How to win in the new "public chain war" of AI Agents?

Original Title: Agent Ecosystem = The New L1

Original Author: 0xJeff, AI Investor

Original Compilation: Ismay, BlockBeats

Do you remember the L2 craze of 2022-2023?

At that time, the best strategy was to accumulate leading DEXs, top lending markets, Solidly fork projects, LSTs, yield optimizers, and so on. Everyone was chasing token launches, participating in airdrops, or injecting TVL into L2 platforms like Blast to earn points.

Although that period was chaotic, it did work (at least for a few months).

Now, the same enthusiasm is emerging again, but this time, the rules have completely changed.

The Agent ecosystem is reshaping our understanding of the market, and its structure is entirely different from before.

No VC Dominance

In the L2 era, token distribution always followed a fixed formula:

The team took 15-30%, VCs and KOLs took 10-30%, and the rest was used for incentives and rewards.

But in the Agent ecosystem, the situation is completely different. 100% of the tokens are owned by the community, with the team possibly reserving 5% for incentives, while the rest circulates freely in the market.

What does this mean?

Everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in purchases, no longer needing to worry about VC unlocks or insider sell-offs. If you want exposure, you need to bear the same market risks as everyone else.

What about KOL's OTC rounds?

Some projects do offer discounted OTC trades, but usually:

• The scale is strictly limited;
• Priority is given to partners that align closely with the ecosystem, such as DAOs or influencers who actively support ecosystem development.

This is no longer a model of "VC lifting the platform, retail investors taking the fall," but a more equitable and streamlined system that truly puts power in the hands of the community.

No "Copy-Paste" Trend

At least not like in the DeFi space, where projects were repeatedly forked from Uniswap to Liquity with almost no innovation.

Here, everything revolves around brand new innovations. Developers are not simply copying existing projects but are launching entirely new Agents and applications at a pace that is hard to keep up with.

Why is this happening?

The iteration speed of AI applications is faster:

• No need to spend months on audits;
• Most Agents go live in weeks, not months;
• The entire field is filled with vitality, experimentation, and creativity.

Almost every week brings exciting new developments, and as AI technology continues to evolve, the narrative of Web3 AI Agents is also continuously progressing.

A Brand New User Acquisition Model

In traditional DeFi, users need to:

• Find the project's website;
• Spend time understanding the product;
• Possibly interact with the product.

However, Agents completely disrupt this approach by presenting the product directly to users.

Take @aixbt_agent as an example; it provides valuable information in real-time on CT (Crypto Twitter). Users immediately feel the value, generate interest, and explore further. Ultimately, they will purchase tokens to fully unlock product features.

This "interact first, trade later" funnel model is proving to be more effective. With the proliferation of on-chain trading Agents and DeFi Agents, this model is expected to dominate before 2025.

A Highly Curated Ecosystem

No longer thousands of scattered L2s and dApps, but tightly interconnected ecosystems like the following:

• @virtuals_io (Base)
• @ai16zdao (Solana)
• @daosdotworld (Base)
• @daosdotfun (Solana)

What’s different?

Developers are no longer attracted by subsidies or incentive mechanisms; they flow in naturally because there are:

• Fairly launched token economic models;
• Enthusiastic communities;
• Opportunities to experiment and innovate in an exciting field.

This is the result of combining fair launches with continuous innovation. Developers, investors, and communities collectively drive the growth and development of the ecosystem.

How to Position Yourself in This Agent Cycle

It feels like the early days of L1—but at a much faster pace. Looking back at 2020-2021, many L1s reached peak valuations of over $100 billion. The same potential exists here.

If you want to position yourself, you can focus on the following Agent-related L1s:

• $VIRTUAL
• $AI16
• $ZEREBRO
• $GRIFFAIN
• $BULLY
• $ARC

But don’t just chase the currently popular projects. Look for:

• Undervalued opportunities outside the current narrative scope;
• Teams that move quickly, tell compelling stories, and can build market recognition.

For more information, you can refer to this guide:

Related Reading: 《 How to Capture 100x Opportunities in This AI Agent Cycle? 》

Welcome to a New Era

The Agent ecosystem is not just a new L1; it is a completely different market structure—faster, leaner, and more community-driven than ever before.

We are entering a cycle that could reshape how Web3 innovation operates, and the journey toward valuations exceeding $100 billion has just begun.

Welcome aboard, friends; it will be an exciting journey!