Deep Dive
1. Mobile Incentive Overhaul (January 2025)
Overview: Blast replaced its Points and Gold reward systems with liquid $BLAST tokens, aligning incentives with its mobile ecosystem. This simplifies user participation and reduces reliance on speculative reward mechanisms.
The change reflects a strategic pivot toward liquidity-driven growth, as $BLAST now serves as the primary payment and reward currency within Blast Mobile apps. Existing Points/Gold holders received a 5% airdrop of the new incentives.
What this means: This is neutral for BLAST because it reduces complexity but introduces volatility risks, as rewards now depend on $BLAST’s market price. (Source)
2. USDB Yield Integration (January 2025)
Overview: Blast Mobile’s Earn app now automatically converts USD deposits (USDC/USDT) into USDB, Blast’s yield-bearing stablecoin. The yield combines MakerDAO’s 11.5% baseline rate and $BLAST token incentives.
This integration streamlines yield generation but exposes users to $BLAST price fluctuations, as rewards are paid in the native token.
What this means: This is bullish for BLAST because it incentivizes stablecoin deposits, potentially increasing network usage and demand for $BLAST. However, APY volatility could deter risk-averse users. (Source)
3. Developer Grant Structure (January 2025)
Overview: Blast shifted from fixed Gold grants to dynamic $BLAST allocations for developers. Teams building on Blast Mobile receive grants based on product-market fit and adoption metrics rather than predefined quotas.
Big Bang participants receive $BLAST equivalent to 1M Gold upon app launch, while others undergo case-by-case evaluations.
What this means: This is bearish for BLAST in the short term, as reduced upfront grants may slow developer onboarding. Long-term, it could foster higher-quality dapps by tying incentives to real usage. (Source)
Conclusion
Blast is prioritizing liquidity and mobile adoption by replacing legacy reward systems with $BLAST-driven incentives. While this aligns token utility with ecosystem growth, success hinges on balancing APY stability and developer engagement. Will Blast Mobile’s app store rollout accelerate mainstream adoption, or will reliance on volatile rewards limit traction?