This weekend, the DeSci (Decentralized Science) track suddenly became the focus of the industry. This wave of enthusiasm stemmed from Binance Labs' investment in BIO Protocol and the chain reaction it triggered. The release of the investment news reignited the previously low-profile DeSci concept in the market, sparking strong performances from a series of projects and tokens. From Binance founder CZ and Vitalik Buterin's gathering at the DeSci event in Bangkok to BIO Protocol's successful token financing in Genesis Round 2.5, these events indicate that the DeSci track is experiencing a new wave of attention.
The rise of DeSci did not happen overnight, but is the result of a series of actions gradually elevating its profile. First, on November 8, Binance Labs announced its investment in BIO Protocol, marking Binance Labs' official entry into the DeSci track for the first time. BIO Protocol is referred to as 'the on-chain scientific version of Y Combinator,' with its core philosophy to incubate and fund scientific research projects in a decentralized manner to break the bottleneck of traditional research funding. Y Combinator, as one of the most well-known startup incubators, has supported the success of a series of startup companies like Airbnb and Coinbase, while BIO Protocol provides similar funding support and incubation services for scientific projects through on-chain operations.
BIO Protocol not only serves as an important driving force in the DeSci track, but its internal BioDAO sub-DAO structure is also crucial. One of the most well-known sub-DAOs is VitaDAO, which was also founded by members of the BIO Protocol team. VitaDAO focuses on early research in longevity science and is one of the most successful cases in the BIO ecosystem.
Immediately following, on November 13, Binance founder CZ attended the DeSci Day event held in Bangkok and discussed the development direction of DeSci alongside Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin. This public appearance deepened market interest in DeSci, especially the endorsement of two top figures in the crypto industry brings more possibilities for the future of this field. During this event, Vitalik also showcased the first longevity product developed by VitaDAO, VD001, which is a natural high-dose spermidine supplement approved by the Thai FDA. This not only demonstrates the actual progress of DeSci in scientific research but also reflects its potential integration points with traditional biotechnology and drug development.
Additionally, on November 13, BIO Protocol just completed its Genesis Round 2.5 token financing, raising a total of $2.9 million, with the total value of assets exchanged for BIO reaching $2.93 million. Following this financing, DeSci-related tokens in the market saw a sharp increase, especially tokens like VITA, GROW, and RSC performed particularly well during this period, maintaining strong upward momentum even amid market corrections. BIO Protocol's financing and CZ and Vitalik's public interactions undoubtedly provided a strong catalyst for this surge.
Another key point in the DeSci track is the organic combination of DeSci with the meme culture of the crypto world, creating a unique catalytic effect. Unlike BIO, which is more suitable for institutional investors, DeSci Meme provides a low-threshold channel for insiders to understand and participate in DeSci.
BIO Protocol's Pump.Science aims to incentivize users to participate in scientific research through meme tokens, especially in the field of drug research. These sub-DAOs and platforms are closely linked, forming a collaborative ecosystem that provides funding support and experimental platforms for scientific research, jointly promoting the development of DeSci.
This combination greatly enhances the dissemination and market attention of DeSci projects. During this period, the meme tokens RIF and URO from the Pump.Science platform surged 100 times and 20 times respectively within just two days. Although they later experienced significant volatility, the underlying participation mechanism—using memes to incentivize user participation in drug research—gained widespread market recognition, marking a phased success in combining scientific research with crypto culture.
After all this, what exactly is DeSci?
Science is the fundamental tool for advancing human progress; it is our systematic exploration of nature and explanation of empirical observations. Over time, scientific research has developed into a complex human system requiring efficient collaboration of various resources. However, the existing research system faces numerous challenges, including lengthy funding application processes, closed organizational structures, and inadequate result identification and sharing mechanisms, which severely hinder scientific progress.
To solve these dilemmas, decentralized science (DeSci) has emerged. DeSci utilizes emerging technologies such as blockchain to reshape funding, result identification, and collaboration mechanisms in scientific research, aiming to improve research efficiency, reduce costs, and promote research equity. This is not only a technological innovation but also a systematic revolution.
As physicist David Deutsch said, the essence of science lies in the continuous development of knowledge, understanding the physical world, and exploring how to align it with our desires. DeSci is guided by this philosophy, reconstructing scientific research through smart contracts, token incentives, and DAO organizations. It transforms science from the exclusive realm of centralized systems into an open, transparent, decentralized public participation process.
Traditional scientific funding mainly relies on government agencies and large foundations, and this centralized system often leads to scientists facing stringent approval processes. In contrast, DeSci achieves a decentralized source of research funding through DAO organizations and token incentive mechanisms, allowing scientists to showcase their projects directly to decentralized communities and obtain funding. This not only accelerates the funding acquisition process but also provides opportunities for non-mainstream, innovative research directions, greatly enhancing inclusivity in scientific research.
The narrative of DeSci is undeniably attractive to the entire industry; it’s a story of achieving big things with small money—retail investors pooling their resources to support scientific breakthroughs, giving everyone the opportunity to shape the future of science through blockchain technology. This vision is full of imagination for human progress and has great investment return potential.
DeSci ecosystem inventory, what potential blue chips are there?
The concept of DeSci first appeared in 2018 in a blog post by Martin Etzrodt, and the DeSci track and projects only began to occasionally show their faces in 2021, with public discussion remaining low. During this period, some projects have already established a foothold in the track as time has passed. Of course, we are still discussing value-oriented project tokens, and memes will be set aside for now for later discussion.
1. Molecule
Market Cap: $25 million
FDV: $25 million
7-day increase: 636%
Molecule is one of the most influential projects in the DeSci field, dedicated to providing funding and infrastructure support for biotechnology research. It establishes a novel intellectual property management model called IP-NFT, allowing researchers to convert ownership of scientific research into blockchain-based NFTs, thus creating a new market for the trading and sharing of biopharmaceutical assets. The Molecule project aims to break traditional scientific funding models, covering two core modules: Molecule Discovery and Molecule Finance, promoting decentralized drug development.
To promote market supply and demand, Molecule has also developed a unique incubator/accelerator program - bio.xyz. Through this program, Molecule builds and incubates bioDAO, which means Molecule is undoubtedly the big brother of this track.
2. VitaDAO
Market Cap $150 million
FDV: $161 million
7-day increase: 229%
VitaDAO is the world's first biotechnology DAO, where researchers at different career stages globally, including professors, research scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and students, as well as biotechnology startups, can apply for funding from VitaDAO. VitaDAO is seeking therapeutic interventions that can extend the healthy lifespan of various species, or projects that treat/prevent multiple aging-related diseases.
It utilizes IP-NFT technology for intellectual property identification and sharing, transforming scientific intellectual property and research data into digital assets, allowing holders to participate in governance, thereby promoting scientific openness and equity. VitaDAO has attracted numerous investors and scientists, and has received funding support from well-known companies like Pfizer, actively advancing frontier research in the field of longevity.
The main focus of VitaDAO funding is translational research, aiming to develop patented new treatments or diagnostic methods with potential commercial value. Typically, VitaDAO funding covers 1-2 years of research and amounts to $250,000. While funding amounts may vary, projects with lower budgets are prioritized.
3. ResearchCoin
Market Cap: $90 million
FDV: $93 million
7-day increase: 152%
ResearchCoin is a crypto research platform co-founded by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and others, belonging to the DeSci (Decentralized Science) track, aiming to change the traditional scientific journal publishing model. Users earn ResearchCoin (RSC) by publishing content on ResearchHub, and the amount of RSC received is proportional to the value other community members assign to the content.
4. GenomesDAO
Market Cap: $27 million
FDV: $27 million
7-day increase: 157.8%
GenomesDAO is a biotechnology DAO committed to achieving secure, privacy-preserving, and auditable monetization of genomic data through DeFi. For individual users, GenomesDAO provides clinical-grade whole genome sequencing services, personalized genomic reports based on this data, and the ability to securely store data in a personal DNA vault. For institutional organizations, GenomesDAO offers DNA vault technology for creating secure, participant-owned genomic databases. For researchers, GenomesDAO provides convenient access to high-quality genomic datasets to assist in disease causation research and new drug development. The GENE token is used to pay for whole genome sequencing services and serves as an incentive mechanism for using the encrypted DNA data vault for queries.
5. Data Lake
Market Cap: $24 million
FDV: $44 million
7-day increase: 166%
Data Lake creates a global medical data donation system based on blockchain technology, aimed at supporting medical research and artificial intelligence development.
This system is built on the Polygon network and $LAKE token, connecting patients with researchers who need medical data. This innovative model supports researchers in finding new disease treatments, ultimately improving healthcare quality and patient prognosis.
Data Lake can securely access medical data from donors' healthcare providers, anonymize it, and then provide it to researchers. At the same time, the platform allows hospitals and data donors to share the benefits of the medical data economy, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem.
Currently, these leading projects in the DeSci track have all weathered the ups and downs of the market, with relatively low market caps, all in the tens of millions of dollars, and most tokens have already been released. In terms of projects, Molecule, Vita, and Research belong to top-tier institutions with backing, and these projects influence each other, with some developers even being shared among them, tightly collaborating to build a closed-loop ecosystem. Although the implementation of each project has been somewhat unsatisfactory, the temporary impact on adoption is limited, and in the short term, there are no visible competitors in the same track.
Value tokens are one thing, but the real focus of the market is Memes, as they are everywhere in this bull market.
DeSci + Meme, the next top narrative alongside AI Meme?
Over the weekend, the $RIF surge of 100 times in wealth effect was the key signal that sparked the DeSci frenzy, with $RIF's brother $URO also increasing 20 times; both are tokens issued by the Pump.Science platform. They are known as the twin stars of Pump.Sci.
The Pump.Science platform is a unique meme token issuance platform launched by Molecule DAO, aiming to closely link ordinary users with drug research through token economics, providing a new funding and participation model for scientific research. The core logic of the platform is: users can participate in drug experiments by trading meme tokens representing the drugs and trade and invest based on experimental progress and market performance. This model not only increases the transparency of scientific research but also provides ordinary investors with the opportunity to participate in scientific breakthroughs.
Specifically, the operation of Pump.Science can be divided into the following several steps:
Drug proposal submissions and token issuance: First, scientific researchers can submit their drug research proposals on the Pump.Science platform. Proposals will be tokenized in the form of meme tokens on the platform after being reviewed and approved by the community and experts. Each drug research proposal will correspond to the issuance of a specific meme token, which represents the research and experimental process of that drug.
User participation and token trading: Users can support drug research projects they deem promising by purchasing these meme tokens. The act of purchasing tokens essentially serves as a 'vote' of support for the drug experiment, and the funds will be used for drug research and experimentation. After the tokens are listed, users can view all published drug experiment projects on the Pump.Science Marketplace page, understanding the experimental progress and market performance of each project. Users can choose to buy or sell tokens to gain potential profits.
Experimental progress and market feedback: When the market cap of a certain drug reaches a specific threshold (e.g., $10,000), the medical research organization ORA Biomedical will begin experiments with that drug and regularly publish the results on the Pump.Science platform. Users can view this experimental data through the platform and adjust their investment strategies based on data changes. If the experimental results are significant, such as extending the lifespan of experimental worms, the price of the meme tokens associated with that drug typically rises, allowing users to profit.
Gamified incentives and cyclical mechanisms: Pump.Science combines longevity research with token trading, quantifying the potential value of drugs through indicators like 'Percentage of Lifespan Extension' (PLE) and incentivizing users to participate actively. When drug experiments show positive effects, more users may rush to purchase the drug's meme tokens, further driving up its market price. Additionally, the platform will also improve token scarcity through token buyback and burn mechanisms, thereby increasing market value. This gamified mechanism makes the entire process not just scientific research but more like a predictive game about drug experiments.
Specifically, the current tokens $RIF (Rifampicin) and $URO (Urokinase) represent two drugs being tested in experiments: Rifampicin is an antibiotic being studied for its potential in extending lifespan, while Urokinase is a metabolite derived from pomegranates and other fruits known for its lifespan-extending potential. Why is RIF surging more? Because the antibiotic $RIF extended the lifespan of worms by 32.87%, while the compound $URO extended it by 6.35%. Thus, $RIF becomes the leader, and the logic behind it is quite simple.
The DeSci Meme track $RIF has already stabilized, with its market cap soaring to $180 million as of the time of writing, and the second dragon $URO has a market cap of $64 million. In addition, the following DeSci Meme projects have also begun to gain some heat within the community:
SciHub
Market Cap: $47 million
24h Trading Volume: $73 million
7-day increase 417% Sci-Hub is a shadow library. It uses various methods to bypass publishers' paywalls, providing millions of academic papers and works without regard to copyright issues. In 2011, Kazakh graduate student Alexandra Elbakyan established Sci-Hub because the cost of research papers behind the paywall was too high. It faces legal issues due to its open-source nature and relies solely on donations for maintenance.
WTF Academy founder @0xAA_Science believes that Scihub is the biggest DeSci application, so he bought 22% of the related contract on pump.fun. He then transferred 110 million SCIHUB tokens to the donation address of Sci-Hub's founder on Solana. The plan is to donate 1% of SCIHUB on the 16th of each month for nine consecutive months starting December 16, 2024 (totaling 90 million tokens), amounting to a total of 200 million SCIHUB, accounting for 20% of the total circulation.
Quantum Entanglement DeSci Dual Currency: ANTI&PRO
ANTI Market Cap $10.3 million, 24h Trading Volume $43.25 million;
PRO Market Cap currently reported at $11.18 million, 24h Trading Volume $42.08 million.
This concept is primarily about quantum entanglement in physics; simply put, these two tokens are actually the same, so they should have the same token price. As for how to achieve the same token price, it is still unclear what technology was used. The developer @sshmatrix_ stated that a roadmap would be released in the next few days; he is also the developer of ERC7700, with solid coding skills.
Binance's strategic layout, what's the outlook?
Recently, major cryptocurrency platforms like Binance have shown great importance to the DeSci field with their strategic layouts. Binance has made a high-profile entry into the market by investing in projects like Molecule and BIO. These investments not only expand Binance's own ecological landscape but also reflect deep recognition and resource input into the decentralized science field. Binance's participation marks the beginning of mainstream crypto market attention for DeSci, potentially attracting more institutional funds in the future and promoting rapid expansion of DeSci project application scenarios. Moreover, CZ's strong backing is a clear signal for investors: decentralized science is becoming a new windfall in the crypto industry.
From the perspective of the evolution of asset issuance, DeSci can be seen as the third iteration of blockchain financing models:
Initial ICO: Virtual assets create virtual value by issuing new tokens using ETH and other cryptocurrencies, but often lack clear purposes;
DeFi Wave: Practical applications derive virtual value by issuing governance tokens based on actual financial functions, but the inherent value remains unclear;
DeSci Era: Virtual assets support real research by providing funding for actual scientific projects through crypto asset pools and speculative tokens.
This new asset issuance logic marks the deep application of blockchain technology in the real economy. DeSci is not just a financing model, but a deep integration of research and blockchain technology. It brings new possibilities to the traditional research system.
However, DeSci's development still faces numerous challenges. Balancing short-term speculation with long-term research value, ensuring research quality is not affected by market speculation, and addressing potential regulatory issues are all key problems that DeSci needs to solve in the future. With more institutional and individual participation, DeSci is expected to become an important force driving web3 innovation, opening new paths for the progress of human knowledge.
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