"If crypto is about centralized ownership of the networks and software, like many wallets, token launchers, and consumer experiences, then the future is in trouble." - @ccarella

https://paragraph.xyz/@ccarella/network-owned-by-their-participants

Chris nails it with this take on network ownership. Networks should be owned by their participants—not just in name (“you own your data”) but in real economic alignment. Otherwise, we’re just slapping a new label on the same old extractive structures.

One key point, as outlined in the Revnet memo, is making sure value actually flows to the people driving and sustaining the network. Too often, apps and protocols hand out rebates that aren’t token-aligned—rewarding short-term activity instead of reinforcing long-term network growth.

Projects that issue rebates in stablecoins or other assets disconnected from network growth (or governance, if that’s your thing) might spark engagement, but they don’t build lasting investment. Without aligning incentives with protocol growth in 'ownership', these networks risk falling into a rent-seeking model instead of fostering real participation.

This is where Revenue Tokens come in. Unlike typical governance tokens that can feel abstract, speculative, or a charade, revenue tokens give participants a direct stake in the actual economic flow of the network. Whether it’s protocol fees, marketplace commissions, or transaction revenue, these tokens create a clearer, more tangible connection between users and the value they help generate.

In practice, this could mean things like tokenized revenue shares for early adopters of an app, letting them earn alongside its growth. It could mean community-owned liquidity pools where fees automatically cycle back to participants rather than being extracted by a centralized entity. It could even mean creators and contributors getting direct, programmable cuts of the revenue streams they help drive.

The big shift here is making ownership more than just a number on Ether/Base/Abri whatever scan — it’s about embedding economic participation into the core of how networks function. When users aren’t just using a network but actively benefiting from its success, we get something way more powerful than traditional incentive models. We get networks that people actually want to build with, sustain, and grow.

The future I want to help build isn’t just about theoretical ownershit’s about making it real. That means designing participation models where value compounds in a way that strengthens, rather than dilutes, the network over time. It’s about seeing people not just as users, but as entrepreneurs who share common missions, working together to create networks that are built to last.