It is said that Web3 projects should live well rather than just live long, but what does it mean to 'live well'? Just looking at the coin price? That's not much different from gambling. Let's not get abstract today; let's take APRO as an example and discuss what it takes for a project to survive the bull and bear markets and pass several 'health checks'.
First checkpoint: Can the protocol really 'handle things'?
Many project protocols are written in a flashy way, but they collapse under pressure. APRO's protocol should be like the rammed earth walls of my hometown—looking simple, but able to withstand a typhoon. Safety, decentralization, and upgradability are essential; if any one of these is missing, the future will be like walking a tightrope in mid-air.
Level Two: Is governance 'just acting'?
Currently, every project claims to have DAO governance, but all proposals are just the team self-promoting. If governance tokens are only used for speculation, what’s the difference from arcade tokens? APRO's governance must allow retail investors to have a say, even if their voting power is small, it must be genuine. Otherwise, the so-called 'community' is just an audience group.
Level Three: Is liquidity 'false excitement'?
A bunch of projects treat TVL (Total Value Locked) as a KPI to boost, throwing in some incentive funds, making the data look good, and once the rewards are withdrawn, everyone runs away. True liquidity must be like flowing water, where users come voluntarily, stay, and can explore various uses. If APRO's DeFi pool relies solely on subsidies, it would be better to just issue red envelopes.
Level Four: Is the application 'nothing but speculation'?
If the most popular applications in the ecosystem are always dog coins and lotteries, then this project is basically finished. What APRO needs are DApps that can solve real problems—even if it’s just making cross-border transfers a bit cheaper and faster, that is more practical than a thousand meme coins.
Level Five: Is cross-chain 'a dangerous bridge'?
Cross-chain bridges are frequently hacked as ATMs; who dares to use them? If APRO is to do cross-chain, security must come first. Better to be slow than to become a leaky 'wooden fence.' User assets must cross safely so that one can sleep at night.
Level Six: Is NFT 'nothing but a profile picture'?
If NFTs are just PFPs (profile pictures), they cannot support the ecosystem at all. APRO's NFTs need to be useful—serving as tickets, credentials, tools, or even dismantled and combined for use. They must be the 'Swiss Army knife' of the ecosystem, not just a decorative painting on the wall.
Level Seven: Is scaling 'just a catchphrase'?
Every day shouting TPS hundreds of thousands, when there are many users it still lags like a PPT. APRO's L2 plan cannot just exist in the white paper; it needs to be launched for real testing and withstand bulk transfers and high-frequency interactions in real scenarios. Otherwise, it's like claiming 'highway,' but in reality, it's all gravel roads.
Simply put, Web3 projects are like planting trees; deep roots, straight branches, and solid fruits are needed to grow into a forest. If APRO can pass most of these seven 'health check items,' even if a bull market doesn't come, it won't collapse; but if it relies solely on marketing to hold up, when the wind stops, it will fall faster than anyone else.
Dear friends, when looking at projects, don't just listen to stories, conveniently use this 'health check list' for comparison. How many levels can your APRO pass?
(This article is purely personal chatter, neither praising nor criticizing; investment decisions are up to you.)
