Lack of contributor alignment
In most protocols, contributors are optional. They’re treated as supporters, not stakeholders. Even when their work is valuable, there is no structure to track it, reward it, or connect it to the future of the project.
This creates a misalignment.
The people who help a protocol grow are often:
unpaid
unnoticed
replaceable
Meanwhile, decision-making and token supply remain concentrated in the hands of the original team or early investors.
What misalignment looks like
Writes a detailed thread
No visibility, no reward
Designs a landing page
No attribution, no payment
Translates documents
Considered helpful but not essential
Brings new users
No credit, no long-term recognition
When contributors are not part of the core loop, growth becomes fragile. They stop participating. Or worse, they move to other projects where their work is valued.
A protocol cannot grow through a few team members alone. It needs a system that lets anyone contribute, and a structure that ensures the right people get credit, reputation, and rewards.
Without this, most communities stay passive.
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