocents is a social network whose user identities are based on verified net worth. Although it is not a curation market itself, it offers interesting ideas for addressing the zero-cost, (mostly) anonymous identity problems in current social media. Original tweet link: click here The platform connects to users' financial accounts through Plaid, incorporating their capital as part of their usernames. This creates a pseudo-anonymous environment where every post and comment is set against the backdrop of the user's wealth. The platform does not focus on a single topic; users can discuss various content from investing to dating, but always framed by their verified financial status. For example, the opinion expressed by an account with a verified net worth of 26 million dollars is an unforgeable signal, carrying weight that other accounts cannot replicate. This enforces 'skin in the game' at the identity level. The endorsement of a verified account with capital thus becomes a more trustworthy high-fidelity signal, more reliably used by other market participants. Summary Currently, these projects appear more like quirky internet games than the foundation of a new economy, but that is precisely the starting point for such innovations. I believe that the specific characteristics of these projects may not be important; what matters is the problem they are collectively trying to solve: building a market that can price human 'choice behavior,' not just pricing creative behavior. Related Reports Hikaru Utada discusses the creative soul in the AI era, where will artists go? Dalio's new article: Insight into the five key indicators of the current economy, the art of trading and the power behind it Rich Dad claims 'Ethereum and silver' are the best assets currently: The global economy will collapse this year, and paper assets will become junk. (The rise of curation monetization models: Reviewing four innovative projects that monetize 'taste') This article was first published in BlockT...